Consumers Find Big Incentives to Shop Small(sm) as Countdown to Small Business Saturday® Begins

With the holiday season just weeks away, shoppers are finding incentives to support small retailers on Small Business Saturday. Small Business Saturday, which falls between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, is fast becoming the ceremonial kick-off to the holiday season for small, independently-owned businesses.

Consumers will be able to support small businesses in their communities while cashing in on some amazing deals. Small businesses around the country are offering special promotions, hosting events and finding ways to reward their customers. American Express is offering a $25 statement credit to a limited number of Cardmembers who pre-register their eligible American Express Card on www.facebook.com/SmallBusinessSaturday, and then spend at least $25 at a small business on Small Business Saturday with their registered Card. And FedEx distributed 40,000 $25 Shop-Small-branded gift cards through www.facebook.com/Fedex, to drive more business to small retailers on Small Business Saturday. The gift cards were snapped up in less than one hour.

To help registered Cardmembers take full advantage of the $25 statement credit, the Small Business Saturday Facebook page includes a map of small businesses where the card offer is accepted. The interactive map allows consumers to find local businesses and "like" their favorites directly through the "Get Involved” tab. Consumers are encouraged to search for new small businesses in their neighborhoods, give shout-outs to their favorite small businesses, and most importantly, "shop small” on Small Business Saturday and throughout the holidays.

"Last year, independent merchants who accept American Express saw an average boost in sales of 28% on Small Business Saturday¹,” said Mary Ann Fitzmaurice Reilly, senior vice president at American Express OPEN. "Shoppers sent a clear message that shopping local is an important part of the holiday season and small businesses are rewarding that loyalty with what their customers care about most–superior service, unique selection and some great deals.”

This year, Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP), a nonpartisan organization which educates and advocates on behalf of women-owned businesses, will organize Small Business Saturday events in 15 U.S. cities on November 26 to drive even more customers into small businesses. Americans will gather in neighborhoods around the country to show their support for the day and the local small businesses they patronize all year long. Consumers and small businesses in these 15 cities are encouraged to join the festivities. From holiday celebrations to block parties, the events will take place in:

• Boston (Roslindale)
• Charlotte (South End)
• Chicago (Hyde Park)
• Cincinnati (Over the Rhine)
• Fort Worth (Sundance Square)
• Detroit (Midtown, New Center, Downtown/Business District, Eastern Market)
• Los Angeles (Culver City)
• Miami (Coral Gables)
• New York (TriBeCa)
• Philadelphia (Manayunk)
• Scottsdale (The Plaza on South Bridge and Old Farmer’s Market)
• San Diego (North Park)
• San Francisco (North Beach)
• Seattle (Edmonds)
• Washington, DC (Adams Morgan)

Shoppers in New York, Chicago and San Francisco can also take advantage of shopping guides found on www.facebook.com/SmallBusinessSaturday under the "City Guides” tab on the left side of the page. The deals featured in the guides–sourced by trend-spotting PAPER Magazine–are for all shoppers, not just those with American Express cards.

More than 200 advocacy organizations are all part of the Small Business Saturday Coalition, whose mission is to inspire business owners and communities across the country to embrace Small Business Saturday and get the word out about the importance of shopping at small, independently owned businesses all year long.

About Small Business Saturday

November 26th marks the second annual Small Business Saturday, a day to support the local businesses that create jobs, boost the economy and preserve neighborhoods around the country. Small Business Saturday (SBS) was created in 2010 in response to small business owners' most pressing need: creating more demand for their products and services. A total of 1.5 million Facebook users, 130 public and private organizations, and 41 elected officials declared their support for SBS last year. More than 100,000 small businesses downloaded SBS marketing materials, 10,000 businesses signed up for free Facebook advertising that ran on SBS, and around 200,000 consumers registered their American Express cards to receive $25 statement credits when they shopped at a small business on SBS. American Express is the founding sponsor of Small Business Saturday.

About American Express OPEN®

American Express OPEN is the leading payment card issuer for small businesses in the United States and supports business owners with products and services to help them run and grow their businesses. This includes business charge and credit cards that deliver purchasing power, flexibility, rewards, savings on business services from an expanded lineup of partners and online tools and services designed to help improve profitability. Learn more at www.OPEN.com and connect with us at openforum.com and twitter.com/openforum.

American Express is a global services company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Learn more at www.americanexpress.com and connect with us on www.facebook.com/americanexpress, www.twitter.com/americanexpress and www.youtube.com/americanexpress.

¹ Internal American Express spending data as of 12/10