$11.8 billion is an astronomical amount of money.
Just for quick reference, it’s:
More than the GDP of countries like Fiji, Belize, and Samoa.
Enough that you could buy the Utah Jazz at their current market value ($4.1 billion) nearly three times over.
And, even working at Utah’s median wage of $47.12 an hour, 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, it would take about 250 million hours, 31.3 million workdays, or roughly 120,396 years to earn $11.8 billion.
Again, $11.8 billion is a lot of money.
And it also, according to Adobe Analytics, is the total amount of money Americans spent online on Black Friday this year.
The Might Of Black Friday and Cyber Monday
$11.8 billion.
To help you visualize this number, because I feel like it needs to be seen written to be truly understood, here it is laid out with all the zeroes:
11,800,000,000.
And that’s just Black Friday. That’s not even counting the amount spent for Cyber Monday, which topped off this year at record $14.25 billion. (14,250,000,000!)
We even managed to spend that much with an economy that has been all over the place, feeling the effects of tariffs, the government shutdown, and the battle against inflation by the federal reserve.
But honestly, why not? Both of these days saw great deals on everything imaginable. From kids toys and tech gadgets to car parts and streaming subscriptions. Deals across Amazon, Walmart, Target, and dozens of other retailers marked down prices by 50%, 60%, even 75% off. I bought a camera tripod at half-off.
And the best part is that, for the most part, you don’t even have to go into a store these days if you really don’t want to, right?. You can order and have it shipped to your house, or order for pickup later and they’ll bring it out to your car. There are still people who line up outside stores, but for the most part gone are the viral videos of mad rushes, mobs grabbing for gaming consoles, and the shopping cart/bumper car matches.
It’s a testament to the power of a good deal, and showcases just how mighty Black Friday and Cyber Monday are when it comes to popping open our wallets.
But sandwiched in between those monumental days of spending was another quasi-spending holiday that doesn’t quite have the reputation of Black Friday or Cyber Monday, but you’ve probably heard of, and maybe even participated in it: Small Business Saturday.
What is Small Business Saturday?
In case you’ve never heard of it, Small Business Saturday is a nationwide shopping day dedicated to supporting local, independently owned businesses. It launched in 2010, founded by American Express during the aftermath of the Great Recession as a way to help small merchants draw customers during the holiday shopping rush.
The event takes place every year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, positioned between Black Friday and Cyber Monday to give small businesses their own spotlight. The idea is simple: communities shop local, and in return they help keep neighborhood shops, restaurants, and service providers thriving.
Many small businesses offer special deals or events, and cities often promote the day to encourage foot traffic and local spending. Over time, it’s grown into a cultural reminder that small businesses are the backbone of local economies, and that choosing to shop with them makes a meaningful impact long after the day ends.
And the good news is, it’s giving its post-Thanksgiving competitors a literal run for their money.
According to Forbes and the American Express’s Consumer Insights, an estimated $18 billion was spent this Small Business Saturday.
Why is shopping at small businesses beneficial?
In the age where big retailers and sites, especially Amazon, are taking over so many areas of commercialism, shopping small is becoming more crucial to providing a necessary counterbalance.
Since Small Business Saturday, we have hunted around to find reasons why shopping at small or local businesses is beneficial for you and your local community.
Top Reasons to Shop Local
1. Your Money Stays in the Community
Every purchase at a local business keeps more dollars circulating right here at home. According to People First Economy, when you shop local 68% of your money stays in the community. And per an economic impact analysis by the American Independent Business Alliance, “48% of each purchase at local independent businesses was recirculated locally (a multiplier of 1.48), compared to less than 14% of purchases at chain stores (multiplier of 1.14). This means that small independent retailers return more than three times as much money per dollar of sales to the local economy than chain competitors.”
2. You Support Local Jobs
Small businesses are major employers. Choosing to shop local helps create jobs for neighbors, students, and families —and keeps more of the workforce rooted in town or nearby, instead of farming out workers other places.
3. A Stronger, More Resilient Local Economy
Communities with a diverse mix of small businesses aren’t dependent on one or two big companies. When local businesses thrive, they help stabilize the economy and reduce the risk of sudden downturns.
4. Better Customer Service and Real Human Connections
Local owners often live and work in the same community you do. They’re invested in providing better local service, and you can often feel the difference — personal service, familiar faces, and genuine care.
5. A Unique, Vibrant Community Identity
Local shops, cafés, markets, and makers give a town its character. Supporting them keeps your community interesting, memorable, and full of personality instead of turning into another look-alike strip mall. Imagine if Blacksmith Ice Cream closed.
6. More Innovation and Fresh Ideas
Small businesses have the flexibility to try new products, bring in niche items, or offer creative services you won’t find in national chains. Many trends start with local entrepreneurs willing to experiment.
7. Local Businesses Give Back
From sponsoring youth sports to donating to school fundraisers and community events, small business owners are often the first to step up. Go check out the sponsor banners at Bountiful, Woods Cross, or Viewmont. Amazon isn’t supporting them. When you support these businesses, you’re indirectly supporting those efforts too.
8. Environmentally-Friendly Choices
Shopping local reduces the need for long-distance shipping, oversized packaging, and frequent returns. Big stores produce millions of pounds of waste per year, while local stores often carry locally sourced products as well, shrinking the carbon footprint even further.
9. Keeps Downtowns and Neighborhoods Thriving
Active local businesses bring foot traffic, maintain storefronts, and encourage other businesses to invest nearby. A vibrant commercial district boosts property values and quality of life for everyone. Think about Main Street, or Orchard Drive. The better we take care of what is already there, the more bigger, better, and nicer things will want to move in.
Bountiful Small Businesses
For Small Business Saturday, local resident and business owner Dan Ricks decided it was time to create a small business event of his own. A space where local entrepreneurs could meet the community, share their work, and build some momentum heading into the holidays. He hosted the gathering at the parking lot outside the Scratch Pad on Orchard Drive, turning it into a pop-up marketplace for the afternoon.
Ricks said the idea was simple: give small businesses a platform they rarely get. “The goal is to support small businesses instead of sending all our money to Amazon, and give people a chance to get some Christmas shopping done,” he explained.
The event drew roughly a dozen vendors, including a new local healthcare service, a home-repair and general maintenance company, a cat-adoption nonprofit, a daycare provider, several artists, and a handful of other independent makers and service businesses. The pictures you have been seeing throughout this article came from the event.
Each vendor came ready to showcase what they do, talk with neighbors, and highlight the value they bring to the community. And while their work spanned a wide range of industries, they all shared one trait: the determination to build something of their own and to do it right here at home.
Small Business Saturday Doesn’t Need To End
Small Business Saturday may only take up a single day on the calendar, but the businesses it celebrates are part of the community every day of the year. These shops, creators, and service providers open their doors each morning, hire local workers, and bring life and personality to the neighborhoods we call home. One Saturday of extra spending is helpful, but it isn’t enough to sustain them on its own — they rely on steady support from the people who live nearby. When the banners and hashtags and holidays fade, those owners are still showing up, building something meaningful for the place they call home.
And the impact of choosing to shop small doesn’t stop when the weekend ends. Every purchase you make from a local business continues circulating through the community long after you’ve headed home with your items. That money supports local jobs, strengthens public services through taxes, and gives entrepreneurs the stability to keep offering the products, expertise, and conveniences you rely on. In return, you get better service, more personalized options, and a town filled with unique, high-quality places to shop, eat, and explore — the kinds of places that make living here enjoyable rather than generic.
Small Business Saturday is a great starting point, but the real power comes from keeping that momentum going. When you choose to shop local throughout the year, you’re not just helping a business survive. You’re improving your own community, enriching your daily life, and ensuring that the places you love. And the people who run them are still here the next time you need them.
