Consumers should support small businesses this holiday season

The holiday season is quickly approaching, spurring the time of giving and receiving gifts. From Black Friday to Cyber Monday deals, people are busy trying to get the most out of their money on gifts for loved ones. In the age of online shopping, consumer shopping has gone up 7.8% during Cyber Week and is projected to grow as deals drop more and more throughout the holiday season. 

Since 2005, Cyber Monday has grown into the most significant day for online shopping and has continued to grow this year. Our growing world of technology and social media has enabled it to become an all-encompassing trend. 

With big brands like Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Amazon and Macy’s dropping deals, consumers are running to their computers and to take advantage. Deals on tablets, books, televisions, phones and even smartwatches are effective at appealing to anyone looking to save money.

The edge and joy of Cyber Monday is gone. It is time to put our effort and love into small businesses. The businesses that care about what you are buying and getting for those that you love.

Before the long-awaited Cyber Monday, experts expected online shopping to be lower than it was. Consumer spending during Cyber Monday sets up the holiday spending for the season, and with the hype from this Monday, this season will be full of resilience. Big corporations and companies have caught on to this and provided their devoted customers a way to shop without breaking the bank. 

Social media’s influence on our minds and wallets has now captured the attention of holiday shoppers, putting consumerism at an all-time high. People are more likely to turn to the more effortless shopping experience of the infamous Cyber Monday when presented left and right with different deals for different holiday gifts.

But what happens to all the small businesses with the same items and holiday gifts left in the dust of these “shopping deal holidays?” Small shops and other smaller businesses have been slowly losing their momentum during the holiday season over the air of convenience. 

Small businesses and shops might have their Small Business Saturday, but that does not receive nearly as much attention, interaction or funding as some special holiday week deals. They cannot drop all their prices as low as their giant counterpart companies, but provide people with the love and support they need when buying a gift for someone special this season. 

Cyber Monday, in reality, is just a recycled Black Friday. Most deals are just carried over from a few days prior and introduce nothing new to the consumers. Retailers are constantly competing with each other, losing sight of the meaning of the season and pushing everything while aligning themselves with the dark side of this consumer-driven holiday.  

The edge and joy of Cyber Monday is gone. It is time to put our effort and love into small businesses. The businesses that care about what you are buying and getting for those that you love. That makes the holiday shopping experience worth it and an experience all on its own. The deals may look great and dandy, but there is no real thought behind it. It is just a company on a mission trying to follow the market trends. 

So next year, when Cyber Monday deals come rolling again, take a second and think about what you are buying. Turn to small business and change from buying large to buying small. Trust me, it makes a difference, and they deserve our praise more than the giant corporations.

 

 rbleich@ramapo.edu

 

Featured photo courtesy of Karolina Grabowska, Pexels