Thanksgiving is around the corner. This means that the holiday shopping season is about to enter full swing. Businesses will compete for sales using every tactic possible, whether it be deep discounts, convenience, or seemingly free additions. Right after the national companies provide incentives on Black Friday, small, local companies clamor for your business on Small Business Saturday. Aside from the ability to offer discounted merchandise and shipping options, small businesses who accept credit cards will inevitably fare better than those who do not offer such options.
Credit Cards Launched Small Business Saturday
When Small Business Saturday began, it was an attempt to entice small, local businesses to accept American Express, which is often ignored as a credit option by small businesses. American Express thought about using the holiday season to give back to the community and promote small businesses. However, to be able to participate in the national event, the retailer had to accept American Express in their stores. It worked. Many small businesses began to accept American Express to be able to obtain the advertising offered in participating in Small Business Saturday. Since then, it became a nationwide movement and has surpassed the need for acceptance of American Express, however, all credit card companies offer incentives to buyers and retailers involved in the process.
Credit Cards Offer Convenience
The reality is that shopping is as much about savings as it is about convenience. Large corporations offer both convenience and savings. However, for small businesses to compete, they cannot offer such deep discounts. Therefore, they must offer convenience in some form. Aside from potentially offering online shopping options and easy shipping options, small businesses can offer the acceptance of credit cards to provide convenience to their customer base.
During the holiday season, shoppers will often avoid the use of cash as a way to afford their holiday giving as well as a method of protection against theft and loss. Credit cards provide the ability to shop without the cash on hand. This means customers can spend money before they have it physically available and/or avoid carrying large sums of cash while shopping in large crowds. This provides a level of convenience that is not only preferred, but mandated, to attract new and recurring customers during the holiday season.
If you are looking for a way to help your customers participate in Small Business Saturday and offer them convenience and safety, contact the experts at Tanker Consulting Services at 609-922-0201. Our experts can help you get set up with Point of Sale Services or merchant services before the start of the holiday shopping season.