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Americans spent more on Black Friday 2019 than ever before, according to new data from USA Today and financial technology firm Fiserv Inc.
Both online and in-store sales grew over 2018 figures, according to the firm. Brick-and-mortar sales grew by 4.2 percent compared to last year.
Additionally, the company learned that a quarter of all shoppers were willing to travel more than 25 miles to visit a physical store.
The data suggests electronics, appliances, sporting goods and clothing were among shoppers’ most popular purchases. Electronics and appliances accounted for $214 per transaction on average, and shoppers spent $101 on sporting goods on average.
Notably, purchases made via digital wallets rose 82 percent compared to 2018 levels.
Adding the Local Touch to Small Business Saturday
In Cedarburg, Wisconsin, one independent home improvement business made the most of Small Business Saturday.
Hank Beyer co-owns Beyer’s True Value with his father Richard. The business itself has served the Cedarburg community since 1968, passing from one generation of the Beyer family to the next. Over the years, Hank says he’s seen a definite increase in the number of shoppers committed to supporting local and small operations on Small Business Saturday.
“There’s a definite sense among customers on Small Business Saturday that supporting local businesses is important,” Beyer says.
Beyer and his team planned a day full of festivities for customers who chose to shop local. The first 125 customers through the doors received an assortment of free products. All day, customers took advantage of a special BOGO paint deal and treated themselves to fresh popcorn.
For Beyer, supporting local business isn’t a one-day push. Along with co-owning the business, he also serves as the president of the Cedarburg Chamber of Commerce. He says his position gives him an aerial view of the importance of local businesses working together to boost sales and drive community engagement.
“Being part of the Chamber of Commerce allows me to see how impactful small businesses are on communities—not just as an individual store, but the impact a group of locally owned businesses can have on an entire community,” he says.
Beyer says he hopes small business owners and customers alike will continue supporting one another long past Small Business Saturday.
“Small business owners want to support the communities they serve,” he says. “From sponsoring sports teams or helping to raise funds for a park, we’re only able to do those things when customers choose to shop local. That connection is what it’s all about.”
