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Naperville
Friday, March 29, 2024

BBB promotes ‘shop small and locally’

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According to the Small Business Administration, small businesses make up most of the American businesses and are the economic engine for job growth. Small businesses provide about 62 percent of all jobs.

By the numbers, small businesses account for 12.7 million jobs compared to 7.9 million by large enterprises. Shopping local small businesses also keeps significantly more money into the local economy.

Just in time for holiday shopping, Naperville resident Steve J. Bernas, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) also noted, “Large retailers and big box stores can offer consumers deals that make it difficult for the small businesses to compete. Most of the businesses in BBB are small businesses, with 50 employees or less.”

Mindful of the recent Small Business Saturday, Bernas noted that “the Better Business Bureau encourages people to shop and support small businesses in their communities.”

BBB offers tips for shopping small

  • Research the shops nearest to you. Find out what past customers have to say by reading reviews online, such as those on BBB.org.
  • Get involved. Many communities are hosting special events to celebrate and support the businesses that make your hometown unique.
  • Sign-up for email alerts offered by the merchants in your area. Keep in mind you’ll probably get additional deals throughout the year, not just during the holidays.
  • Invite your friends and family and turn a shopping event into a “friends and family” extravaganza! Visit your favorite local stores or explore a new one. Take time to get to know the local business owners.
  • Don’t just shop small; eat small!

“Small, independently-owned restaurants (find them at Dine Naperville), bakeries (such as DeEtta’s) and coffee shops would love to see new customers,” Bernas said.

For more information

If you’ve spotted an online scam, report it to BBB ScamTracker to help protect your community. BBB encourages people to report scam attempts even if you did not lose money.

Sign up for BBB’s free consumer newsletter, BBB Edge, at BBB.org/ChicagoBuzz.

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PN Ombudsman
PN Ombudsman
An ombudsman is Scandinavian in origin dating back to Viking times; and refers to a community representative; usually acting independently on behalf of an organization, body of elected officials, or civic group. Thanks Scandinavia for inventing ombudsman.

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