Are you ready for Small Business Saturday, November 26, 2016. (In the UK, Small Business Saturday is Dec. 3. Or in the case of Portland, Ore., small businesses have banded together to extend Small Business Saturday into a weekend event called Little Boxes.)

Small Business Saturday, a cure for the common Black Friday

Small Business Saturday is NOT just an early special sales promotion designed to generate foot traffic. It’s an event that reminds customers, diners, and others that small and local shops know their customers’ tastes and desires and expectations — throughout the holiday season. It’s a day when shoppers are looking forward to the up-close-and-personal touch form of shopping .

Black Friday backlash?

There are indications that the big box retailer promotion, Black Friday, has become over-hyped, or at least customers seem less impressed with the deals. Last year, Black Friday sales fell 12% to $10.2 billion compared to a year before, according to ShopperTrak. The outdoor retailer REI has even built a promotional campaign around its decision to close its stores on the Friday after Thanksgiving so that its employees can spend the day outdoors.

However, Amazon seems the most intent on “killing Black Friday” by trying to turn it into a two-month long sale, observes Mashable.

Promotional materials

The longtime sponsor of Small Business Saturday, American Express, has promotional material here.

Photo: American Express