Leverage These Big Business Strategies to Win on Small Business Saturday

Big businesses have been planning their holiday playbook for the past nine months. They’ve been studying consumer trends and spending patterns, practicing with preseason sales, and testing marketing messages, in hopes of capturing a good share of the expected $1.7 trillion in holiday spending.

Walmart, Target, Macy’s and other retailers began revealing their holiday sales and promotion plans in October. Here are five strategies they’re focusing on that you can adapt to your small business to boost sales on Small Business Saturday and beyond.

Play the long game and treat the season like a marathon, not a sprint

The big retailers are doing more than ever to stretch out the peak holiday sales days—typically the days just before and after Thanksgiving—into more than a month’s worth of promotions. 

They’ve seen the research that consumers start shopping as early as October, think about and make decisions about gifts long before they buy, and also wait on purchases if they believe the deals will get better closer to December 25. 

This year, two major retailers began offering “Black Friday deals” before Halloween. Lowe’s kicked off four weeks of Black Friday promotions on October 29 and Costco on October 30. 

Walmart this year is holding three separate Black Friday sales events—the first from November 12–15, the second from November 23–29, and the third from November 30–December 2. 

“It’s all about helping our customers save more, discover more and make room for what matters,” Julie Barber, Chief Merchandising Officer, Walmart U.S., said in announcing the extended sales season. 

Kohl’s also is having three separate Black Friday sales events, with the first starting November 6. 

Small business takeaway: 

Data from Quilt Software, a tech company that designs point-of-sale and operations systems for Main Street businesses, suggests that while Small Business Saturday and the following weeks are the peak sales times for small businesses, the small businesses that win the season don’t wait until Small Business Saturday to start their holiday promotions and marketing. 

Consumers are using AI, but they still want trusted humans to help them pick gifts

Target and Macy’s are emphasizing that their employees have done the hard work of holiday shopping for their customer by creating curated selections of gifts in every price range. 

Macy’s is running ads featuring actor Adam DeVine as a customer searching for gifts, with Melissa Joan Hart serving as the Macy’s Gift Guide adviser with the perfect solutions.

Target is promoting its 8,000 new gift items in stock this year, with more than half of those exclusive to Target. It also is promoting affordable gifts, saying it has thousands of items $5 and under. 

“Guests tell us they want to give gifts that are thoughtful and personal, while feeling good about what they are spending,” Cara Sylvester, Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer at Target, said in announcing Target’s holiday plans. “We’ve brought together the brands they love, exciting trends, and unexpected finds they won’t see anywhere else.”

Small business takeaway: 

Small businesses can lean into this strategy by emphasizing their curated and exclusive selections and offering personalized recommendations from employees and customers.

Help shoppers save time

The big retailers are responding to consumer demands for convenience by promoting their curbside and in-store pickup options, extended holiday hours, and store layouts that have been rearranged to make it easier to find gifts. 

Walmart has added new technology designed to guide shoppers to the specific shelf in the store where an item is located. 

Shoppers using the Walmart app while in a Walmart store can use a new feature Walmart is calling Shop to Light. The app directs customers to the aisle where a product is located. When the shopper is in that aisle, an LED light on the shelf guides them to the product they’re looking for.

Kohl’s is offering same-day delivery through DoorDash, Instacart, and Uber Eats, as well as extended holiday returns until January 31 for items purchased in October, November, and December. 

Small business takeaway: 

Small businesses should make sure shoppers are aware of extended holiday hours, and any time-saving services they offer, such as free gift wrapping. Retail consultant Bob Phibbs, CEO of The Retail Doctor, recommends that small businesses have a QR code on display with links to features like holiday recipes, gifting tips, or discount offers, for example. 

Toys will drive sales—and they’re not just for kids but ‘kidults,’ too

U.S. toy sales are the strongest they’ve been in six years, up double digits heading into the holiday season, according to research firm Circana.

Adults ages 18 and up, “kidults,” are driving much of that growth, Circana reported, with toys sold to adults-only households accounting for 55% of toy sales during the first six months of the year. Collectibles, trading cards, and games are popular with adult toy shoppers. 

Big retailers have always used toys to draw holiday shoppers, but this year more of them are making toy selection and deals a big part of their holiday strategy.

Walmart, Target, and Amazon are touting their top toy lists and expanded toy inventories. Macy’s is highlighting its Toys R Us shops within all its stores. 

Kohl’s also has its top toy list, with more than half of the items exclusive to Kohl’s. The department store is emphasizing its selection of toys for every budget, and installing “Toy Towers” in each store stocked with items priced at under $10. 

Small business takeaway: 

Small businesses can tap into the trend by realizing that you don’t have to be a toy store to benefit from the growing adult appetite for toys, collectibles and games. Gift stores, bookstores, specialty food stores, and other shops are adding puzzles, party games, and craft kits geared to adults to their sales displays.

[Read more: The Rise of 'Kidulting': How Fun and Games for Grownups Are Driving the Profitability of Play]

‘Tis the season for stoking feel-good moments

Macy’s, Walmart, Target, and Kohl’s are spotlighting their holiday charity contributions, and offering gifts that benefit charitable organizations.

Walmart’s stores have “Angel Trees”—Christmas trees decorated with gift tags containing gift ideas for children or seniors in the community in need. The suggested gifts can be purchased and donated at the stores. 

Target is selling the special edition Gigglescape St. Jude Bear plush doll. For every $15 bear purchased, Target donates $3 to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. 

The “Kohl’s Cares Goods for Good” holiday initiative offers books and plush toys featuring entertainment properties like The Grinch, The Nutcracker, and Elf, priced under $10, with all profits donated to local community groups.

Macy’s is inviting shoppers to write what makes the holidays magical for them on a paper ribbon and add it to the “Macy’s Togetherness Chain.” Macy’s will make a donation for every link added to the chains, which will be displayed at Macy’s stores around the country, and the money will benefit Ronald McDonald House, Blue Star Families, and Foster Love.

Small business takeaway: 

Shopping small, consumers say, makes them feel good, and small businesses can amplify that feel-good effect by hosting meaningful holiday events that give back to the community, such as coat drives for people experiencing homelessness or gift donations for hospital patients or homebound people. Small businesses can emphasize their community roots and community involvement in their holiday messages. 

CO— aims to bring you inspiration from leading respected experts. However, before making any business decision, you should consult a professional who can advise you based on your individual situation.

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