MEMPHIS, Tenn., Sept. 27, 2011—FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) is injecting $1 million into the small business economy of the United States with its support of Small Business Saturday 2011. The commitment, announced today, will send tens of thousands of additional consumers into Main Street merchants on November 26, helping to drive holiday sales for local businesses at a time when customer demand remains among their biggest challenges.
As the premier sponsor in the “Shop Small Gift Card” program, FedEx will give away for free 30,000 Shop-Small(SM) American Express gift cards, each worth $25, to consumers through a Facebook promotion leading up to Small Business Saturday on November 26. Ten thousand additional cards will be distributed directly to FedEx customers. The contribution means more money in the cash registers of locally-owned independent businesses.
“A vibrant small business community is critical to the health of the US economy and the cornerstone of the thousands of cities and towns FedEx serves every day,” said T. Michael Glenn, executive vice president of Market Development at FedEx. “Through this commitment, FedEx is able to help raise awareness for Small Business Saturday as well as put money directly into the pockets of consumers while reminding them to support their local businesses during the holidays.”
In addition to the gift card giveaway, FedEx Office® is serving as the official print sponsor of Small Business Saturday, helping independent retailers and other small businesses grab attention on Small Business Saturday and throughout the holiday season. Beginning October 4, small business owners can visit www.facebook.com/shopsmall to access Small Business Saturday posters that can be printed via the FedEx Office® Print Online application at a special 20 percent discount. The offer can be utilized on all online print orders through November 26, giving small business owners even more savings as they prepare for the busy holiday season.
Update regarding Shop Small Gift Card Program
Consumers’ Love for Local, Independents Remains Up – Even in a Down Economy
According to the August 2011 American Express OPEN Small Business Saturday Consumer Pulse, the need for the initiative remains vital—46 percent of Americans surveyed expressed their view that the strength of the small business economy is “worse” than five years ago.
“Nine in 10 Americans believe small business success is critical to the health of the U.S. economy, and Small Business Saturday translates this sentiment into dollars and cents for independent retailers,” said Maryann Fitzmaurice, senior vice-president of American Express OPEN. “The FedEx commitment to this year’s Small Business Saturday adds an important voice for consumers to support the Main Street merchants they love and couldn’t live without.”
This year, FedEx will be encouraging consumers to demonstrate their support for small business by using the Shop Small gift cards on Small Business Saturday. Shoppers will be able to obtain their free $25 gift cards from the FedEx Facebook brand page beginning November 1. For a limited time, shoppers can register and share the offer with friends with a few simple clicks. By providing a mailing address, the cards will be shipped to the first qualifying 30,000 consumers in time for them to get out and shop on November 26, Small Business Saturday. Only one Shop Small Gift Card will be sent to each Facebook ID that registers. There are no consumer fees of any kind associated with the Shop Small Gift Card.
For additional information on the FedEx gift card give-away, visit www.facebook.com/FedEx in the coming weeks. For more on Small Business Saturday events, visit www.facebook.com/shopsmall.
About Small Business Saturday
November 26th marks the second annual Small Business Saturday, a day to support the local businesses that create jobs, boost the economy and preserve neighborhoods around the country. Small Business Saturday (SBS) was created in 2010 by American Express in response to small business owners’ most pressing need: creating more demand for their products and services. A total of 1.5 million Facebook users, 130 public and private organizations, and 41 elected officials declared their support for SBS last year. More than 100,000 small businesses downloaded SBS marketing materials, 10,000 businesses signed up for free Facebook advertising that ran on SBS, and 200,000 consumers registered their American Express cards to receive $25 statement credits when they shopped at a small business on SBS. Small retailers who accept the American Express Card saw a 28% increase in sales on SBS when compared to the Saturday after Thanksgiving in 2009.