Small Business Saturday urges customers to shop locally
<span>After the fervor of Black Friday is over, there's another holiday-themed day that falls before Cyber Monday.</span>
<span>Small Business Saturday, a creation by American Express in 2010 to urge customers to shop at local merchants, always takes place the Saturday after Thanksgiving.</span>
<span>In 2013, Small Business Saturday sales neared $5.7 billion, according to the National Federation of Independent Business. More than 60 million workers nationwide are employed at a small business, which was the driving force for 63 percent of the private sector jobs created between 1993 and 2013.</span>
<span>"Small business offers a unique opportunity for the local people," said Don Stallman, owner of Stallman True Value Hardware in Chester. "We know people around the area, we pretty much know the products they need in the line of everyday stuff.</span>
<span>"The biggest problem we face today is the mass merchants and the online shopping and the online shopping is detrimental to everybody."</span>
<span>Stallman Hardware has been open for 47 years and Stallman said customer service makes a difference in small business.</span>
<span>"The real advantage of small business is that we are very helpful to the customer," Stallman said. "We are very customer-friendly and try to bend over backwards to help our customers."</span>
<span>Stallman said his store offers a lot of services to customers that "you just can't get at the big box stores."</span>
<span>"When you come in, we know what you're dealing with," he said. "We've had a lot of experience, 47 years, and with that much experience, we know how to solve your problem.</span>
<span>"The big box person just started there last week and they were doing housewares on Friday and today, they're doing nuts and bolts."</span>
<span>According to market research firm IBIS World, the stronger U.S. economy was expected to boost Thanksgiving weekend shopping by 1.8 percent to $36.7 billion. Experts say it is important to support local businesses as the sales tax dollars remain in the communities where the businesses operate.</span>
<span>"With a community like this, (small business) is what we're primarily made up of," said Ron Gesiriech, sole proprietor of Sparta-based Quality Tech Solutions. "A lot of our other small businesses, of course, support each other throughout the year.</span>
<span>"As far as Small Business Saturday, it's a beautiful thing to have that extra influx of customers come into the store because that's revenue that goes into your store and longevity for your business, hopefully."</span>
<span>Quality Tech Solutions specializes in computer, phone and game console sales and service, with the option for customers to also trade in older devices for store credit.</span>
<span>Services range from consultation to mass-scale upgrades and system maintenance.</span>
<span>"Quite often, people presume their electronics are outdated," Gesiriech said. "We want to educate them a little more on that and maybe educate them on what the better by is.</span>
<span>"Ultimately, price is subjective when you look at performance and the complete package of that particular device, whether that be cell phone, laptop or desktop."</span>
<span>Quality Tech Solutions opened in March in the Sparta Center and Gesiriech said the business has grown "a bit too fast" in that time.</span>
<span>"We're picking up quite a few corporate clients," Gesiriech said. "Ultimately, the community was really in need of they type of facility that we are.</span>
<span>"Not necessarily just a one-stop tech shop, but cell phone repair, computer repair, as well as the sales. Often, we get clients where it's just not cost efficient to repair their unit, but I can do a data backup, move all your material over for free for buying a unit from me."</span>
<span>Gesiriech said customers could have a better unit for less money than the repair and the business would have another item for parts that could be passed down to another customer who cannot afford the new item.</span>
<span>"As a businessman, it may not be the best decision to lose money and help your client, but I think it will work out in the long run," he said.</span>