Holiday shopping is in full swing, and it is essential that consumers buy from small businesses, before purchasing from Amazon. A small business is defined by having 500 or fewer employees. (SBA, 2019). 

Small businesses have taken a huge hit since the pandemic began because the majority of U.S. cities went into lockdown, and people were staying home. According to the article, “Nearly 100,000 establishments that temporarily shut down due to the pandemic are now out of business,” by Fortune, Yelp.com’s Local Economic Impact Report reported 97,966 businesses have permanently closed because of the pandemic. 

If we are forced to stay inside for a pandemic, then obviously Amazon will become our go to. It makes sense right? Amazon has almost everything you could possibly need, and you could receive it in up to two days all without leaving your home.

Unlike small businesses, Amazon surged during the pandemic. According to the article “Amazon doubles quarterly profit despite Covid-19 costs” by the Financial Times, in the second quarter (April-June), the company had a net income of 5.2 billion, which is double than the amount they earned in the same period in 2019. 

Clearly during the midst of the chaos, Amazon is doing just fine, while small business owners are only trying to make ends meet. 

Now that we aren’t in lockdown, we can go out and shop at small businesses while still being safe. St. Louis county requires 25 percent business capacity and masks worn by people over the age of five when outside homes.

With the holidays coming up, we have the opportunity to support our community and the average American. Instead of buying a top off of Amazon, take a stop at your local boutique and not only buy a great gift for a friend, but support a business owner in a time of need. 

As consumers, we have the power to pick and choose where our money goes, especially during the pandemic and the holiday season, and support our community.