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It’s about that time of year again: Small Business Saturday is back for the 14th year in a row. Eligible American Express cardholders can begin earning statement credits for their shopping at participating small businesses as soon as Nov. 20, all the way through Nov. 25.
The shopping event was started by American Express in 2010 as a way to provide exposure for small local businesses. So while Amazon and other big retailers may help you get through your holiday shopping list, American Express wants to make sure you don’t forget about the little guy — here’s what you need to know about the upcoming shopping event.
When is Small Business Saturday?
This year, Small Business Saturday is Nov. 25, 2023 if you want to visit the pop-up shopping experiences American Express will have set up in select cities throughout the country.
If you want to shop online and earn a reward with an eligible Amex card, you can do so through Amex’s online portal from Nov. 20 to Nov. 25.
Where and how do you shop Small Business Saturday?
There are a few ways you can get in on the Small Business Saturday action. Between Nov. 20–25, 2023, eligible American Express cardholders can receive a one-time $5 statement credit when they make a single purchase of at least $50. Further, you’ll need to make sure your credit card is enrolled in this benefit and navigate to the “Shopping” category on the Shop Small Map or online directory in order to earn the statement credit.
Beyond the statement credit, Amex is also enticing shoppers with an augmented reality (AR) experience called “Door to Shop Small.” The concept is aimed at helping potential customers literally and figuratively step through the doors of small businesses.
To bring this concept to life, American Express will set up pop-ups featuring a blue door frame in a well-known shopping location across three major U.S. cities: Chicago’s Magnificent Mile (Pioneer Court), Los Angeles’ Westfield Century City (AMC Plaza), and New York City’s Gansevoort Plaza.
The pop-ups will have QR codes for shoppers to scan using their phones and be transported to the online experience and start browsing products from several small businesses.
And if you can’t visit their installation in person, you can still experience Small Business Saturday right from home. Beginning Nov. 13, you can access the AR experience by visiting www.DoorToShopSmall.com to start browsing products from featured small businesses.
What are the best credit cards to use for Small Business Saturday?
Eligible American Express cardholders can benefit the most from shopping small on Small Business Saturday.
If you aren’t yet an American Express cardholder, the good news is that there’s still a ton of time to apply and receive a card that will reward you for your purchases.
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is one of their most versatile cards because it lets you earn big for food and transportation costs, which tend to be categories that consumers spend a lot in on a daily basis.
With this card, you can earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1% after), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and 3% cash back on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more) and 1% cash back on other purchases. Plus, the annual fee is $0 for the first year and then $95 after.
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
On the American Express secure site
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Rewards
6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, 3% cash back on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more) and 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.
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Welcome bonus
Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 6 months.
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Annual fee
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
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Intro APR
0% for 12 months on purchases from the date of account opening
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Regular APR
19.24% – 29.99% variable. Variable APRs will not exceed 29.99%.
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Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
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Foreign transaction fee
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Credit needed
Another strong contender is the American Express® Gold Card, especially if you love to spend on food and travel. This card lets you earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X), 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com and 1X points on all other purchases.
The annual fee for this card is a bit steep at $250 but cardholders receive a $120 dining credit annually ($10 a month) for purchases made with Grubhub, Goldbelly and other eligible restaurants (after a one-time enrollment). On top of that, the card offers a $120 Uber Cash credit annually ($10 a month) for U.S. Uber Eats orders and U.S. Uber rides. The value of these two offers alone is $240 so the card almost pays for itself if you take advantage of these offers.
American Express® Gold Card
On the American Express secure site
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Rewards
4X Membership Rewards® points at Restaurants (plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.) and at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X), 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com, 1X points on all other purchases
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Welcome bonus
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
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Annual fee
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Intro APR
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Regular APR
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Balance transfer fee
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Foreign transaction fee
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Credit needed
And if you don’t want to pay an annual fee, consider the Blue Cash Everyday® Card. It still offers cardholders the ability to earn 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, (then 1%), 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, up to $6,000 per year (then 1%) and 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases, on up to $6,000 per year (then 1%).
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
On the American Express secure site
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Rewards
3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, up to $6,000 per year, then 1%, 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be easily redeemed for statement credits.
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Welcome bonus
Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
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Annual fee
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Intro APR
0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, from the date of account opening
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Regular APR
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Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
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Foreign transaction fee
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Credit needed
See here for a list of other American Express credit cards along with their featured benefits and welcome bonus offers.
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Bottom line
Small Business Saturday is right around the corner, but there’s still time to set yourself up to get rewarded even while you support small businesses with your purchases. Having the right credit card on hand can help you earn that $5 statement credit so don’t sleep on that offer.
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At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every personal finance article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of financial products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.
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