Local shopping statistics: what the latest small-business data says
Local shopping is not just a holiday habit. The numbers show a broader pattern: consumers still rely on stores, small businesses keep leaning on community support, and online discovery now plays a central role in how people find where to buy.
If you want a data-backed view of local shopping, the strongest signal is that the category sits at the intersection of loyalty, convenience, and community identity.
Table of contents
- Fast facts
- Why local shopping still matters
- Holiday and small-business demand
- How people discover local businesses
- Retail spending and store behavior
- State and category retail signals
- What the consumer mindset tells us
Fast facts
At a glance, the dataset points to three big themes: community support, digital discovery, and strong seasonal demand.
- 86% of consumers say they are likely to Shop Small this holiday season, either in person or online (2025 American Express Shop Small Impact Study Results).
- 95% of small business owners say community support is what keeps them thriving (2025 American Express Shop Small Impact Study Results).
- 98% of small business owners now market their business through social channels (2025 American Express Shop Small Impact Study Results).
- 81% of Millennials and Gen Z discovered a new small, independently owned business or restaurant through social media in the past year (2025 American Express Shop Small Impact Study Results).
- 72% of consumers still rely on stores as part of their primary buying method (NRF Consumers Want It All).
- 32 states had positive and significant year-over-year retail sales changes from December 2023 to December 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau Monthly State Retail Sales for December 2024).
Big number: 99% of small business owners who market on social channels say that marketing has positively impacted revenue over the past year (2025 American Express Shop Small Impact Study Results).
Why local shopping still matters
Local shopping is often framed as a feel-good choice, but the numbers show it is also a practical one. Consumers continue to use stores as part of their primary buying method, and small businesses continue to tie their survival to community support.
That connection matters because local shopping is rarely only about price. It is also about trust, convenience, access, and the feeling that spending has a visible impact.
A few statistics show how strong that link is:
- 76% of consumers agree that small businesses are essential to their community (2025 American Express Shop Small Impact Study Results).
- 73% of consumers say showing small businesses support unites their community (2025 American Express Shop Small Impact Study Results).
- 70% of consumers feel they are getting to know the community better and playing a role in its success when they Shop Small (2025 American Express Shop Small Impact Study Results).
- 64% of consumers said they Shop Small because they know a portion of their purchase directly impacts the community (American Express Survey About the Holiday Shopping Season).
- 61% of consumers said they planned to shop at small businesses that need the support this holiday season (American Express Survey About the Holiday Shopping Season).
Those responses point to local shopping as a value-based behavior, not just a transaction. When shoppers see a direct community payoff, the purchase becomes easier to justify and easier to repeat.
Why it matters
For local retailers, the practical takeaway is that messaging should not only emphasize product assortment. It should also make the community connection explicit, because many shoppers already see that connection as part of the reason to buy.
Holiday and small-business demand
The strongest demand signal in the dataset comes from holiday behavior. Seasonal shopping is where local merchants have a chance to convert sentiment into revenue, and the numbers suggest that many consumers are already primed to do so.
Holiday shopping intent remains high.
- 93% of consumers plan to shop small to some degree this season (American Express 2024 Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey).
- Nearly 9 in 10 consumers said they were planning to Shop Small for the holidays in 2024 (American Express Survey About the Holiday Shopping Season).
- 88% of Millennials and Gen Z said they were planning to Shop Small for the holidays in 2024 (American Express Survey About the Holiday Shopping Season).
- 87% of small business owners predicted their holiday sales would be stronger than last year in 2024 (American Express Survey About the Holiday Shopping Season).
- 95% of small business owners had a positive outlook for their holiday sales in 2024 (American Express Survey About the Holiday Shopping Season).
That combination is important. Consumers are signaling willingness, and business owners are signaling confidence. When both sides are aligned, local shopping has a better chance of turning into actual spending.
Small Business Saturday stands out
Small Business Saturday remains one of the clearest annual indicators of local shopping energy.
- Estimated spending at local merchants on Small Business Saturday reached about $22 billion in 2024 (American Express 2024 Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey).
- Consumers have reported spending an estimated $201 billion at small businesses on Small Business Saturday since the day was created (American Express Survey About the Holiday Shopping Season).
- 112 million consumers reported shopping at small businesses on Small Business Saturday in 2016 (U.S. Small Business Administration blog: Shop Small in Your Community This Small Business Saturday).
- Consumers spent an estimated $15.4 billion at independent retailers and restaurants on Small Business Saturday in 2016 (U.S. Small Business Administration blog: Shop Small in Your Community This Small Business Saturday).
- Small business owners estimate that nearly 20% of their annual revenue will come from this year’s Small Business Saturday sales (2025 American Express Shop Small Impact Study Results).
Holiday intent by group
| Segment | Statistic | Source |
|---|---|---|
| General consumers | 93% plan to shop small to some degree this season | American Express 2024 Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey |
| General consumers | Nearly 9 in 10 planned to Shop Small for the holidays in 2024 | American Express Survey About the Holiday Shopping Season |
| Millennials and Gen Z | 88% planned to Shop Small for the holidays in 2024 | American Express Survey About the Holiday Shopping Season |
| Small business owners | 95% had a positive outlook for holiday sales in 2024 | American Express Survey About the Holiday Shopping Season |
| Small business owners | 87% predicted stronger holiday sales than last year | American Express Survey About the Holiday Shopping Season |
The table shows a useful pattern: optimism is not limited to shoppers. Owners are also entering the season with expectations of improvement, which can shape staffing, inventory, and promotions.
How people discover local businesses
Discovery has become a major part of local shopping. Consumers can still walk into stores, but they now often find those stores through social media, influencer posts, and community recommendations online.
The dataset shows how quickly that discovery layer has become part of local commerce.
- 98% of small business owners now market their business through social channels (2025 American Express Shop Small Impact Study Results).
- 99% of those small business owners say social-channel marketing has positively impacted revenue over the past year (2025 American Express Shop Small Impact Study Results).
- 82% of small businesses that market on social media have seen a spike in sales when content creators or influencers post about them (2025 American Express Shop Small Impact Study Results).
- 81% of small business owners say engaging with content creators and influencers helped grow their customer base and drive sales (2025 American Express Shop Small Impact Study Results).
- 81% of Millennials and Gen Z discovered a new small, independently owned business or restaurant through social media in the past year (2025 American Express Shop Small Impact Study Results).
- 75% of consumers say recommendations from others in their community on social media influence their decision to shop at a small business or restaurant (2025 American Express Shop Small Impact Study Results).
- 71% of Millennials and Gen Z say seeing a content creator or influencer post about a small business on social media is influential (2025 American Express Shop Small Impact Study Results).
The discovery funnel is now social first
Local shopping used to depend heavily on geography. Now it also depends on content reach.
- A consumer sees a business on social media.
- A recommendation from a neighbor, creator, or friend increases trust.
- The consumer visits, buys, or saves the business for later.
That sequence is supported by the numbers above, especially the high rates of social-channel marketing and the strong influence of peer recommendations.
Pull quote: 81% of Millennials and Gen Z discovered a new small, independently owned business or restaurant through social media in the past year (2025 American Express Shop Small Impact Study Results).
Retail spending and store behavior
Local shopping is part of a much larger retail system, and the Census Bureau figures help show the scale of that system.
The 2022 annual retail data places the overall market in a large and still-growing position:
- U.S. retail sales (NAICS 44-45) reached $7,041.0 billion in 2022 (U.S. Census Bureau Annual Retail Trade Survey).
- U.S. retail sales increased 8.0% from $6,519.8 billion in 2021 to $7,041.0 billion in 2022 (U.S. Census Bureau Annual Retail Trade Survey).
- Grocery store sales reached $858.3 billion in 2022 (U.S. Census Bureau Annual Retail Trade Survey).
- Gasoline station sales reached $736.1 billion in 2022 (U.S. Census Bureau Annual Retail Trade Survey).
- Electronic shopping and mail-order house sales reached $1,117.0 billion in 2022 (U.S. Census Bureau Annual Retail Trade Survey).
That last figure matters because it shows how large nonstore retail has become. Local shopping does not compete in a tiny corner of the economy. It sits alongside enormous channel categories.
Retail categories in context
| Category | 2022 sales | Change from 2021 | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. retail sales (NAICS 44-45) | $7,041.0 billion | +8.0% | U.S. Census Bureau Annual Retail Trade Survey |
| Grocery store sales | $858.3 billion | +8.2% | U.S. Census Bureau Annual Retail Trade Survey |
| Gasoline station sales | $736.1 billion | +28.5% | U.S. Census Bureau Annual Retail Trade Survey |
| Electronic shopping and mail-order house sales | $1,117.0 billion | +9.5% | U.S. Census Bureau Annual Retail Trade Survey |
The table shows how local and national retail patterns coexist. Consumers move between channels, and local merchants need to understand that their competition is not only other storefronts but also digital and hybrid retail models.
Store reliance still remains strong
Even with e-commerce growth, the dataset still points to meaningful store dependence.
- 72% of consumers still rely on stores as part of their primary buying method (NRF Consumers Want It All).
- 44% of consumers were purpose-driven shoppers, the largest segment in the NRF study (NRF Consumers Want It All).
- 50% of consumers said they were willing to pay a premium for sustainability (NRF Consumers Want It All).
That mix suggests that shoppers are not choosing one channel in a simplistic way. They are balancing practicality, values, and convenience.
State and category retail signals
The monthly state retail report adds another useful layer by showing where year-over-year retail growth was strongest in December 2024.
- Total U.S. retail sales excluding nonstore retailers were up 3.4% in December 2024 versus December 2023 (U.S. Census Bureau Monthly State Retail Sales for December 2024).
- 32 states had positive and significant year-over-year retail sales changes from December 2023 to December 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau Monthly State Retail Sales for December 2024).
- Retail sales for Miscellaneous Store Retailers were up 7.3% in the U.S. in December 2024 versus December 2023 (U.S. Census Bureau Monthly State Retail Sales for December 2024).
- 15 states had positive and significant year-over-year changes in Miscellaneous Store Retailers sales from December 2023 to December 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau Monthly State Retail Sales for December 2024).
- Retail sales for Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers were up 7.8% in the U.S. in December 2024 versus December 2023 (U.S. Census Bureau Monthly State Retail Sales for December 2024).
- 23 states had positive and significant year-over-year changes in Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers sales from December 2023 to December 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau Monthly State Retail Sales for December 2024).
What the state data suggests
The state-level pattern matters because local shopping does not behave the same way everywhere. A broad national increase can still hide regional variation, and the Census data shows that a majority of states had meaningful gains in the broader retail environment.
That is a useful reminder for local businesses:
- Local demand often depends on neighborhood-level economics.
- Seasonal timing can amplify or soften those differences.
- Product mix matters because some categories outperform others.
What the consumer mindset tells us
The strongest consumer theme in the dataset is that shoppers want more than one thing at once. They want value, but they also want purpose, community impact, and convenience.
The clearest proof is in the price-versus-uniqueness tension:
- 63% of U.S. shoppers say they are prioritizing price this season (PYMNTS Shop Small Holiday Tracker December 2024).
- 63% of U.S. shoppers say a unique product or service would sway them to buy from a small business (PYMNTS Shop Small Holiday Tracker December 2024).
Those two figures sit side by side for a reason. Price matters, but differentiation matters just as much.
The consumer profile is layered
- Consumers still use physical stores as a primary buying method (NRF Consumers Want It All).
- Many shoppers respond to community-based messaging about local impact (American Express Survey About the Holiday Shopping Season).
- Younger consumers are especially influenced by social discovery and creator-led content (2025 American Express Shop Small Impact Study Results).
- Sustainability remains relevant, with 50% willing to pay a premium for it (NRF Consumers Want It All).
This is not a single-behavior market. It is a layered one, where a buyer can be price-conscious, values-driven, social-first, and store-reliant all at the same time.
Local shopping statistics to watch in future updates
The dataset points to a few recurring measures worth tracking over time:
- Holiday shopping intent among consumers and small business owners
- Small Business Saturday spending and participation
- Social discovery rates among younger shoppers
- Year-over-year retail growth in states and categories
- Store reliance versus nonstore purchasing behavior
- The share of shoppers motivated by community impact or uniqueness
Because those measures show both sentiment and behavior, they are especially useful for understanding whether local shopping is growing as a preference, a habit, or a seasonal response.