Every November the past few years retailers and restaurants across the country have celebrated Small Business Saturday. Starting in the vein of Black Friday and other post-Thanksgiving Day shopping holidays, Small Business Saturday has grown into its own event and helped local entrepreneurs get some extra attention. Funny enough, while not everyone might realize as much, Small Business Saturday didn’t just materialize from thin air but was in fact spearheaded by American Express (you know, the credit card company). Now, while we still have a ways to go before November and the holiday season, Amex has cooked up a special Shop Small promotion that could not only help out small businesses in a time of great need but also save cardholders some money as they support their local retailers.
For a limited time, eligible American Express cardholders can activate an Amex Offer entitling them to $5 statement credit when they make a purchase of $10 or more at a qualifying small business. Better yet, this offer can be used up to 10 times, for a total value of $50. According to Amex, cardholders will need to activate this offer by July 26th but those who do opt-in will have until September 20th to tap all 10 uses.
In the past, I’ve shared how I’ve been able to make use of some pretty lucrative Amex Offers — and this latest promotion is certainly no exception. In fact, this may be the most useable deal I’ve come across yet. Looking at the Amex Shop Small map, there’s no shortage of eligible small businesses in my area, including some of our favorite restaurants. Plus, unlike most Amex Offers that are targeted to some degree (meaning that only a certain percentage of cardholders will encounter them), it sounds as though this deal will be far more widespread. That said, I’m not 100% sure what “eligible American Express cardholders” means… but my guess is that, if you have access to Amex Offers, you’ll be able to take advantage of this promotion.
While this campaign is beneficial to small businesses who will hopefully see additional sales, it’s also a smart perk for cardholders who might not be getting the full value of their cards right now. To that point, Amex had previously unveiled temporary credits and other incentives for its various travel-centric products, including the Platinum card. Currently, though the end of the year, Platinum card customers can earn up to $20 a month in statement credits on wireless phone service purchases and well as $20 per month on streaming service payments. And, in a bid to get users traveling again when it’s safe to do so, those renewing their Platinum cards this year will be able to earn up to $200 in credits for Amex Travel purchase through the end on 2021.
To me, this Shop Small offer is a brilliant move on Amex’s part. Not only does it help encourage consumers to support their local community at a time when so many small businesses are struggling to stay afloat but also adds value for cardholders who may have been considering canceling their annual fee cards. Speaking from personal experience, this offer has already allowed us to splurge a little and pay visits to a couple of our top local spots — and I look forward to spreading the love around over the next couple of months. So, if you have an American Express in your wallet, make sure to check your Amex Offers, activate this deal, and Shop Small as much as possible.