More Holiday Shoppers Plan to Spend at Small Businesses This Year

More people say they plan to spend at small businesses this holiday season. That is the finding of a new survey reported by Inc. on November 3, 2026. If you run a shop, a service business or an online store, the report suggests extra demand may be coming your way.

What the survey found

According to the report, consumers are increasingly turning toward small businesses for holiday shopping. The material available does not say how many people were surveyed, who ran the survey, or how big the shift is. Those details matter, and they are not known here.

What the economist says

Inc. reports that an economist says owners should focus on a few key areas. The headline on the story says many owners overlook one key priority. The material does not name the economist or spell out what the areas are, including the one that gets missed.

Who it affects

Small business owners are the main audience. Interest from shoppers only helps if a business is ready for it. The risk, as the report frames it, is losing that demand to bigger stores if owners wait too long to prepare.

What to do

The full article was not available, so specific advice cannot be confirmed. A few general steps follow from the news itself:

• Start holiday planning now rather than closer to the season.
• Read the full Inc. story to find the economist's key areas.
• Check whether you are set up to handle more customers than usual.

What happens next

Holiday shopping is already underway, so the timing is tight. Owners who want the exact priorities should look at the original Inc. report. Until more detail on the survey is public, treat the finding as a useful signal, not a firm forecast.