Alas, but all good things come eventually come to an end. Small Business Saturday, a holiday created by American Express back in 2010 to promote the patronage of brick and mortar businesses that are small and local, has traditionally incentivized shoppers by giving statement credits when they used their American Express card at a small business on the holiday. The credits ranged from $10 to $25 to three $10 credits per card with minimal spending requirements.

This year, however, it appears that American Express is removing the statement credit offer for cardholders.

From the frequently asked questions section of ShopSmall.com:

Is there an American Express Statement Credit Offer for Card Members for Small Business Saturday this year?

As in years past, American Express will continue to drive awareness of Small Business Saturday and encourage consumers to shop small through local and national advertising.

This year we are not offering a statement credit offer for Card Members on Small Business Saturday, but are instead increasing the support and resources we provide to help small business owners market the day within their communities and truly make it their own. Learn about the materials we make available at ShopSmall.com/GetReady:

• Customizable marketing materials
• Free online ads
• Shop Small merchandise kits (while supplies last)
• Educational event guides

We are also significantly expanding our grassroots advocacy efforts, such as the Neighborhood Champion program, to facilitate more community events and activities to engage local communities to shop small on Small Business Saturday.

It’s interesting that American Express chose to remove the statement credit altogether, rather than increase the spending requirement or lower the credit offered. No doubt the promotion was costing them a significant amount of money in years past as cardmembers with multiple cards cashed in, but cutting off the statement credits completely comes as a bit of a surprise.