No Christmas cheer for small business

A new survey of small business owners found 77 per cent were apprehensive about the Christmas period because of new overseas online businesses.

Over three-quarters of small business owners are predicting a slow Christmas period with the threat of big online businesses like Amazon entering the market.

A survey by business solutions provider MYOB found one in five small and medium-sized firms expect business will be quieter than last year.

"With the launch of a number of overseas retail outlets this year, our Aussie business owners are feeling apprehensive in the lead up to Christmas," MYOB CEO Tim Reed said on Monday.