4 in 5 consumers prefer independents over larger stores
Posted on in Cycles News
A recent survey reveals that 80% of British consumers plan to use independent businesses over larger businesses this year.
The survey, commissioned to discover current consumer attitudes towards small businesses, also revealed that 65% are aware that using a smaller provider can be more expensive, but think the benefits of doing so outweigh the increased costs as 48% still wanted to boost the local economy and support their community.
From the survey, it would suggest that convenience and leisure are the main reasons why consumers choose a small business over a larger retailer.
58% of respondents said they use a grocery and convenience store the most, with the older generation, 55-64 year olds, selecting this as their most used type of independent store.
Clothing, jewellery, books, music and gift retailers were the second most utilised businesses at 45%, followed by cafes, bars, pubs and eateries at 44%.
The primary reason for shopping small is due to convenience. However, almost half of those polled said that they shop small to support independent establishments.
Just over half of those polled said there is a noticeable difference between the quality of customer service offered in small businesses compared to larger stores. One respondent said "small stores seem more genuine and go out their way to help you" and another said at "smaller stores the service is more personal", suggesting that in order to be competitive against bigger brands, your business must continue to provide a memorable and tailored customer service.
Half of consumers said that a 'limited product range' selection is the number one drawback to using a small business, whilst almost half said that smaller stores tend to be more expensive, which was their second highest concern.
