MONTREAL, Sept. 27, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - In celebration
of small business month, and the launch of its fourth annual Shop
The Neighbourhood campaign, Yellow Pages (TSX: Y), a leading
digital media and marketing solutions company, releases important
findings surrounding Canadians' attitudes and behaviours when it
comes to their local shopping habits. As small businesses struggle
to remain successful in the changing Canadian retail landscape,
these findings reveal that Canadian shoppers continue to spend more
money at large retail establishments despite a strong
acknowledgment of the important role that small
businesses play in our neighbourhoods and local economies.
While a majority of respondents report a preference for shopping
local and agree they would rather live close to local businesses
than large retailers, there is a clear disconnect between reported
behaviour and attitudes toward shopping local.
Of those surveyed, more Canadians shop at large retail
establishments versus small businesses at least once a week and 64
percent report spending more than $100 at large retailers in the last month versus
40 percent spending an equivalent amount at small businesses in the
same timeframe.
Given this, it's no surprise that a majority of Canadians cite
higher prices as a deterrent to shopping locally. Interestingly,
the findings reveal that, when price is equal, a majority of
respondents will choose to shop at local businesses versus
large-scale retailers. However, even a small price discrepancy
(e.g. five percent cheaper at the large retailer) will decrease the
number of Canadians staying true to local shopping by as much as
33 percent, even if the local business is located closer than
the large retail establishment.
In addition to larger retailers offering competitive pricing
that undercuts small business revenue, the existence of big box
shopping events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday creates further
competition for these mom and pop shops. While approximately
four-in-ten respondents agree that Black Friday and Cyber Monday
have a negative impact on local businesses in Canada, 39 percent are still most likely to
spend their money at large retailers on these shopping
holidays.
With this in mind, the need for programs like Shop The
Neighbourhood is now greater than ever. For the past three years,
Shop The Neighbourhood has offered Canadians a local shopping
alternative on the Saturday between Black Friday and Cyber Monday,
one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year and one that tends
to drive dollars away from local Canadian economies. The campaign
quickly gained traction since its inception, with more than 12,500
businesses and one million Canadians participating in last year's
event and a resulting $155 million
invested back into the Canadian economy. Now a year-round campaign,
Shop The Neighbourhood encourages Canadians to adopt responsible
shopping habits by supporting small businesses, not just on one
day, but year-round.
"For over 100 years, Yellow Pages has championed the growth of
small businesses and local economies, through its business
operations and community activities, such as Shop The
Neighbourhood," says François Ramsay, Senior Vice-President,
Corporate Affairs, at Yellow Pages. "This year, the campaign will
continue to raise awareness for the importance of local shopping,
but above all, in this fourth edition, we want to influence
Canadians' shopping habits and encourage them to take socially
responsible decisions when shopping year-round."
Key takeaways from the survey1 results include:
- Canadians recognize that local businesses are integral to
our economy and culture.
- 82 percent of those surveyed cite contribution to local economy
as the top advantage of shopping at local businesses.
- 88 percent agree that local businesses play an important role
in their neighbourhood's environment.
- 71 percent would rather live close to local businesses and 66
percent prefer to shop locally than at large retailers.
- Despite positive attitudes toward shopping local, more
Canadians continue to shop at large retail establishments.
- 64 percent spent more than $100
at large retailers in the last month versus 40 percent spending an
equivalent amount at small businesses.
- Price continues to dominate as a deciding factor in
Canadians' shopping habits.
- 67 percent of respondents cite higher prices as the main
disadvantage of shopping local.
- Even a small price discrepancy (5 percent) decreases the number
of Canadians willing to shop local by 33 percent, even when the
local business is in closer proximity than the less expensive
larger retailer.
- Canadians acknowledge that large-scale shopping events have
negative impacts on local business yet continue to partake in these
shopping holidays.
- 39 percent of respondents aware of Black Friday and 45 percent
aware of Cyber Monday think that these events have a negative
impact on local businesses.
- Yet 39 percent still plan to spend their money at large
retailers during Black Friday.
- Shop The Neighbourhood is recognized as an important
contributor to small business success.
- 76 percent of those aware of Shop The Neighbourhood think that
it positively impacts local businesses and 81 percent are more
likely to spend their money at local businesses during this
shopping campaign.
Visit www.shoptheneighbourhood.yp.ca for more information.
Follow Yellow Pages on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter,
#shopthehood, to show your support.
About Shop The Neighbourhood™
Shop The Neighbourhood is a Yellow Pages initiative to help raise
awareness among Canadians about the importance of supporting small
businesses and shopping locally. As a year-round campaign, Shop The
Neighbourhood encourages consumers to make their purchases at small
local businesses, as they are known to play a huge role in the
social and economic environment of Canadian communities. In 2015
alone, more than 12,500 businesses and one million Canadians
have showed their support in Shop The Neighbourhood, which resulted
in over $155 million invested back into the Canadian economy.
Join the movement at www.shoptheneighbourhood.yp.ca.
About Yellow Pages
Yellow Pages (TSX: Y) is a Canadian
digital media and marketing solutions company that supports
neighbourhood economies by helping local businesses reach new
customers and foster stronger relationships with existing clients
through its various media and products. Yellow Pages holds some of
Canada's leading local online
search properties including YP.caTM,
RedFlagDeals.comTM, Canada411.caTM, the
Comfree/DuProprio network and YP NextHome, as well as mobile
applications YP, YP Shopwise, YP Dine, Comfree, RedFlagDeals,
Canada411 and 411.ca, as well as the Yellow PagesTM
print directories. Yellow Pages is also a leader in national
digital advertising through its various channels and services
devoted to North American businesses. The company holds JUICE
Mobile, an advertising technology company whose proprietary
programmatic platforms facilitate the automatic buying and selling
of mobile advertising between brands and publishers. For more
information visit: www.corporate.yp.ca.
1 This survey was conducted online within
Canada by The Harris Poll on
behalf of Yellow Pages from August 16 to 19,
2016, among 1,027 respondents living in Canada aged 18 and older. The data were
weighted by Age, Gender, and Region where necessary to bring them
in line with their actual proportions in the Canadian adult
population.
SOURCE Yellow Pages