increase sales

Increase Sales

Trail Bay Centre Gibsons Building Supplies

“Keep The Dollars Here” Workshop

Sunshine Coast residents make 30% of their household goods purchases off-Coast. Capturing that spending is a way to increase local sales.

  • What are they buying off-Coast?
  • What are the demographics of off-Coast spending?
  • What are the best opportunities to increase sales?
  • What do Sunshine Coast consumers want from you?

These and many more questions are answered at the “Keep the Dollars Here” Workshop.

Off-Coast Shopping Workshop

Chambers Host Off-Coast Shopping Workshop

Sechelt and Gibsons Chambers of Commerce cohosted a workshop presentation titled “Keep the Dollars Here.” Economic Development Coordinator Michael McLaughlin led 26 participants in an analysis of where local retailers can capture spending that goes off-Coast. Michael's summary is: Retain your current market share by offering low and mid-range priced inventory; increase your market share by adding mid- and high range priced inventory.

View survey summary (see below)

View survey results (download PowerPoint, 4.25 MB)

 

Off-Coast Shopping Summary

In 2009, Best Coast Initiatives completed a survey 500 Sunshine Coast household to measure the amount of shopping done outside the Sunshine Coast. It is a repeat of a survey completed in 2004. The 2009 survey was paid for by Wesbild Holdings Limited and completed by Ipsos Canada.

The purpose of the survey is to provide quantitative and qualitative data that retailers can use to increase sales to local customers. Results are summarized below. Detailed data make it possible to identify niche opportunities to increase sales to Coast residents. To get full value from the survey, we recommend you contact BCI.

KEY RESULTS

  1. Total annual household spending in the study area is estimated at $584.5 million. Real aggregate household growth in spending between 2004 and 2009 is 9%.
  2. Gross household spending off-Coast is $225.2 million (38.5%)
  3. Household spending off-Coast without shelter costs (mortgage payments) is $119.3 million (28.8%).
  4. 55% of respondents shop off-Coast monthly or more often, compared to 54% in 2004. 17% shop every two weeks or less, compared to 14% in 2004. There is no significant change in frequency of shopping.
  5. There is an observable, but statistically insignificant, correlation between proximity to the Langdale ferry terminal and frequency of off-Coast shopping trips.
  6. There are few statistically significant differences in the annual amount of off-Coast shopping across geographic locations on the Sunshine Coast.
  7. There are only minor differences in off-coast shopping frequency across family type (single adult, family, post-family).
  8. There are significant differences in the amount of household spending off-Coast across family type. Across a wide variety of goods and services, single adults and families spend more than average, while post-families spend average amounts or less.
  9. The frequency of shopping off-coast increases as household income increases, and there are significant increases in the portion of household spending off-Coast as income increases.
  10. The primary reasons for shopping off-Coast are selection/availability, price and convenience.
  11. Households shop significantly more in their community than in other shopping centres on the Sunshine Coast.
  12. Gibsons share of shopping trips by Coast residents has grown significantly between 2004 and 2009: from 33% to 38%
  13. 54% of households purchased goods via the internet in the 12-month period preceding the survey. Aggregate household purchasing via the internet is 3% of household spending.

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