Survey: Consumers value shopping local
American consumers feel strongly about supporting their local businesses, even if they are not able to as often as they would like.
New data from LendingTree shows that 90% of Americans believe shopping locally positively impacts their community, and 65% wish they could shop locally more than they do. Ninety-two percent shop local at least monthly, while 57% say they shop local weekly, 20% monthly and 15% daily.
When asked what’s holding them back, 57% said cost, 42% said convenience and 39% said product selection. Overall, 80% of respondents say inflation is making it more difficult to shop locally, and three-quarters (75%) wish they could afford to patronize their local businesses more than they do. When asked about the most important factors when shopping, 81% answered price, followed by convenience at 67%.
Despite increased cost, half of those surveyed are willing to spend more to shop locally. When local shoppers were asked what businesses they most commonly utilize, 78% said grocers or farmers markets, 60% said restaurants or cafes and nearly half (48%) said clothing stores. Overall, 70% say they try to source food locally.
When consumers aren’t able to shop locally, many feel guilty. Nearly three-quarters (71%) of Americans utilize Amazon or online-only retailers monthly. However, 31% feel guilty when they shop at these retailers, led by 45% of Gen Zers.
Additionally, among the 29% who say they’re morally opposed to shopping at Amazon, 85% do it anyway. Those with the highest household incomes have more guilt about shopping online than those who make the least. Forty percent of those who make $100,000 or more a year report it weighing on their conscience, compared to 24% of those who make under $30,000.
[READ MORE: How much do consumers spend at Amazon?]
“People feel guilty because they know that many small, local businesses have struggled to compete with Amazon and the onslaught of online retailers,” said Matt Schulz, LendingTree chief credit analyst. “They value small businesses and know how important a part of the community they are, but shoppers also feel conflicted because they’re struggling, too. Their financial wiggle room is tiny, making them very price-conscious.”
LendingTree commissioned QuestionPro to conduct an online survey of 2,000 U.S. consumers ages 18 to 78 from Aug. 12 to 14, 2024.
