Guernsey Press

Survey finds 46% prefer to shop local to online

ALMOST all islanders responding to a retail survey have shopped online in the last year.

Published
A diagram showing where people responding to the retail survey shop. (20987392)

Economic Development commissioned Island Global Research, which asked more than 900 residents a series of questions on retail experience.

It found 96% had shopped online in the last 12 months.

However, 46% of respondents said they preferred to shop locally and only 25% preferred to buy online, with the remaining 29% feeling indifferent.

Chamber of Commerce retail sub-group head Ian Burdekin said the survey results appeared positive and would be useful to retailers.

‘Guernsey shoppers want to support local retail and there is a demand for the type of shopping experiences which physical retail is best placed to provide,’ he said.

Mr Burdekin said there were areas in the feedback that retailers can use to improve and aid customer experience.

Two areas to improve that were mentioned were to incorporate e-commerce and tailor their opening times to the customers’ needs.

Respondents were asked how they made their purchasing decisions, how satisfied they were with the current on-island retail situation as well as their views on what would encourage people to shop more locally.

Committee vice-president Andrea Dudley-Owen said the results were valuable to retailers and the government in understanding what shoppers want to get from a retail experience.

‘The results confirm what we already know, that there are a number of challenges facing our local retailers, but I am confident that with a concerted, collaborative approach from the sector and government these challenges can be made into new opportunities,’ she said.

Lack of parking also played a role in islanders’ shopping experience, especially around the Bridge and St Peter Port.

‘There were lots of comments about parking. They were mostly negative, saying that it can be difficult to park, although a few praised parking, especially compared to St Peter Port,’ said the report on the Bridge.

Respondents also commented on the road layout on the Bridge because they felt it was dangerous and that traffic ruined the atmosphere.

People said they felt there was a lack of parking in Town or that it was hard to park for more than two hours.

The survey, which cost £7,250, was conducted in the last quarter of 2017.

Full details of the findings are at www.gov.gg/retailsurvey2017.