Screen Reader Mode Icon Check SCREEN READER MODE to make this survey compatible with screen readers. Rural Retail Sligo - Rural Retail Survey addressed to retailers in County Sligo OK Question Title * 1. Where is your business located? Sligo Town County Sligo Ballisodare Ballymote Collooney Enniscrone Grange Tubbercurry Other South Sligo locations Other (please specify) OK Question Title * 2. Gender Male Female Other (please specify) OK Question Title * 3. What is your age? Under 18 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ OK Question Title * 4. Which of the following describes your business? Specialised fresh food; bakery, butcher, fish monger, greengrocer Supermarkets and convenience stores Fashion, footwear and textiles Electronics and entertainment; televisions, audio equipment, PC, phones Books, toys, newspapers and stationery Bar, restaurant, accommodation, offlicence DIY and hardware Furniture, lighting and homewares Health and beauty Fuel Other (please specify) OK Question Title * 5. How do you make your sales? Direct sales to the public Self-service Online sales Vending machines Market stall, or similar Catalogue or telephone sales Other (please specify) OK Question Title * 6. How long has your business been running? 0-2 years 3-5 years 6-10 years 11-15 years 16-20 years 21-25 years 26-30 years 30+ years OK Question Title * 7. How would you describe the current state of your business? Very good Good Average Poor Very poor Other (please specify) OK Question Title * 8. What changes would best improve your business? Update the building or equipment Use of new technologies Improve the business image and brand Increase the product range Expand the number of customers Partnerships with other retailers New sales strategies; loyalty cards, discounts, promotions... Social media activity Increase promotional and advertising activity Well known brand names Other (please specify) OK Question Title * 9. How optimistic are your regarding the future of your business in the next 5 years? Very optimistic Optimistic Cautious Pessimistic Very pessimistic OK Question Title * 10. How do you think the following will influence the future of your business? Very negative Negative No real impact Positive Very positive N/A Digital customer experiences Digital customer experiences Very negative Digital customer experiences Negative Digital customer experiences No real impact Digital customer experiences Positive Digital customer experiences Very positive Digital customer experiences N/A Electronic commerce and new technology Electronic commerce and new technology Very negative Electronic commerce and new technology Negative Electronic commerce and new technology No real impact Electronic commerce and new technology Positive Electronic commerce and new technology Very positive Electronic commerce and new technology N/A Regulation and legislation for retail Regulation and legislation for retail Very negative Regulation and legislation for retail Negative Regulation and legislation for retail No real impact Regulation and legislation for retail Positive Regulation and legislation for retail Very positive Regulation and legislation for retail N/A New retail formats; retail parks, pop-up stores... New retail formats; retail parks, pop-up stores... Very negative New retail formats; retail parks, pop-up stores... Negative New retail formats; retail parks, pop-up stores... No real impact New retail formats; retail parks, pop-up stores... Positive New retail formats; retail parks, pop-up stores... Very positive New retail formats; retail parks, pop-up stores... N/A The economy The economy Very negative The economy Negative The economy No real impact The economy Positive The economy Very positive The economy N/A Brexit Brexit Very negative Brexit Negative Brexit No real impact Brexit Positive Brexit Very positive Brexit N/A Additional comments on the above OK Question Title * 11. Who are your main competitors? Local retail shops Larger retail stores Retail parks and shopping centres Online sales Other (please specify) OK Question Title * 12. Why do you think your customers buy from you? Location Value for money Personal attention Knowledge and advice No other suppliers Service or product tailored to the customer Quick and easy transaction Easy to make returns or repairs Ethics and social awareness Supporting local jobs Online presence Loyalty and promotional cards Other (please specify) OK Question Title * 13. How do you contact your suppliers? Phone Email Internet orders Sales rep Visit to supplier Business networking Central purchasing or agency Other (please specify) OK Question Title * 14. How do you promote your business? News media; digital news, print, radio, tv Social media and internet Printed brochures Posters Other (please specify) OK Question Title * 15. Do you reward customer loyalty? Loyalty cards Personal discounts and promotions I don't use loyalty promotions Other (please specify) OK Question Title * 16. How do you measure the impact of your promotional activities? Customer satisfaction surveys Online sales and activity data Traditional sales data; accounts and records I don't measure the impact Other (please specify) OK Question Title * 17. Describe your online presence No online presence Only basic website Only social media Basic website and social media Online shop only Online shop and social media Other (please specify) OK Question Title * 18. Do you plan to enhance your online presence in the next 12 months? Yes, definitely No Probably Comment OK Question Title * 19. What are the main obstacles to a good online presence for your business? Price of website, social media Time involved in maintaining presence Lack of knowledge regarding online presence Online presence is not relevant to my customers Online presence is not relevant to my product/ service There are no obstacles Other (please specify) OK Question Title * 20. What do you believe would help improve retail business in your area? Grants and funding Tax incentives Promotional campaigns for local business Scheduled markets, fairs and retail events Training and advice to the local retail sector Updating and modernising the shop Improving the urban environment, e.g. paths, lights, traffic calming Raise awareness among community of local retail Improve networking between local retail businesses Improve networking with other business sectors; leisure, tourism, hospitality Shopping sprees and local prize promotions Promotion of the village or town itself General support for owner/ managers in retail Access to finance Improved relationship with suppliers and distributors Other (please specify) OK Question Title * 21. How many people do you employ (full-time equivalent)? 1-5 6-10 11-20 21-30 31+ OK Question Title * 22. How many do you expect to employ (full-time equivalent) at the end of 2019 1-5 6-10 11-20 21-30 31+ OK Question Title * 23. What level of discretionary spend on sponsorship did you make in 2018? 0-€250 €251-€500 €501-€1,000 €1,001-€2,000 €2,001+ OK Question Title * 24. What is your expectation for sponsorship funding in 2019, over 2018 total? Decrease by more than 10% Decrease by 0-10% Same as 2018 Increase 0-10% Increase by more than 10% OK Question Title * 25. Do you plan to upskill your staff capability in 2019? No, we are already well skilled No, we cannot afford the time or expense Maybe Yes, on digital technology Yes, on other business skills OK Question Title * 26. Do you expect your business to grow in 2019? No, decline by more than 10% No, decline by 0-10% Remain the same Yes, by 0-10% Yes, by more than 10% OK Question Title * 27. Are you investing in your business in 2019? Additional staff Additional products/ services Property investment/ refurbishment New Technology No plans for investing Other (please specify) OK Question Title * 28. What is your view on remote working? Good idea, but will not work for my business Good idea and something I would like to try Good idea and I already have remote workers in my business Good idea already happening in my business and I would like to do more of it Don't agree with it OK Question Title * 29. How smart is your business (pick one) Not Smart Not very Smart Average Getting Smarter Very Smart Not Smart Not very Smart Average Getting Smarter Very Smart OK Question Title * 30. What types of Smart technology do you use in your business? (mark as appropriate) Smart technology used in day to day operations Website E-commerce (able to sell online) Promote business on social media Online banking OK Question Title * 31. What challenges are impacting upon your business? (check as appropriate) Difficulty getting talent Rural decline with shopping online or in more urban locations Increased competition in sector Rapid digital advancement - costly to remain cutting edge Other (please specify) OK Question Title * 32. Have you any plans to digitise your business/ make it Smarter? No, it's not needed No, I cannot afford to Maybe Yes, we need to in order to stay competitive but need assistance Yes, we need to and am clear on what we need to do OK DONE
