Here you can find results of the blue study on local purchasing in Quebec (between intentions and actions) conducted by our partner, the Léger firm.
With the current crisis, buying local is at the heart of discussions. But what is considered buying local? What is a local business? A local product? What are Quebecers' perceptions in this respect, and above all, how has their actual behavior evolved and will it continue to evolve when the economy picks up again?
During this panel broadcast on SADC Achigan Montcalm local businesses conferenceLéger vice-president Cyntia Darisse presents exclusive results on key local purchasing trends since the start of the pandemic.
She is joined by Manon Kirouac, Marketing Director of Première Moisson, and David Crête, Professor in the Department of Marketing and Information Systems at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, who respectively provide the viewpoints ofa local business and what university research on this subject.
- Manon Kirouac, Marketing Director First Harvest
- Cynthia DarisseLéger vice-presidentCanada's largest Canadian-owned survey, marketing research and analytics firm, with over 600 employees in eight offices across Canada and the U.S.
- David CrêteProfessor Department of Marketing and Information Systems, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
Buying local in Quebec: survey
The conference, which focuses on the financial health of retailers, includes exclusive results of local purchasing trends led by Léger vice-president Cynthia Darisse.
The blue study represents the portrait of local consumption in Québec. The survey results correspond to two distinct market measurements carried out by in May and November/December 2020.
What is the evolution of local purchasing intentions between May and December 2020?
Quebecers maintain their willingness to buy in Quebec. 40% of those surveyed still intend to increase the volume of their local purchases. We were talking about 58% in May.
The investigation then aims to identify whether there is a The desire to buy local is running out of steam. And the answer is yes. Particularly among young people aged 18 to 34, 33% of those surveyed are getting tired of hearing about buying local.
David Crête, Professor in the Department of Marketing and Information Systems at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, gives his opinion and states thathe feels reassured despite this slight loss of steam. Between the intention and the act of purchase, the teacher reminds us that the details count: staff attitude in the trade is of major importance. Local purchasing is encouraged when customers are satisfied with their purchasing experience : a smile, clear explanations from a receptionist and humanized service make all the difference.
Manon Kirouac, Marketing Director of Première Moisson, says thatshe sees buying local as a perennial wave rather than a passing fad. The first containment boom created a effervescence on purchasing methods but despite the slight loss of momentum described above, Ms. Kirouac is confident that the future of purchasing will remain local.
Nevertheless, retailers must be taught that the consumer will be able to make his own choice: repeat the buy-local concept over and over again will not be the factor that makes it last.. In fact, there are other components involved in consumer decision-making, such as :
- the price
- or the desire to encourage the local economy, for example.
Motivations for buying local
David CrêteUniversité du Québec professor insists that consumers grant a strong focus on product quality and services. It reminds contractors and brands to do not neglect the content of their marketing message Clearly indicating to the consumer what makes up a product or service can make all the difference in terms of sales. For example, for a bakery, list of ingredients demonstrates the contractor's choices regarding the quality of its raw materials.
In addition to price, the key to success is identifying local products in store
Consumers say it's difficult for them to identify locally-produced products during their in-store shopping experience.
Online shopping is the number one competitor for local businesses
Online and local shopping in Quebec stores are they in competition?
Product price remains a major factor of choice for consumers. And 74% of those surveyed said that online offers are more cost-effective.
When a buyer browses the web, the comfort of his home allows him to compare products between competitors (as opposed to shopping in person): switching from one online store to another requires little effort, and the so it's easy to compare prices.
Manon Kirouac, Marketing Director of Première Moisson, believes that merchants were lagging behind online offerings. The pandemic has enabled most of the Quebec market to be digitized and to catch up. Québec company Première Moisson, for example, has transform its online offer within 2 months whereas a project of this scale would normally have taken 6 months.
Professor David Crête points out that the risk for an entrepreneur today is to be rest on its laurelswithout taking into account changes in consumer behavior. "Why change my methods when my company sells and that's enough?"
Beware, consumers now have higher expectations. Customer relations giant, U.S.-based software publisher Salesforce regularly tests consumer perceptions on various aspects. The latest market behavior study has just been released.
And the results show that 2020 consumers have new high expectations facing companies : an effort to improve the content and form of the online offeringThe consumer is becoming more demanding. Consumers are becoming more demanding. Telecommuting, online consumption (entertainment, culture and online shopping) and new habits during the pandemic are forcing us to stay on the move. more connected to the virtual world. There has also been a boom in social commerce (Facebook Market Place, for example). In the space of just a few months, new behaviors have emerged, and retailers' responses have accelerated.
Find out more about this topic and gain access to valuable data for your business, contact us !
SADC Achigan-Montcalm: Who are we?
To help you manage your business efficiently and exploit its full potential, the SADC offers you :
- an array of management consulting
- solutions corporate financing
- and a support for collective projects.
How to find us
As a regional player, we serve companies belonging to one of the following communities from 10 municipalities of the Montcalm MRC as well as municipalities belonging to the L'Assomption RCM (municipalities of L'Assomption, L'Épiphanie and Saint-Sulpice). We also operate for municipalities in the Rivière du Nord RCMSainte-Sophie and Saint-Hippolyte.
In other words, we serve the municipalities of Saint-Hippolyte, Saint-Calixte, Sainte Sophie, Saint-Lin-Laurentides, Saint-Julienne, Saint-Esprit, Saint-Roch-Ouest, Saint-Roch-de-l'Achigan, Saint-Liguori, Saint-Alexis, Saint-Jacques, Sainte Marie-Salomé, L'Epiphanie, L'Assomption and Saint-Sulpice. However, the municipalities of Repentigny and Charlemagne are not eligible for our financial assistance. Our offices are located at 104, rue St-Jacques in Saint-Jacques.
We believed in their project and they put their trust in us.
Since our creation in 1992, we have supported a large number of entrepreneurs in their business transfer, start-up or growth objectives. These include :
Solnor EnvironnementSolnor Environnement is an expert consultant for contaminated land and geology. Solnor Environnement's core business is the management of projects with a geological component, the analysis and study of soil and water, their decontamination and the environmental analysis of sites.
Lait de poule inc. the maternity and nursing specialist in l'Assomption, offering clothing and textiles for pregnant women and textiles to facilitate breastfeeding.
Brasserie L'Apothicaire of St-Jacques de Montcalm, whose mission is to support an ecosystem of regional microbreweries, and to help and contribute to the emergence and development of local players offering products of excellence.
The integration company Job Access Buffet whose core mission is to provide a gateway to the job market in the catering sector.
While these players belong to a wide variety of economic sectors, the fact remains that our approach, which focuses on the local level and on serious, well-thought-out support tailored to their objectives, has contributed to these successes. success stories. Behind each of these entrepreneurs was a ambitious project, and we are proud to present their success..
SADC can help you develop your business. Call on our team to bring your entrepreneurial projects to fruition.
