Consumer Sentiment Survey The pandemic has changed the way we consume goods and services. As part of its efforts to support local businesses, the City of Coquitlam conducted a survey from June 15 to 30, 2020 to gauge consumer confidence and learn more about shopping habits and summer plans as businesses begin to re-open for in-person services. The survey data is being shared with local businesses to help them make informed decisions about how they may need to adjust their operations to meet the needs of their customers.
Who Participated? 1,200+ people More than 1,200 people provided their feedback, most of them Coquitlam residents who either took part in the public survey or are part of the City’s Viewpoint online survey panel. The respondents came from across the community and represented a broad range of ages, from teenagers to seniors.
16-24 (2%)
Age
65+ (24%)
25-34
55-64
35-44
(7%)
(20%)
(23%)
Westwood Plateau
45-54
12%
(23%)
North East Coquitlam Burke Mountain
9% Eagle Ridge
3%
Austin Heights
Gender
64% Female
33% Male
3% Prefer not to answer
3000 Guildford Way, Coquitlam, BC, V3B 7N2 | |coquitlam.ca/ecdev coquitlam.ca/ecdev 604-927-3442 | coquitlam.ca/ecdev
Ranch Park
Central Coquitlam
Burquitlam Lougheed
6%
18%
9% 5% Maillardville
River Springs 2% Hockaday Nestor
7%
City Centre 15% River Heights
3%
3%
Cape Horn
Neighbourhood United Blvd
0% JULY 2020
Economic Development Office
6%
People Are Shopping More Locally And Online Q: Since COVID-19, how have your shopping habits changed?
76%
shopping less
ordering
53% online more
30%
ordering
shopping local more
28% delivery more
Online Shopping Habits The pandemic has significantly changed shopping patterns. More than 50% of the survey respondents said they are shopping online more now than before the pandemic.
What percent of the following items did you/do you purchase online for pick-up or delivery? Now
Pre-COVID
Now
Groceries
13%
22%
Restaurant Meals/ Food & Beverage
22%
43%
Clothing
21%
37%
Electronics/Tech
26%
40%
Household Goods
20%
35%
Q:
Pre-COVID
Where do you go for business info (e.g. hours and operations)? We asked where people typically find information about Coquitlam business store hours and operations during the pandemic. This will help businesses understand the most effective ways to provide that information to their customers.
77%
Store website
64%
34%
Business social media
32%
Word of mouth (family, friends)
32%
Call business directly
28%
News/media
14%
Coquitlam Social Media
11%
Delivery apps (e.g. Doordash, Skip the Dishes)
2
2020 Summer Vacation Plans We wanted to find out where Coquitlam residents are planning to spend their vacation time this summer. More than half said they are planning to stay close to home, with some day trips around the region or overnight trips in B.C.
54% 51%
will be staying in Coquitlam or within the Tri-Cities overnight trips within BC
50% 11%
looking at day trips within the Lower Mainland
Many want businesses and attractions to open with a ‘slow and steady’ approach.
overnight trips within the Lower Mainland
In-store Shopping Habits And Concerns Q: What would be your concerns, if any, when visiting local businesses and attractions in Coquitlam?
68%
Crowds in general
67%
Lengthy line-ups before entering
56%
Fear of catching COVID-19
43%
Lengthy line-ups while paying
24%
Inconvenience in business related to physical distancing guidelines
17%
Cost
5%
Other
3%
None at all
Minimum Safety Measures 1
Distance between patrons
2
Limit number of patrons
3 4
Regular anti-viral cleaning Engineered measures (e.g. Plexiglas dividers)
5
Hand sanitizers at entry
Top 5
84% 82% 82% 79% 78%
Face masks or shields for staff were also highly rated and identified by
71%
of respondents.
Face masks for customers was ranked as important by
56% 3
Level of Comfort We asked survey respondents to share their level of comfort with visiting different types of businesses and attractions in person, and (see below) what measures must be in place to make them feel safe doing so.
Very comfortable
Somewhat comfortable
Neutral
Somewhat uncomfortable
Very uncomfortable
Visiting retail in person
17%
40%
13%
26%
5%
Visiting personal services
14%
30%
12%
29%
16%
Dining in restaurants/pubs
13%
25%
11%
28%
23%
Visiting local attractions
9%
19%
20%
31%
21%
Visiting recreation centres
8%
19%
15%
30%
28%
Visiting local parks
50%
33%
9%
7%
1%
Having food trucks in parks
30%
32%
17%
13%
8%
Taking kids to play/spray parks
17%
23%
15%
27%
18%
Visiting outdoor pools
11%
16%
14%
26%
34%
Indoors
Outdoors
To access the full survey results, including a more detailed breakdown of shopping habits and levels of comfort by age, gender and neighbourhood, visit letstalkcoquitlam.ca/business.
Resources for Local Businesses The City of Coquitlam has joined the Tri-Cities #SupportLocal campaign to assist local businesses. We encourage businesses to take advantage of the opportunities for free promotion offered through the campaign: Go to wegothistricities.com and select the ‘I’m Open for Business’ button to be included in the online business directory. Email tourism@coquitlam.ca to be include in the retail or restaurant listings on the Tourism Coquitlam website, visitcoquitlam.ca. Visit Coquitlam Business Support portal, letstalkcoquitlam.ca/business, for comprehensive information and resources to support businesses through the pandemic and beyond, including news and updates, opportunities to provide input, a Q&A forum, a calendar of events, and business resources and opportunities from the City and other organizations and government. The information is updated regularly so check back often or sign up for email updates.
Economic Development Office | 3000 Guildford Way, Coquitlam, BC, V3B 7N2 | 604-927-3913
| coquitlam.ca/ecdev