Retail Preferences Survey Report

Abstract

The purpose of this survey is to determine how many Lawrence residents intentionally leave Lawrence to shop, what percentage of their total shopping dollars they spend outside Lawrence, what types of goods or services they look for, where they go to shop, and how often they go there.

The survey was limited to Lawrence residents and does not measure the impact or preferences of visitors coming into the city of Lawrence for the purpose of shopping.

An attempt was made to identify those stores, retail centers, and types of items or services for which shoppers consider an out-of-town source their first/best choice, and the reasons for that choice.

This is the fourth time this survey has been conducted. Comparisons are made throughout regarding the changes from the previous sampling. This year in an attempt to provide a sample of population that will cover all groups of population better the data were collected in two samples: between Thanksgiving and Christmas 1999 and in the second part of January 2000, after students had come back from the Christmas break. In the future survey data will be collected in January, following the Christmas shopping season.