What Drives Consumer Behavior

Purchasing habits fluctuate over time with every generation, but because of increased access to new technology and uncertainty due to world events and insecure futures, the consumer trends of generations have changed. In order for businesses to appeal to these consumers, it is important to understand what these buying habits are, how they have changed, and what techniques can be utilized to expand sales among five consumer segments. A recent article from American Demographics Advertising Age highlights these changing behaviors.

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E-Commerce: Opportunities for Small Retailers

As more Americans gain access to the Internet, small retailers are finding it lucrative to expand their business and selling capabilities online within the growing ecommerce market. Though e-commerce only accounts for a small percentage of overall retail sales, the trend is gaining popularity among businesses and consumers as people become more comfortable with shopping on the Internet. Online shopping represents an unknown variable in the retail equation, but one with great growth potential. It is expected that online retailing will increase by more than ten percent per year as “E-ignorance” no longer acts as a significant barrier

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Challenges Ahead for Small Independent Retailers

“Challenges of the Future” is a white paper offering strategies for the future survival and growth of independent retailers.* It is based on expert interviews and a series of case studies with successful independents in a variety of merchandise lines around the country. It explores the evolving nature of small independent retail in the U.S. and documents how many small retailers are creating successes that are richly creative and widely beneficial. This article summaries the second part of the paper – the challenges ahead and new solutions to address them.

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A Trade Area Analysis of Wisconsin Counties

The intent of this paper by Steven Deller, Matt Kures and Bill Ryan is to apply the tools of Trade Area Analysis (TAA) to estimate several Wisconsin counties markets’ demand as well as supply from an aspatial perspective. Through this, the analysis is able to outline a set of simple strategies to help build on surpluses and address leakages. The tools offered here as well as the analysis should be considered one step in developing a complete understanding of the local retail and service market.

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Characteristics of Successful Downtowns

What characteristics or attributes are shared by outstanding small and mid-sized downtowns? Research by Gary Ferguson of the Ithaca (NY) Downtown Partnership addressed this question in a recent study of successful downtowns. The cities selected for study all have reputations for outstanding downtowns. They include: State College, PA, Burlington, VT, Providence, RI, Northampton, MA, Portland, ME, Madison, WI, Ann Arbor, MI, Boulder, CO, Charlottesville, VA, Chapel Hill, NC, and Wooster, OH. Ferguson’s findings are summarized in this article following 12 downtown characteristics.

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The Importance of Government Facilities in Downtowns – Full Report

This paper was prepared for Jefferson County by Ryan Zigelbauer, Bill Ryan and Steve Grabow. It includes a brief assessment about the importance of a governmental presence in a community’s downtown. The study also features a comparison of the business mix between two types of comparablysized communities, those with county offices downtown and those without. The objective of this analysis is to determine if communities with a county seat have a more diverse mix and greater number of businesses in their downtowns than those which are not county seats.

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The Importance of Government Facilities in Downtowns

Government offices have traditionally been built in the center of cities and towns. It made sense to build city or county offices in a location that was easy to travel to, near homes of the employees, and near supporting and complementing retail and services. However, given the change in shopping habits, dependence on the automobile, increased dependence on computers and the internet, and the rising cost of land in the city center, some argue that there are fewer reasons to keep government offices downtown. This article explores the benefits of maintaining government offices in their downtown location.

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An Analysis of Business Establishments in Wisconsin’s County Seats.

The Jefferson County Office Study was conducted in Summer 2005 by the UW – Extension Center for Community and Economic Development to determine if communities with a county seat have a greater mix of businesses in their downtowns than comparably sized communities that are not county seats. The potential loss of downtown businesses resulting from the relocation of county offices has been raised as a potential issue by County, City of Jefferson, and civic leaders. The Jefferson Economic Development Consortium (JCEDC) is also seeking information on the impacts of government facilities in the downtown area and the JCEDC is sponsoring this study. This paper was written by Ryan Zigelbauer, Bill Ryan and Steve Grabow.

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Reclaiming the Waterfront

People have been drawn to water since the dawn of civilization, but American cities and towns have had a complicated relationship with water. “Water is a powerful draw and can help instill a strong sense of place,” observed Kent Robertson, Director of Community Development at Saint Cloud State University in Minnesota. “The fact that many downtowns are built near a body of water is a tremendous asset that should not be wasted” . This artcle discusses how communities can develop the waterfront into an energizing environment that benefits all.

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