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Merchant Survey

Fall 2012

vol.1

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Political Sentiment

Economic Sentiment

Recent IPO Sentiment

Top SMB Priorities

Survey Methodology

  • - Survey data collected from September 17th – 30th, 2012
  • - The survey was made available to all of MerchantCircle’s 1.4MM member merchants
  • - Total Responses: 3,434
  • - Respondents primarily represent US small-to-medium businesses, spanning a wide range of industries, from B2B and Professional services, to Home and Improvement and Autos Services, Healthcare, Entertainment, Restaurants, and Real Estate
  • - No incentive was offered for completion of the survey
  • - Survey was delivered via email and fielded entirely online

Political Sentiment

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In your opinion, which presidential candidate is better equipped to lead the U.S in an economic recovery? (n = 3,393)

Mitt Romney Barack Obama Both Neither
Presidental Candidates
51.9% Mitt Romney
28.4% Barack Obama
18.7% Neither
1.0% Both

Which presidential candidate do you think is a stronger advocate for growing small businesses in the U.S.? (n = 3,398)

Mitt Romney Barack Obama Both Neither
SMB Support
56.1% Mitt Romney
28.9% Barack Obama
14.1% Neither
0.9% Both

How do you think Obamacare will impact small businesses? (n = 3,400)

Very Negatively Somewhat Positively Somewhat Negatively Very Positively Not Sure No Impact
Obamacare
50.4% Very Negatively
11.9% Somewhat Positively
11.3% Somewhat Negatively
10.8% Very Positively
8.8% Not Sure
5.8% No Impact

Do you see small-to-medium businesses in the U.S. better off now or 4 years ago? (n = 3,389)

Better off 4 years ago Better off Now No Change
SMBs Now vs.Then
56.8% Better off 4 years ago
22.0% Better off Now
21.2% No Change

Economic Sentiment

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How do you think the economy will be faring 1 year from now? (n = 3,291)

Better Worse Same(no change)
Economic Outlook
36.7% Better
35.8% Worse
27.5% Same(no change)

Small business success in the U.S. is important to economic recovery. (n = 3,410)

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree
Economy
85.8% Strongly Agree
12.3% Agree
1.3% Neutral
0.3% Disagree
0.2% Strongly Disagree

In the next 6 months I plan on ...(n = 3,411)

Adding 5+ new employees Adding 1 - 4 new employees Maintaining my current number of employees Reducing my number of employees by 1 - 4 Reducing my number of employees by 5 or more Strongly Disagree
Hiring Forecast
48.8% Maintaining my current number of employees
20.5% Don't know
19.7% Adding 1 - 4 new employees
6.3% Reducing my number of employees by 1 - 4
3.3% Adding 5+ new employees
1.4% Reducing my number of employees by 5 or more

How many hours per week do you spend on marketing efforts for your business? (n = 3,385)

5+ 3-4 2 1 0
Hours Spent Marketing
45.1% 5+
24.9% 3-4
15.9% 2
9.7% 1
4.4% 0

How do you feel about Facebook after they went public this spring? (n = 3,260)

Same (no change) Negatively Positively Other (please specify)
Facebook IPO
69.1% Same (no change)
20.8% Negatively
5.6% Positively
4.5% Other (please specify)

Please check all of the FREE social media platforms you use to promote your business. (n = 3,270)

68.7%
49.2%
32.8%
19.1%
18.6%

Please check all of the social media platforms you PAY FOR SERVICES to help promote your business: (n = 3,095)

74.3%
12.6%
10.8%
6.6%
1.3%

Interest in Paid Social Media Services: If you aren't currently using paid social media products, how likely are you to explore these products and services to promote your business within the next 3 - 6 months? (n = 2,990)

Very Likely Indifferent Very Unlikely
Social Media Services
42.6% Very Likely
37.2% Indifferent
20.2% Very Unlikely

Recent IPO Sentiment

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How do you feel about Groupon after they went public this spring? (n = 3,154)

Same (no change) Positively Negatively Other (please specify)
Groupon
71.4% Same (no change)
15.6% Positively
6.9% Other (please specify)
6.1% Negatively

Daily Deals : If you have ran a Daily Deals campaign in the last 6 months, please check all of the providers that you worked with: (n = 2,873)

88.7%
6.0%
4.0%
3.9%
1.7%

How likely is it that you will run a Daily Deals campaign in the next 3 - 6 months? (n = 3,135)

Very Likely Indifferent Very Unlikely
Daily Deals Interest
71.4% Very Likely
15.6% Indifferent
6.9% Very Unlikely

Please check all of the FREE Reviews websites and services that you use to promote your business online and manage your online presence. (n = 2,941)

50.6%
36.6%
20.0%
14.1%

Please check all of the Reviews websites and services that you currently PAY FOR to promote and manage reviews online. (n = 2,861)

90.1%
5.1%
3.2%
3.0%

How likely are you to start to pay for or continue to pay for online reviews services? (n = 2,938)

Very Likely Indifferent Very Unlikely
Interest in Paid Reviews Services
68.3% Very Likely
22.6% Indifferent
9.1% Very Unlikely

Top SMB Priorities

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Do you have a mobile website or mobile app for your business?

Do you pay for mobile advertising? (n = 2,828)

Yes No
Mobile
70.1% Yes
29.9% No
Mobile
91.7% Yes
8.3% No

How likely are you to start exploring paid mobile advertising services in the next 3 - 6 months? (n = 2,809)

Very Likely Indifferent Very Unlikely
Interest in Mobile Advertising
55.8% Very Likely
29.6% Indifferent
14.6% Very Unlikely

How likely are you to explore building a mobile website or mobile app for your business in the next 3 - 6 months? (n = 2,808)

Very Likely Indifferent Very Unlikely N/A I already have one
Interest in Mobile Sites/Apps
40.8% Very Likely
25.6% Indifferent
17.7% Very Unlikely
16.3% N/A I already have one

Mobile Phone CC Processing: Have you tried working with any of the mobile transactions providers (Square, Stripe, PayPal, Intuit, mobile wallet providers)? If yes, which provider(s) have you started working with? (n = 2,778)

64.6%
20.7%
14.1%
8.2%
2.8%
0.3%

If you aren't currently working with any Mobile Transactions Providers, how likely are you to explore this in the next 3 - 6 months? (n = 2,701)

Very Likely Indifferent Very Unlikely N/A I already am
Interest in Mobile Phone CC Processing
44.0% Very Unlikely
25.4% Indifferent
19.5% N/A I already am
11.5% Very Likely

Business Category

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Please categorize your business for us (check all that apply): (n = 3,433)

Autos
8.0%
Business to Business
17.7%
Education
5.6%
Electronics
3.8%
Entertainment and Arts
10.5%
Financial Services
3.6%
Food and Dining
5.2%
Healthcare Services
8.1%
Home and Garden
13.0%
Home Improvement
17.9%
Insurance
2.8%
Legal Services
2.7%
Loans
0.6%
Professional Services
32.6%
Real Estate
6.3%