This 'n' Data

Are small businesses in trouble?
Small businesses don’t have high hopes for a solid recovery in the near future from the economic downturn, according to a survey from the National Federation of Independent Business.

More owners still expect the economy to deteriorate further than those who anticipate improvement. About 20 percent of businesses reported that poor sales are their top business problem, up one point from April.

Only 7 percent of businesses surveyed say that now is a good time to expand, which was the same percentage as last month’s survey. About 6 percent said it was a good time to hire new employees.

1/3
Pinterest is now the third most popular social networking site in the U.S.  There are now more than 10 million registered visitors and nearly 12 million unique monthly visitors.

More than 95 percent of Pinterest’s Facebook fans are women.

Source: Pinterest

60%
According to a recent customer research survey, customers start researching major shopping items (valued at $500 or more) about 76 days before making the purchase. The survey also found that more than 60 percent of customers begin to research their potential purchase online. However, the final purchase tended to be made at a brick-and-mortar store- 89 percent of shoppers visited a store.

Don’t miss your opportunity to market to consumers through your website. A simple, but up-to-date website can generate more revenue and draw more Internet-savvy customers into your garden center.

Source: 2012 GE Capital Retail Finance Annual Major Purchase Shopper Study, www.genewscenter.com

15%
Mobile shopping is on the rise, according to the IBM Retail Online Index. An analysis of the online retail sector showed that retailers saw 15 percent growth in sales from mobile devices in the second quarter.

The report also showed a 20 percent decline in sales based on social media. Mobile commerce accounted for 15.1 percent of all online purchases, an increase of more than 14 percent.