• by Ray Schultz , May 10, 2022

Consumers are eager to support small businesses, even in the face of inflation — but they expect a 1-to-approach, according to a study released Tuesday by ActiveCampaign.  

Of the consumers polled, 56% are making it a priority to shop with SMBs, despite the fact that 28% say that prices are rising faster at those businesses, compared to 20% at larger brands and 49% of all firms. 

This preference for SMBs, may be due, in part, to the fact that 30% of shoppers have sympathy for their greater struggles.  

It could also be based on envy: 45% of consumers have considered starting a small businesses in the past year, along as have 59% of students. 

But people see barriers to buying from SMBs, including higher prices — overall, 88% put inflation among the top three concerns, and 69% rank it as the No. 1 issue.  

Another 42% say that simply remembering to seek out SMBs is one of their top three barriers. 

Meanwhile, 43% said personalization would make them buy from SMBs. This could include email communications, text messaging or Slack notifications, the study says.  

A seemingly small number — 36%  — prefer to interact online. However, this is a jump from almost zero in earlier years, and is due to the rise of tools that can provide personalized experiences online.  

ActiveCampaign surveyed 1,000 consumers in preparation for Small Business Week.