City of Fitchburg Launches Resident Survey for Downtown Consumer Market Analysis

 Through a competitively awarded Massachusetts Downtown Initiative (MDI) grant from the Commonwealth, the city of Fitchburg is collaborating with an economic consultant to better understand the habits, preferences and buying patterns of local residents citywide. 

The project aims to generate current data that reflects post-pandemic shopping and dining activities taking place in Fitchburg, with a particular focus on the downtown. Once a series of surveys are completed, consultant Peg Barringer of Fine Point Associates will generate a summary report that analyzes the data and presents findings. This information will be useful to existing Fitchburg businesses who seek to better capitalize on local consumers as customers. It also will be beneficial to incoming new businesses or prospective future ones. 

In 2017, Fitchburg first became aware of spending leakage by local consumers to surrounding areas, particularly for dining purchases outside the home, during a yearlong process that led to the city’s Economic Development Strategic Plan. Addressing that leakage by cultivating a stronger dining sector has emerged as an ongoing goal. During the nearly five years since that plan’s approval, the [2020-2022] pandemic period of time proved to represent an unprecedented shift in consumer behaviors. As Fitchburg businesses begin to navigate a post-pandemic landscape, a thorough understanding of local preferences and needs will be quite valuable. 

 If you are a Fitchburg resident, your input regarding the downtown is an important aspect of this project. By taking just 5 minutes to complete a Fitchburg Resident Survey, your feedback will guide economic development efforts moving forward. The survey can be accessed here –  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/downtownfitch.

The city strongly encourages all local residents to participate in this confidential, online survey.