10/20/22

By FHSU University Communications

HAYS, Kan - The Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State University was commissioned by Kansas Small Business Development Center’s FHSU Region to conduct a retail market gap analysis that covered 29 counties in northwest and northcentral Kansas.

The survey focused on several marketplace dynamics in mostly rural Kansas, including decisions on where to purchase goods (local, non-local), where non-local purchases are made, what locally-purchased goods and services are most desired, business-to-business purchasing practices, and retail activity and associated indicators.

“The Kansas SBDC is pleased to provide this data analytics tool to help entrepreneurs understand the needs of prospective customers in their region,” said Gregory Jordan, the director of the Kansas Small Business Development Center.  

“This information, provided by the Docking Institute, can be a great benefit for those wishing to start a new business or extend their existing product lines to provide new sources of revenue.”

The Docking Institute has created a website portal that provides access to interactive graph, map, and table versions of the survey results and all documentation associated with the survey’s design at https://www.fhsu.edu/docking/services/northwest-and-northcentral-kansas-retail-market-gap-analysis-2022/.

A random selection of households within each county was surveyed using a multi-wave mail-out/mail-back questionnaire. Using address-based sampling (ABS), the Docking Institute’s Center for Survey Research conducted a multi-wave mail survey of 44,260 randomly selected households across 29 counties of northwest and northcentral Kansas from March 2 to May 17, 2022.

The questionnaire cover letter asked “the adult (18 or older) in the household with the most knowledge of the household’s purchases of goods and services” complete the questionnaire. The survey measured perceived gaps in 73 categories of consumer retail goods and services in the region.

“We expected to find that, in general, smaller communities experience more out-of-county and online purchasing than larger communities,” said Dr. Brett Zollinger, the director of the Docking Institute and the principal investigator behind the survey.  

“However, it is important to point out that not all communities of the same size have the same types nor magnitudes of non-local purchasing of goods and services.  That is why a close look at county-by-county results is illuminating for those who may want to consider an entrepreneurial start-up or expansion in a line of activity.”

About the Kansas Small Business Development Center

The Kansas Small Business Development Center, under the auspices of Fort Hays State University, serves entrepreneurs and small businesses in 105 Kansas counties. The SBDC was created in 1983 as a partnership between the U.S. Small Business Administration and eight Kansas institutions of higher education. It is funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Working in partnership with the Kansas Department of Commerce, the Kansas SBDC helps new entrepreneurs realize their dream of business ownership and assists existing businesses in their efforts to remain competitive. SBDC services enable Kansas entrepreneurs to make better, more informed business decisions, avoid costly mistakes, and prepare thorough and complete business plans needed both to obtain financing and to effectively manage their operations. Learn more at https://www.fhsu.edu/ksbdc/

About the Docking Institute of Public Affairs

The primary mission of Fort Hays State University's Docking Institute of Public Affairs is to facilitate effective public policy decision making among governmental and non-profit entities. The Institute’s work is centered on four primary areas of focus, including:

• Public policy and public opinion, survey research for governmental and nonprofit entities
• Strategic planning and consulting
• Public affairs programming through conferences, speakers, forums, television and radio programming, newspaper columns, and scholarly publications
• Public administration and leadership training programs