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CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Groupon, the go-to destination for local experiences, and the National Black Chamber of Commerce released their second annual survey of Black small business owners in recognition of August’s National Black Business Month.
Groupon and the chamber spoke with 500 Black-owned small businesses and 1,500 consumers to gain a better understanding of how consumers’ shopping habits have forever changed since the racial reawakening that began in the United States last summer. According to the results, consumers are largely keeping their promises to spend a greater share of their wallet at Black-owned businesses, but challenges remain.
Nearly 80% of Black business owners said their businesses were better off than they were last year at this time and nearly 60% said their business is as good or better than it was prior to the pandemic. Seven out of 10 consumers said that they actively sought out opportunities to shop at Black-owned businesses and an equal number plan to continue to do so long term. Nearly 70% of consumers also said they find it helpful when a business identifies as Black-owned and approximately 60% said they would be willing to pay more if they knew a small business was Black-owned.
More than half of all Black business owners said that while there’s more attention on the concerns and needs of businesses owned by people of color, the overall environment is still quite challenging.
Roughly three out of four Black business owners said capital investment still lags in comparison to their white counterparts. In fact, gaining access to capital investment was the number one concern among the businesses surveyed. Their ability to tap into government resources, recover from the pandemic, build a support network and hire enough staff, were the other top concerns cited.
Ultimately, Black business owners indicated that the system that sets them up for success or failure still has a long way to go and more than 75% of those surveyed feel as though they’re held to a different standard, which makes launching and growing a business as an entrepreneur even harder.
