Representatives from the Naperville-based Public Research Group said survey responses showed “untapped opportunities” for more economic activity in The Uptown area of Arlington Heights, which includes strip malls and big box stores Best Buy, Target, Ashley Furniture, H.H. Gregg and Ross Dress for Less. The research group reported the village could strengthen its marketing efforts because both residents and neighboring suburban shoppers report frequenting that area of Arlington Heights (25 percent of respondents visit the north side of town once or twice a week).
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UPTOWN UNTAPPED. Many shoppers from neighboring communities shop in Uptown. Best Buy draw? Barnes & Noble draw? Good traffic flow from Palatine Road? … Rand Road? (It is probably easier to get to Uptown from Wheeling or Palatine than it is from central or southern Arlington Heights).
The preliminary findings of consumer shopping habits from a village survey were presented to business leaders. About 1,700 participant surveys were included in the findings presented on Thursday. Participants in the survey responded by email, phone or mail.
“Arlington Heights has one of the strongest downtowns I’ve seen in all of Illinois,”
— David Emanuelson, Partner at Public Research Group
Not surprisingly, restaurants are the biggest draw in downtown Arlington Heights
Surprisingly however, the average age of an Arlington Heights shopper is reported to be in the 50s and 60s. The preferred method of advertising in the area is mailings and brochures, as opposed to social media methods, such as Facebook. The majority of people surveyed have a disposable income over $65,000.
SURVEY: TOP REASON NOT TO SHOP IN ARLINGTON HEIGHTS
Parking
Poor mix of stores
The Village of Arlington Heights has an additional website besides the official government website — vah.com. The in-house marketing website Discover Arlington (discoverarlington.com), with its associated YouTube channel and Facebook page, is designated to promote local shopping, but only recorded 31 percent of brand recognition among those polled. Discover Arlington also is correlated more toward downtown Arlington Heights compared to other shopping areas. The north and south areas of Arlington Heights were postulated as possibly needing separate marketing strategies. Besides the Discover Arlington website, there is a fairly popular Facebook page for Discover Arlington with over 2000 “likes” which is updated frequently. Discover Arlington also uses print media, vacant store signs, and street banners.
David Emanuelson, Partner at Public Research Group, provided the insight into the Customer Profile of consumers in Arlington Heights and shopping preferences, patterns,
opinions, socioeconomic characteristics and stores desired at a $10 Spring Breakfast on Thursday April 11, 2013 from 7:30 a.m.to 9:00 a.m.
Tod Stanton, Partner at Public Research Group, also discussed the consumer shopping habits and patterns found through the recent Consumer Research Survey conducted for the Village of Arlington Heights.
Presentations were also conducted by Charles Witherington-Perkins, Director of Planning & Community Development, and John C. Melaniphy, III, Business & Development Coordinator were also served as presenter and moderator, respectively.
As of Monday, April 15, 2013 no results of the survey presentation have been presented on the official village website vah.com or DiscoverArlington.com
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