By Matt Loeschman
Twitter: @MattLoeschman

Monday, May 25 marks Memorial Day, but it’s no holiday for businesses struggling to survive in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak — and it doesn’t help matters that potential customers appear afraid to venture back into those stores.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey’s lockdown orders have expired and businesses were allowed to reopen, but what economic damage has already been done? And just how safe do customers feel in this “new normal” of shopping and commerce?

“I’m just going to wait a little longer,” Tim Jones of Glendale said Thursday, May 21. “I think things are heading in the right direction but I’m going to be patient. I can get just about everything I need online and that’s how I’m operating right now.”

A new survey released last week backs up Mr. Jones’ mindset, revealing consumers are wary of visiting local businesses even as the nation’s economy begins to gradually reopen.

“More than 2 of 5 Americans indicate they plan to shop in public less than before the outbreak, indicating that consumer spending will remain under pressure,” said Mark Hamrick, senior economic analyst at Bankrate.com “This suggests the online sellers will continue to be favored by consumers.”

As the nation celebrates Memorial Day, Bankrate reports only 1 in 3 adults (35 percent) would be comfortable visiting local businesses in under a month provided the business reopened this past holiday weekend with enhanced safety measures in place.

“While governments are giving the go-ahead to Americans to venture out of their homes to resume a semblance of their lives before the lockdowns, a majority believe this is happening too soon,” Mr. Hamrick said. “While retailers are naturally eager to welcome consumers back to brick-and-mortar locations, store traffic won’t return to normal in the near future.”

According to the survey, more than half of respondents (55 percent) think businesses are reopening too soon, and 43 percent say they expect to shop less in public than before.

“We are in a different world,” Mr. Jones admitted. “And who knows if it will ever get back to the way it was before.”

The statistics, gathered online on May 5-6, show huge differences based on political affiliation. The total sample size was 1,341 adults.

Three-quarters of Democrats think states are reopening businesses too soon while only 35 percent of Republicans agree.

“The nation’s political divide is in full view here with 3 of 4 Democrats saying it is too soon to be reopening businesses compared to about 1 in 3 Republicans,” Mr. Hamrick noted.

Those associated with the GOP were three times as likely to say the timing is just right (39 percent of Republicans vs. 13 percent of Democrats), and over eight times as likely to say businesses are reopening too late (17 percent of Republicans vs. 2 percent of Democrats).

More than half of Republicans (56 percent) would be comfortable visiting reopened local businesses within a month, compared to just 20 percent of Democrats. Furthermore, 18 percent of Democrats said they would not be comfortable visiting reopened local businesses until a vaccine is available or the virus is contained, compared to only 4 percent of Republicans.

Additionally:

• While more than half (55 percent) think local businesses are opening too soon, only 9 percent think it is too late and 23 percent said the timing is about right. The remaining 13 percent don’t know, according to the survey.
• 43 percent of consumers expect to shop in public less than before the COVID-19 outbreak. Similarly, 42 percent expect to shop in public about the same as before, while only 5 percent of respondents expect to shop in public more than they did before.
• If local non-essential businesses reopened with added safety measures on or before Memorial Day, only 22 percent would be comfortable visiting within one week — 14 percent would be comfortable visiting between one week to less than one month, 19 percent think one month to less than three months, 11 percent think three months to less than six months, 7 percent think six months to less than one year, and 3 percent think one year or longer.
• More than 1 in 10 (13 percent) will not be comfortable visiting reopened businesses until a vaccine is available or the virus is contained.

Health concerns aren’t the only issues holding households back from spending.

More than 4 in 10 U.S. households (44 percent) say the COVID-19 outbreak has negatively impacted their spending ability, with reasons including:

• Someone in their household being laid off or furloughed;
• Working fewer hours;
• Having pay reduced.

Diane Swonk, chief economist at Grant Thornton, told CNBC there is a definite hesitancy by consumers to get back out there. A prime example is in Georgia, where businesses reopened in late April to mixed results.

“There’s a fear about reopenings and visiting places,” Ms. Swonk said. “The malls opened to a lot of fanfare, advertised like crazy, but few people showed up.”

Mr. Jones said he’s in no hurry to head out to the mall.

“I’ll think about that in the future,” he explained. “For now, I’m only concerned about buying the necessities.”

Matt Loeschman
Managing Editor | West Valley
@MattLoeschman

mloeschman@iniusa.org

Meet Matt

Matt Loeschman has had two separate stints at Independent Newsmedia. He began as a reporter covering Peoria and later Surprise from 2000-2009. In 2017, he returned to Arizona and INI as the news editor of the Daily News-Sun (now the Phoenix Independent). He previously covered the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League for more than a decade.

Community: During high school football season since 2017, he contributes live postgame radio reports to the AzPreps 365 Friday Night Football Wrapup Show. He supports organizations such as Phoenix Children’s, Boys and Girls Clubs of the Valley and the American Cancer Society.

Education: The University of Texas at Austin majoring in Journalism-News and Public Affairs. 

Random Fact: He can sing and he has been fortunate to meet many famous people during his journalism career including First Lady Hillary Clinton, King of Country Music George Strait and Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey. Attended all 4 home games of the 2001 World Series.

Hobbies: Watching and playing a wide variety of sports, including golf, tennis, pickleball and softball. Playing PlayStation 5, working out, shopping and reading.