As shoppers grab their wallets and purses to purchase goods and products for their families and homes, many will opt for local businesses and mom and pop establishments instead of their big-box competitors.

According to results from a national small business perception survey by Web.com, consumer concerns about the risk of online security and privacy may be the motivator behind this shopping behavior.

The survey found that consumers are less concerned about security issues when it comes to shopping with small business retailers than large retailers. In fact, it found that consumers are more than twice as concerned about online security at large retailers (27 percent of respondents) than at small business retailers (12 percent of respondents).

When questioning small business owners, the results revealed many are using the negative impact of security breaches as a learning experience to boost security and privacy for customers who access their digital services.

"Small businesses have an opportunity to think even more strategically about their online and digital presence through the lens of what value they can bring their customers—whether in the form of money, efficiency or security," said David Brown, chairman and CEO of Web.com, a leading provider of Internet services and online marketing solutions for small businesses. "In order to gain consumer confidence, small business owners have become more thoughtful and serious about managing their online presence and making the necessary security measures to keep their customers' data safe."

Other consumer attitudes
While consumers value the “local” convenience of shopping with a small business, many consumers also want these small businesses to offer the same user-friendly technology – such as mobile apps and easy-to-use websites – that large retailers provide. With the “personal touch” remaining important as a small business differentiator, consumers would like to see small businesses invest more in digital capabilities, particularly as more and more people are shopping via mobile devices.

Small businesses that meet consumers’ expectations for online and mobile capabilities have a significant opportunity to drive consumers to their business, which will help improve their business’ overall success.

Putting results to work
To put these findings to work and help small business owners expand their organizations while meeting the needs of consumers, the experts at Web.com offer these tips:

• Advise your customer base that the security of your website is important to your business.
• Make your business more accessible to your customers with digital offerings.
• Provide a website and mobile offerings that are professional and comparable to larger competitors’ sites.
• Focus on boosting your mobile and digital offerings.
• Ask for guidance and help from recognized mentors and make sure you have the digital tools that can help your business grow.

The bottom line is consumers are still seeking the distinctive touches that only small businesses can provide – and with just a few tweaks to their strategy, these companies can corner the market. For more tools to expand your business, visit www.web.com.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Sponsored by Web.com