Released, 7 November 1997
The
McCannics e-survey, month just ended October 1997
The internet in general, and e-mail in particular, is no longer a curiosity
but is becoming a vital tool for UK business, especially for those which
sell overseas. Respondents to the latest McCannics e-survey, which has
been established to track internet-using firms say that:
- "E-mail is vital for keeping in touch with overseas clients"
- "E-mail shrinks the world dramatically"
- "E-mail provides a means of doing something that was before very
difficult: transferring files that can be edited and returned by associates
anywhere in the world"
- "E-mail doesn't help me, it enables me to conduct my business"
More comments...
The e-survey aims to provide an indicator of prevailing business
conditions, well in advance of official statistics and traditional postal
surveys, and it has already found a place in the Bank of England’s
Quarterly Small Business Report. Increasing its value depends on it
recruiting more volunteer UK businesses, willing to complete a very short
e-mail questionnaire each month. Owners or managers of businesses in the UK
which would like to take part in the survey should send a blank e-mail to:
volunteer@mccannics.demon.co.uk.
|
The internet-connected firms already taking part in this
survey report little change in the UK economy over the past month.
Just under 60 per cent of the firms said that their sales were higher
in October 1997 than in October 1996. Only 15 per cent said that they were
lower.
The resulting balance (the proportion saying higher minus the proportion
saying lower) of +45 per cent is only a little higher than last month
(+41 per cent).
|
"Was your sales turnover
in the month just ended higher, about the
same, or lower than in the same month last year?"
|
SALES: | Jul 97 | Aug 97 | Sep 97 | Oct 97 |
| Higher | 59.8% | 62.8% | 59.0% | 59.6% |
| Same | 21.5% | 17.8% | 21.2% | 24.6% |
| Lower | 13.1% | 17.2% | 17.9% | 14.9% |
| No response | 5.5% | 2.2% | 1.9% | 0.9% |
| Sample | 381 | 180 | 156 | 114 |
| Balance | +46.7% | +45.6% | +41.0% | +44.7% |
Note: Earlier surveys include late responses and so differ
from figures published elsewhere
|
"Were your average selling prices
in the month just ended higher, about the
same, or lower than in the same month last year?"
|
PRICES: | Jul 97 | Aug 97 | Sep 97 | Oct 97 |
| Higher | 32.5% | 30.6% | 31.4% | 33.3% |
| Same | 52.2% | 60.6% | 58.3% | 53.5% |
| Lower | 9.7% | 7.8% | 7.7% | 9.6% |
| No response | 5.5% | 1.1% | 2.6% | 3.5% |
| Sample | 381 | 180 | 156 | 114 |
| Balance | +22.8% | +22.8% | +23.7% | +23.7% |
Note: Earlier surveys include late responses and so differ
from figures published elsewhere
|
Exactly one-third of internet-connected firms said that their average
selling prices were higher in October 1997
than in October 1996. A little under 10 per cent said that their prices
were lower. The balance of +24 per cent is exactly the same as last month.
Despite the recent increase in interest rates, there is no evidence that
these firms are about to be involved in a significant increase in inflation.
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The unsponsored e-survey is carried out by McCannics,
which also helps to
carry out a number of other business surveys, including the
NatWest/SBRT Quarterly Survey of Small
Business in Britain and the 3i Enterprise Barometer.
Questionnaires are sent out and returned by e-mail each month.
If you would like an e-mail to notify you each month when the lastest
e-survey is published, then please send an e-mail to
e-survey@mccannics.co.uk with
the subject SUBSCRIBE.
This fourth survey questionnaire was sent out on
2nd November 1997 and by 5th November responses had been received from
114 businesses across the UK.
Participation in this survey is open to all UK-based businesses.
If you own or manage a business in the UK and would like to take
part in the survey then send a blank e-mail to:
volunteer@mccannics.demon.co.uk.
All individual replies will be kept strictly confidential.
Only anonymised results will be published, and your e-mail address
will not be passed on to any third party.
Details of the sample were included in the first
survey.
E-mail us with comments, queries or suggestions for future topical
questions at: e-survey@mccannics.co.uk.