ABLE BC 2024 Industry Benchmark Survey

BC's Alliance of Beverage Licensees (ABLE BC)

Help us shed light on the challenges facing the private liquor industry in 2024. This survey is for all Licensee Retail Store (LRS) and Liquor Primary (LP) licensees in BC.

ABLE BC seeks to understand how your business is doing and what you expect in 2024. Your replies are vital to our research and advocacy work, and will help us better advance the needs of the private liquor industry.

As a thank you for your participation, respondents will receive a free detailed analysis of this survey's findings.

Survey respondents who provide their contact information will be entered into a draw to win a $200 VISA gift card, generously provided by SONA.

This survey should take less than 5 minutes to complete and will remain open until Friday, May 31, 2024.

The information you provide in this survey will be kept strictly private and confidential. Your responses will not be viewed on an individual basis but analyzed in aggregate form.

Question Title

* 1. What are the biggest challenges your business is facing today? Please check all that apply.

Labour costs

Labour shortages

Crime/vandalism

Food costs

Supply disruptions

Debt repayment

Local competition

Changing consumer habits

Other (please specify)

None of the above

Question Title

* 2. How does your 2023 total sales volume compare to 2022?

Down 1-5%

Down 6-10%

Down 11-20%

Down more than 20%

2023 sales are unchanged compared to 2022

Up 1-5%

Up 6-10%

Up 11-20%

Up more than 20%

Question Title

* 3. What best describes the current profitability of your overall operations?

Operating at a loss

Breaking even

Making a pre-tax profit between 0% and 2%

Making a pre-tax profit between 3% and 5%

Making a pre-tax profit between 6% and 9%

Making a pre-tax profit of 10% or more

Question Title

* 4. What do you expect your profitability to be in 12 months?

Operating at a loss

Breaking even

Making a pre-tax profit between 0% and 2%

Making a pre-tax profit between 3% and 5%

Making a pre-tax profit between 6% and 9%

Making a pre-tax profit of 10% or more

Comments:

Question Title

* 5. What is your average cheque size?

Less than $30

$30-$50

$51-$100

$101-$150

$151-$200

More than $200

Question Title

* 6. For LRS licensees only: Generally speaking, what is your pricing strategy for general list products (ie products available in BC Liquor Stores)?

Mostly match government prices

Mostly below government prices

Mostly above government prices

Depends on the product category and/or LTO

Question Title

* 7. For LP or FP licensees only: What total percentage of your annual sales comes from liquor purchases?

50%

100%

Clear

i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

Question Title

* 8. Do you offer extended health benefits to your employees?

Yes, all employees are eligible

Yes, but only management/salaried employees are eligible

Yes, but excluding seasonal/casual employees

If you offer other benefits (ex health spending account, RRSP matching, etc), please list them here.

Question Title

* 9. Which POS system are you currently using? Please check all that apply.

Barnet

GlobalTill

CLR

Profitek

E-Stream

L-Boss

TouchBistro

Squirrel

Square

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 10. What percentage of your business comes from online sales? Please include all digital or e-commerce sales from your own/corporate website and third-party delivery (ex Uber Eats, Door Dash, etc).

I do not offer online sales

Less than 5%

5%-15%

16%-25%

More than 25%

Question Title

* 11. Do you use any of the following platforms for online sales? Please check all that apply.

BottlecAPPs

Shopify

Uber Eats

Door Dash

Skip the Dishes

Corporate or own website

Other (please specify)

None of the above

Question Title

* 12. What is your labour cost percentage?

20%

45%

Clear

i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

Question Title

* 13. Have your labour costs increased or decreased since 2022?

Increased less than 5%

Increased more than 5%

No change

Decreased less than 5%

Decreased more than 5%

Comments:

Question Title

* 14. What is your license type?

LRS

Combination of LRS, LP, and/or FP

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 15. How many LRS, LP, or FP liquor licenses do you operate/are you associated with?

Question Title

* 16. Which region is your business located in? Please check all that apply.

Vancouver, Coast and Mountains (includes lower mainland)

Vancouver Island (includes gulf islands)

Thompson Okanagan

Northern BC

Cariboo Chilcotin Coast

Kootenay Rockies

Question Title

* 17. Please provide your contact information to be entered into a draw for a $200 Amazon gift card (generously provided by Sona) and to receive a free detailed analysis of this survey.

Name & Title

Company

Address

City/Town

ZIP/Postal Code

Email Address

Phone Number

100% of survey complete.