The Blind River Chamber of Commerce is planning a course of action to deal with revenue losses from out-of-town shopping. A retail study conducted by the chamber has revealed the town loses about $13 million annually as a result of out-of-town shopping.
The chamber carried out the study to gain a better understanding of consumer behaviour in the area, an official with the chamber says. The chamber plans to further break down the findings to determine what goods and services are being purchased outside of Blind River, and if there are opportunities for a local business to expand or a new business to open.
The chamber is encouraging local businesses to draft recommendations, which can be presented to town council to develop a plan to combat the problem.
