[FMC] Counts

Wed Jun 11 14:11:58 EDT 2008

Thank you for the suggestions!

On
>
>
>
>
> Today's Topics:
>
>   1. Revised manual for  counts and other research methods
>      (Lev, Larry - AREC)
>   2. Petting Zoo at the Market? (Deborah Yashar)
>   3. Re: Petting Zoo at the Market? (Michael Hurwitz)
>   4. Re: Petting Zoo at the Market? (Deb Churchill)
>   5. Re: Petting Zoo at the Market? (Zachary Lyons)
>   6. Re: Petting Zoo at the Market? (Mark TCM)
>   7. Re: Petting Zoo at the Market? (Diane Eggert)
>   8. FM on campus? (Luisa Garrett)
>   9. Re: FM on campus? (Zachary Lyons)
>  10. Re: FM on campus? (Deb Churchill)
>  11. Re: Petting Zoos (Stacy Miller)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Tue, 10 Jun 2008 09:09:54 -0700
> From: "Lev, Larry - AREC" <larry.lev at oregonstate.edu>
> Subject: [FMC] Revised manual for  counts and other research methods
> To: "Farmers Market Coalition listserv"
>        <fmc at lists.farmersmarketcoalition.org>
> Message-ID:
>        <
> 974378AAEE10B942B76E0852A97ED21A0125E9B6 at NWS-EXCH3.nws.oregonstate.edu>
>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Oregon State University has just released a revised version (the sixth!)
> of our manual that provides detailed instructions for conducting
> research in farmers' markets. The goal has always been to enable markets
> to be self-sufficient in collecting the data needed to document what is
> going on in markets and to improve their performance. Here is a link to
> the manual:
>
> http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pdf/sr/sr1088-e.pdf
>
> Having the personnel to conduct visitor counts is definitely  a
> challenge for many markets. As a result, we have always suggested that
> the sampling method that Stacy outlined in her post is means of getting
> an acceptable estimate of market attendance. Initially we proposed 10
> minute per hour counts as being accurate enough. In the revised manual,
> we now say that 20 minute per hour counts are preferred and 10 minute
> per hour counts are acceptable. There is of course nothing wrong with
> doing continuous counts it is just that they require much more
> personnel.
>
> In terms of frequency of counts over a market season, once a season is
> better than never, once a month is better than once a season, and every
> market is better than once a month. Oregon markets that collect
> attendance data every market have a much better understanding of how
> weather, seasonality, and holidays influence customer counts.
>
> As an example of how to interpret the data collected, my local market
> has been collecting attendance data on a several times a season basis
> since 1998. In that first year, attendance was around 1800. Last year
> the average attendance was more like 3700. The first count this year was
> 5500 but it was taken on "Moms Weekend" -- the weekend that the moms of
> OSU students visit their kids. Two subsequent counts have been at 4500.
> Having taken the counts, the market knows the following:
>
>
> *       Moms Weekend boosted attendance about 20%
> *       Market attendance appears stronger this year than last despite
> the lousy economy and the late season (it has been cold and rainy here)
> *       The season has a long way to go so more counts later in the
> season are necessary
>
>
> The manual also provides detailed instructions for conducting "dot
> surveys" in your market. Dot surveys (aka dot posters)  were developed
> as a low cost, accurate, and fun alternative to traditional survey
> methods.
>
> Larry
>
> Larry Lev
> Professor and Extension Marketing Specialist
> Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics
> 221C Ballard Extension Hall
> Oregon State University
> Corvallis, Oregon  97331-3601
> 541 737 1417
> FAX  541 737 2563
> EMAIL: larry.lev at oregonstate.edu
>
>        -----Original Message-----
>        From: fmc-bounces at lists.farmersmarketcoalition.org
> [mailto:fmc-bounces at lists.farmersmarketcoalition.org] On Behalf Of Deb
> Churchill
>        Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2008 6:17 AM
>        To: Farmers Market Coalition listserv
>        Subject: Re: [FMC] Visitor Counts
>
>
>
>        We do head counts one weekend a month from May through
> September. We have a person at each main entry point to the Market with
> clickers. We do counts for six hours during our prime time on Saturday's
> and four hours on Sunday's. This is our fourth summer doing this and it
> has worked well for us.
>
>
>
>
>
>        Deb Churchill
>
>        Property Manager
>
>        The City Market
>
>        20 E. 5th Street, Suite 201
>
>        Kansas City, MO  64106
>
>        p: 816-842-1271  f: 816-471-6168
>
>        dchurchill at cwbkc.com
>
>        a copaken white blitt managed property
>
>        From: fmc-bounces at lists.farmersmarketcoalition.org
> [mailto:fmc-bounces at lists.farmersmarketcoalition.org] On Behalf Of
> Kimberly Rush Lynch
>        Sent: Monday, June 09, 2008 8:31 PM
>        To: fmc at lists.farmersmarketcoalition.org
>        Subject: [FMC] Visitor Counts
>
>
>
>        Greetings!
>
>        First, I just wanted to thank all of you who responded to my IRS
> question.  Many, many thanks!  I have one more question to ask regarding
> counting visitors.  How often and for how long do you count folks, and
> then what do you do with that info (as far as extrapolation goes)?  I
> just want to make sure we're capturing our visitor info correctly.  I
> look forward to hearing about your experiences.
>
>        With much appreciation,
>        Kim
>
>        --
>        Kimberly Rush Lynch
>        kim.rush.lynch at gmail.com
>        301.356.4731
>
>
>        www.Cultivating-Health.com
>        www.GreenbeltFarmersMarket.org
>        www.provencaljourney.blogspot.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>        . __o
>        . _`\<,_
>        . (*)/ (*)
>        -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
>
>        "Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done
> more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. It gives women
> a feeling of freedom and self-reliance. I stand and rejoice every time I
> see a woman ride by on a wheel...the picture of free, untrammeled
> womanhood."
>
>        -Susan B. Anthony
>
>
>
> ----
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.easilyamusedinc.com/pipermail/fmc/attachments/20080611/0bc211f9/attachment.htm 