By David Rosenberg, President, Woosh Market Research
Georgia consumers generally like the idea of buying local. That does not mean they consistently do it.
This distinction matters because many Georgia businesses confuse stated support with actual purchasing behavior. Ask consumers whether they want to support local farms, makers, retailers, and entrepreneurs, and most will say yes. Put a Georgia-made product beside a cheaper, more familiar, or more convenient alternative, and the decision becomes more complicated.
The strongest recent Georgia-specific consumer research focuses on locally grown food and farmers markets. It should not be treated as a perfect measure of every Georgia-made category, but it offers a useful view of how local purchasing decisions are made.
A 2024 University of Georgia survey of 375 respondents identified two broad groups of Georgia farmers market shoppers. The first, representing 62 percent of respondents, consisted of committed local buyers. These consumers purchased more frequently, tended to be younger, had higher household incomes, and were more likely to hold graduate degrees. They placed greater value on sustainability, community connection, producer relationships, freshness, and product quality. They were also more willing to pay a meaningful premium for local products.
The remaining 38 percent were classified as emerging or occasional buyers. They tended to be older, had lower household incomes, purchased less frequently, and were more sensitive to price, convenience, and awareness. Their support for local businesses may be genuine, but it was less likely to override practical barriers.
That is the real lesson for Georgia brands.
“Made in Georgia” can strengthen a value proposition. It usually cannot replace one.
Committed local buyers are more likely to respond to a story about origin, craftsmanship, sustainability, community impact, or a direct relationship with the producer. They want to know where the product came from, who made it, and why buying it matters. For this group, local identity can create both emotional value and a reason to pay more.
Occasional buyers need a different case. They may like the idea of supporting Georgia businesses, but they still expect competitive pricing, dependable quality, easy access, clear product information, and a convenient purchase process. When those conditions are missing, local loyalty weakens quickly.
This is why online shopping should not automatically be treated as the opposite of buying local. Georgia Grown now helps consumers shop from hundreds of Georgia businesses online. A customer can support a local producer and still expect the speed, simplicity, and convenience associated with national e-commerce.
The true competitor is often not an out-of-state brand. It is friction.
If a Georgia-made product is difficult to find, inconsistently stocked, poorly explained, or hard to order, the consumer may not be rejecting the local business. The consumer may simply be choosing the easier transaction.
Businesses also need to be careful about assuming that broad demographic labels tell the whole story. Age, income, education, geography, and household composition can influence purchasing behavior, but product category matters just as much. A consumer may strongly prefer local food but buy clothing, electronics, household goods, and business services from national companies. Local loyalty is rarely universal.
That means proper market research must go deeper than asking whether consumers “support local.”
The better questions are more specific:
Which categories are consumers most willing to buy from Georgia companies? What does “local” actually mean to them? How much more, if anything, will they pay? Which product claims matter most? Where do they expect to find the product? What keeps an intended purchase from becoming a completed one?
Georgia businesses should also compare what consumers say with what they actually do. Surveys can measure attitudes and stated preferences. Sales data, pricing tests, digital behavior, retailer interviews, and controlled market tests reveal whether those preferences survive a real buying decision.
The opportunity is significant, but it is not automatic.
Georgia-made products are most likely to win when local identity is paired with clear quality, competitive value, easy access, and a reason to believe the product is genuinely better for the buyer.
Local pride can open the door.
The product, price, and purchase experience still must close the sale.
Have any questions or want additional information? Contact David Rosenberg via LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/david-wooshresearch
Sources
University of Georgia: Direct-to-Consumer Sales in Georgia, 2025 Insights and 2026 Outlook
Georgia Grown, Georgia Department of Agriculture
Georgia Grown Online Marketplace
