Solar Resources

Do Consumers Choose Green Businesses?

December 1, 2016

People Actually Do Care If You Go Solar

So, you’re considering joining the green revolution by installing commercial solar panels because you’ve heard it’ll save you money and your customers will respect you for the decision. But you want to know if that’s the truth or just a fairy tale told to you by “Big Solar.”

There is a significant amount of research asking: “Do consumers choose green businesses?” And what they’ve found is a resounding “Yes!” We’ve broken down some top research over the past five years and found that customers want you to go green.

Commercial solar panels represent one of the best green investments for your company and your budget, so let’s dive right into why that can also improve your sales and margins on your goods or services.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Caring about your community isn’t new. We’ve even had a specific name for companies doing just that since the early 1950s: Corporate Social Responsibility, or CSR.

In the early days, CSR defined how a company would serve its local community and work to improve the lives of everyone who interacted with it, not just owners and investors. Many early CSR plans included volunteering, community development like neighborhood gardens, charity and fundraiser events and specific charitable giving.

CSR has always played an important role in public perception of a company, and studies have shown that for years and years. Most notably is a long-term look at CSR attitudes, compiled by Forbes, that shows 65% of employees would consider leaving a company that directly harms the environment, and 32% would consider leaving if the company gave no money to charity.

The Right Ask

Another extremely important aspect of solar is that your customers can support you and your green efforts without giving you a dime toward them. They know that by doing business with you, they’re supporting a green cause. And you avoid some pitfalls, such as 35% of people who don’t like to be asked to donate to a charity when they’re paying for goods, according to that same Forbes compilation.

Generation Z — and More — Will Pay More

Generation Z, those aged 15 to 20, want to work with companies and buy goods from companies who have a commitment to sustainability. According to a recent Nielsen study, this is true for more than 70% of Generation Z. Millennials are willing to spend more for your goods too, by a slightly smaller margin.

And the biggie: Half of Baby Boomers are willing to pay extra for an environmentally friendly product or service.

The same Nielsen study looked at a global population of buyers and found that 45% said a business being environmentally friendly has either “heavy influence” or “very heavy influence” on their purchase decisions. For those who claim they are willing to pay more, 58% say your eco-friendliness has either a “heavy influence” or “very heavy influence” on their decision to buy.

The final takeaway from that report is 66% of global respondents say they’re willing to pay more for products and services that come from companies with a stated commitment to a positive social and environmental impact, up from 55% in 2014.

Make Them Feel Good

American consumers do choose green businesses often, and they feel good when they’re making purchases from them. Customer preference extends even to manufacturers and service providers, which means your company is covered when you buy or install commercial solar panels.

Specifically based on this feel-good appeal, customers are willing to pay more for products that are themselves ethically sourced or use renewable energy. A study from GT Nexus specifically calls out:

  • Food and beverage — 52% of U.S. consumers will pay more
  • Clothing and footwear — 45% will pay more
  • Drugs and medicines — 44% will pay more
  • 25% of all recent purchases involved this decision

Even better, all these positive feelings extend to your employees, too. They like working for a sustainable brand and want to know their work is doing good and not harming the environment and communities in which they live.

Adopting Commercial Solar Panels

Bright Eye Solar provides an eco-friendly way for you to adopt a cost-saving technology that customers love. Commercial solar panels lead to reduced operational costs, give you protection against rate hikes and come with plenty of financing and payment options to make installation feasible.

When you’re ready to go solar, contact Bright Eye Solar for some of the best deals in the Northeast.

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