Arbuthnot House Retail Survey

The shop at the new venue will cater for visitors to the museum, library and temporary exhibitions gallery on site. The survey asked respondents what sort of products they might buy in the shop and what sort of price they would consider paying for these products. It also asked what sort of discounts visitors might be interested in seeing offered in the shop. There were 24 responses to the retail survey.

When asked about the top 5 items they might purchase in the shop: 75% of respondents said they would be interested in buying locally made arts & crafts; 50% said they would buy special occasion gifts for family & friends; 46% said they would be interested equally in souvenirs related to temporary exhibitions and reproductions of photographs and art in the museum collections; 33% said cards and postcards; and there was a tie in fifth place, with 29% of respondents saying books, museum and library branded items, and homeware.

When asked what amount they might consider spending in the shop, the top three responses were: £5-10; £10-20; and up to £5. When asked what discount schemes they might be interested in the top three responses were: discounts for Aberdeenshire residents (91%); Live Life Aberdeenshire membership discount (60%); annual passes at a reduced rate (30%).

Comments received included: concern at competition for other local shops; using the shop to showcase the work of Aberdeenshire artists, writers and musicians; using the Live Life Aberdeenshire app to administer discount schemes; and an offer from a local supplier interested in selling their material through the shop.

We asked, You said, We will

Work has yet to begin on purchasing retail stock for the shop, but the community wish for local producers to be showcased will be taken on board so we can incorporate locally produced stock where possible. A range of items, based on the museum and library collections, will be explored, and price points for goods will reflect the responses received.