2902.0 - Census Update (Newsletter), Oct 2007  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 26/10/2007   
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Planning for Business

In addition to the wealth of free information the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) makes available on the website, the ABS also offers customised solutions where you can purchase specific and more detailed information to meet your particular need. This tailored service provided by the ABS' Information Consultancy Service is priced to meet costs in delivering such information to you.

Below is an example of how the ABS can help a small business determine the best location for a new store.

Robyn is responsible for the business development of a homewares retail chain in Victoria. The company’s customer profile tell her their target market is people who either own, or are purchasing their home; are aged 30 – 55 years; and have a weekly income of $600 or more. Robyn needs to know if her company’s stores are properly located to attract these people, and, if not, where better to locate them. Her aim is to increase the company’s presence in the market.

The company is planning to open a new store in Victoria, and Robyn thinks that a store in the Greater Geelong area will fit the profile. To confirm this, she orders tailored data through the ABS' priced consultancy service. The data Robyn receives allows her to compare the profiles of possible locations, including Greater Geelong.

People aged 35 – 55 years, who have a weekly income of $600 or more, and who own or are purchasing their home, selected Local Government Areas, Victoria


Tenure Type

Local Government Area
Fully owned


no.
Being
purchased

no.
Total fully owned and
being purchased (a)



no.

Casey
5 985
29 767
35 752
Greater Geelong
7 698
19 989
27 687
Knox
6 581
20 195
26 776
Yarra Ranges
5 367
18 874
24 241
Brimbank
7 608
13 609
21 217
Maroondah
4 075
12 935
17 010
Moonee Valley
6 203
11 552
17 755
Greater Dandenong
4 228
7 679
11 907

(a) Excludes being purchased under a rent/buy scheme.
Source: ABS data available on request, 2006 Census of Population and Housing


Greater Geelong fits the company’s customer profile along with seven other locations: Casey, Knox, Yarra Ranges, Brimbank, Maroondah, Moonee Valley and Greater Dandenong. Before finalising her proposal, Robyn seeks out other relevant indicators to compare the eight identified locations.

Robyn uses the free data on the ABS website, and identifies the Greater Geelong Local Government Area as the most suitable for her business case because:
  • it had an estimated population of 197,479 people in August 2006
  • between 2001 and 2006, Greater Geelong had the 7th largest five year population growth of all Local Government Areas in Victoria
  • in 2006, there were 76,911 occupied private dwellings, and over 1,350 new residential dwellings were approved during 2006-07
  • more than 70% of homes located in Greater Geelong are either fully owned or being purchased
  • tourist accommodation room occupancy rates for Greater Geelong were 67.9% during March 2007
  • in June 2007, the trend estimate for household goods retailing in Victoria increased by 0.5% on the previous month.

Robyn has combined her customer profile with free and purchased statistical data to assist in identifying the most appropriate area to locate a new business. In the process Robyn has also obtained information that will help her company in planning for continued business success.

Contact an ABS Information Consultant now to assist you to make informed decisions.
Phone: 1300 135 070
Email : client.services@abs.gov.au