2018 GCSurplus Market Research - Final Report

For more information on this report: tpsgc.questions-questions.pwgsc@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca

This public opinion research report presents the results of a set of online surveys and in-depth interviews conducted by Phoenix Strategic Perspectives on behalf of Public Services and Procurement Canada. The research study was conducted between March 12 and April 30, 2018.

Cette publication est aussi disponible en français sous le titre : Rapport final d’étude de marché de GCSurplus 2018

Communications Branch
Public Services and Procurement Canada
Portage III Tower A
16A1-11 Laurier Street
Gatineau QC K1A 0S5
tpsgc.questions-questions.pwgsc@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca

Catalogue Number:
P103-11/1-2018E-PDF

International Standard Book Number (ISBN):
978-0-660-24681-9

Related publications (registration number: POR 087-17):
Catalogue Number P103-11/1-2018E-PDF

Executive Summary
P103-11/2-2018E-PDF
978-0-660-24683-3

The views expressed herein are those of the supplier/authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Public Services and Procurement Canada.

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada

Information contained in this publication or product may be reproduced, in part or in whole, and by any means as stipulated in the Open Government Licence – Canada.

Table of Contents

• Executive Summary
• Introduction
• Detailed Findings
• 1. GCSurplus Clients
  • Use of GCSurplus
  • Assessments of GCSurplus
  • Perceptions of Competitors
  • Enhancements and Suggestions
  • Profile of Respondents
• 2. Non-clients
  • Use of Online Sites
  • Awareness and Impressions of GCSurplus
  • Marketing and Communications
  • Suggestions to improve GCSurplus
  • Profile of Respondents
• 3. Former Clients
• Appendix
  • Annex 1: Quantitative Research Instruments
    • 1a: Survey of Current and Former Clients
    • 1b: Survey of Non-clients
  • Annex 2: Qualitative Research Instruments
    • 2a: Interview Guide

Figures

• Figure 1: Use of GCSurplus in the Past 12 Months
• Figure 2: Length of Time as a Registered User
• Figure 3: Source of Awareness about GCSurplus
• Figure 4: Ease of Registering for GCSurplus
• Figure 5: Reasons for Using GCSurplus
• Figure 6: Frequency of Logging into GCSurplus in the Last Year
• Figure 7: Pattern of Using GCSurplus
• Figure 8: Items Typically Sought on GCSurplus
• Figure 9: Outcome of Items Sought on GCSurplus in the Last Year
• Figure 10: Number of Items Awarded in the Last Year
• Figure 11: Updating Account Information in the Last Year
• Figure 12: Overall Satisfaction with GCSurplus
• Figure 13: Difficulties Using GCSurplus in the Last Year
• Figure 14: Satisfaction with Aspects of GCSurplus
• Figure 15: Reasons for Dissatisfaction with the Process of Bidding for an Item
• Figure 16: Reasons for Dissatisfaction with Lot Details or Descriptions of Items
• Figure 17: Reasons for Dissatisfaction with Photos of Items
• Figure 18: Reasons for Dissatisfaction with Shipment of Items
• Figure 19: Reasons for Dissatisfaction with Pick-up of Items
• Figure 20: Reasons for Dissatisfaction with the Ability to Search for Items
• Figure 21: Reasons for Dissatisfaction with the Length of the Bid Period
• Figure 22: Reasons for Dissatisfaction with GCSurplus Email Notifications
• Figure 23: Reasons for Dissatisfaction with the Buyer's Corner
• Figure 24: Reasons for Dissatisfaction with Paying for an Item Online
• Figure 25: Perceptions of GCSurplus
• Figure 26: Likelihood of Recommending GCSurplus
• Figure 27: Sites Used for Online Purchases in the Last 2 Years
• Figure 28: Preferred Qualities of Websites Used to Browse or Buy Items
• Figure 29: GCSurplus Comparison
• Figure 30: Reasons why GCSurplus is Better
• Figure 31: Reasons Why GCSurplus is Worse
• Figure 32: Potential Features for GCSurplus
• Figure 33: Suggestions to Improve GCSurplus
• Figure 34: Age of Respondents
• Figure 35: Gender of Respondents
• Figure 36: Region of Respondents
• Figure 37: Sites Used for Online Purchases
• Figure 38: Items Browsed for or Purchased Online
• Figure 39: Use of Online Classifieds and Auction Sites
• Figure 40: Reasons for Using Online Classifieds and Auction Sites
• Figure 41: Preferred Qualities of Online Classifieds and Auction Sites
• Figure 42: Awareness of GCSurplus
• Figure 43: Use of GCSurplus
• Figure 44: Non-User Interest in GCSurplus
• Figure 45: Non-User Likelihood to Use GCSurplus.
• Figure 46: Reasons why Non-users are Unlikely to Use GCSurplus
• Figure 47: Influencers of New Products/Services
• Figure 48: Marketing Channel Preference.
• Figure 49: Preferred Social Media Channels
• Figure 50: Preferred Advertising Channels
• Figure 51: Age of Respondents
• Figure 52: Gender of Respondents
• Figure 53: Region of Respondents

Executive Summary

GCSurplus.ca is the Government of Canada’s e-commerce solution for the sale of surplus assets on behalf of federal departments. GCSurplus.ca provides the public with a bilingual, accessible, open, fair and transparent platform to view, bid and buy government surplus assets such as vehicles, planes, ships and office furniture via a closed bidding process. Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) commissioned Phoenix Strategic Perspectives (Phoenix SPI) to conduct market research in support of GCSurplus’ efforts to improve its services.

The objectives of the research were: to determine how to improve the existing service to make it easier and more attractive to use, for past and current buyers; to engage with potential users to determine why they are not currently using the service, and how to interest them in using the service or market GCSurplus to them; and to establish a baseline to track and measure organizational reach and impacts from year to year. The results provide feedback to possibly redesign different facets of GCSurplus’ service delivery and program management, as well as to inform the design of a marketing strategy to advertise and grow GCSurplus.

Methodology

To meet the objectives, both quantitative and qualitative research were conducted with the target population. The target population included:

• Current users of GCSurplus, defined as registered users who have used the system in the past year to view goods, place a bid, or make a purchase.
• Former users of GCSurplus, defined as those who have registered with the system, but who have not used the system in the past year.
• Non-users, defined as Canadians who are not registered with GCSurplus and who purchase new and used goods on electronic platforms, such as Kijiji, Craigslist, or eBay.

Quantitative research in the form of an online survey was conducted with current and former users of GCSurplus. In total, 1,041 current and former clients of GCSurplus completed an online survey between March 12th and 26th, 2018. The response rate was 29%. Based on a sample of this size, the results for the survey can be considered accurate to within ±3.0%, 19 times out of 20.

With non-users, a mixed-mode approach was used, one that included an online survey, as well as one-on-one interviews. An online panel survey was conducted with 1,013 Canadians who were members of Maru/Matchbox’s online panel and who purchased, or were thinking about purchasing, the types of goods available on GCSurplus. The response rate was 64%. The online fieldwork was conducted March 22nd to 26th, 2018. The results of the online survey cannot be generalized to the population because the survey sample is a non-probability sample.

Following the online survey, 20 one-on-one telephone interviews were conducted with individuals who had completed the online panel survey (that is, non-users of GCSurplus).  Interviews lasted approximately 30 minutes and participants received a $50 honorarium. The fieldwork was conducted during the month of April 2018. This phase of the research was qualitative in nature and, as such, the results provide an indication of participants’ views about the issues explored, but they cannot be generalized to the full population of Canadians who are members of the general public.

Key Findings

GCSurplus Clients

Use of GCSurplus

Almost half (47%) of current clients first heard about GCSurplus via word-of-mouth. Following this, almost one-quarter (23%) said they learned about GCSurplus through an Internet search, while one in 10 (10%) became aware of it when browsing Government of Canada websites. Over three-quarters (77%) of clients surveyed found it easy to register for GCSurplus, and most clients (76%) who viewed or changed their account information found the process easy, including 51% who said it was very easy.

The vast majority (92%) use GCSurplus for personal interest, while nearly one-quarter (23%) use the site for business purposes (multiple responses accepted). When clients were asked how many times they logged into GCSurplus, 75% reported doing so more than 10 times in the last year. These clients were most likely to log in several times a week (36%) or once a week to (23%) to search the site for products. That said, approximately one in five (19%) said they log in at least once a day. In terms of how they use GCSurplus, most clients (88%) log in from time to time to see what is new and when they need something specific. Conversely, 12% log in only when they are looking for something specific.

Although clients tend to look for a wide variety of items on GCSurplus, the items most frequently mentioned include cars and light trucks (59%), hand tools, maintenance and repair equipment (54%), trailers (52%), vehicle equipment (50%), recreational vehicles (48%), and boats and ships (44%). Of the clients surveyed, more than one-third (36%) were awarded items in the last 12 months, with the majority of these clients (76%) having been awarded at least two items. At the other end of the spectrum, approximately one-quarter (23%) said they had been awarded one item only.

Assessments of GCSurplus

The majority (72%) of clients are satisfied with GCSurplus and an even larger majority (85%) would recommend GCSurplus to a friend or colleague. Strong overall satisfaction was underscored by the fact that many surveyed clients also expressed satisfaction with various aspects and features of GCSurplus and few (9%) had difficulties using GCSurplus in the last year.

Satisfaction is strong and widespread when it comes to the online payment process (79%), email notifications (75%), and Buyer’s corner (74%). In addition, approximately seven in 10 are satisfied with the ability to search for items by keyword, location, posting or closing date, or type (72%), the length of the bidding period (71%), the photos (70%), and the pick-up of items awarded on GCSurplus (69%). Nearly two-thirds are satisfied with the lot details or descriptions of items (65%) and the process of bidding (64%). Fewer, but still a majority of 59%, are satisfied with the frequency of new items becoming available in categories of interest. Exactly four in 10 (40%) are satisfied with the shipment of items and 19% are dissatisfied. The plurality (42%) placed themselves at the mid-point of the five-point scale, indicating indifference (i.e., they are neither satisfied nor dissatisfied) about the shipment of items.

Perceptions of Competitors and GCSurplus

Kijiji (89%) followed by eBay (73%) are the top online classifieds and auction sites used by clients to browse or buy items in the last two years. In contrast, exactly one-quarter (25%) said they used Craigslist to browse or buy items in the last two years. When asked what they like about these sites, four in five (81%) said the variety of goods available for sale. Following this, just over half (56%) mentioned that it is easy to find what they are looking for and 46% liked the search function.

Asked to compare these sites to GCSurplus, one in five (20%) rated GCSurplus as better than Kijiji, eBay and Craigslist and 28% said GCSurplus is worse. The majority (52%) rated GCSurplus as “about the same” as Kijiji, eBay and Craigslist. Clients who said GCSurplus is better than Kijiji, eBay or Craigslist were most likely to attribute this to their perception that GCSurplus is easier to navigate (20%), more trustworthy and reliable (20%), and provides better photos and item descriptions (18%). Those who said GCSurplus is worse than Kijiji, eBay or Craigslist were most likely to attribute this to the bidding process—specifically, that it is slow and blind (42%). Following this, over one-quarter (27%) said GCSurplus is worse than these other sites because it lacks variety in terms of the items for sale.

Enhancements and Suggestions

Clients who use online services, such as online banking, online purchasing, or online bill payment, were asked if these services have features that could be incorporated into GCSurplus. Nearly three in 10 (28%) thought these services have features that should be considered by GCSurplus. Specifically, one-quarter (25%) mentioned bidding visibility as a potential feature to incorporate into GCSurplus. Recall that blind bidding was the aspect of GCSurplus most frequently mentioned when respondents were asked why GCSurplus is worse than other sites. Following this, 18% of clients surveyed each suggested more shipping options, an improved bidding process like eBay, or inclusion of a PayPal payment option.

Non-Clients

Use of Online Sites

Among online panellists, Kijiji (80%) and eBay (62%) are the top sites used for online purchases. In contrast, relatively few (18%) browsed for or purchased goods on Craigslist in the last two years. Although a wide variety of items were sought on these websites, the most frequently mentioned goods include computer equipment (41%) as well as fashion and accessories (40%). Among interview participants, the types of goods bought include cars or trucks, tools, furniture, and household items.

Virtually all surveyed panellists (99%) use online classifieds and auction sites for personal interest (multiple responses accepted). Few reported that they use these websites for business purposes (5%) as well as for other reasons (4%) such as renting properties or selling goods. In addition, all interview participants said they used Kijiji, eBay and Craigslist for personal interest. In terms of how they use these sites, two-thirds (67%) of the panellists surveyed indicated that they only log in when they are looking for something specific. The rest, 33%, log in from time to time to see what is new and when they need something specific. Many interview participants said they use these sites frequently, while some do so infrequently or only when they have a specific need. When using these sites, interview participants are doing so to check for or compare prices, to sell goods, or to look for deals.

Awareness and Impressions of GCSurplus

Few panellists (6%) said they had heard of GCSurplus. Conversely, the vast majority (94%) had not. Those aware of GCSurplus were most likely to have heard about it via word of mouth, with 42% mentioning a friend or colleague as their source. The majority of those aware of GCSurplus (62%) have not logged into site in the last year. Those who have logged in are most likely to have browsed for items only (37%) as opposed to bidding on (5%) or being awarded (2%) an item.

Panellists not aware of GCSurplus were presented with a brief description of the site and asked about their interest in GCSurplus and likelihood of using it in the next 12 months. In response, a majority expressed interest in GCSurplus (83%) and said they are likely to use the site in the next 12 months (74%). Among interview participants, most had positive impressions of GCSurplus. These impressions can be attributed to the perception that the site is straightforward. Almost everyone found GCSurplus easy to use and would likely use the site in the next 12 months.

Marketing and Communications

Nearly half (47%) of panellists said they would be most likely to rely on personal experience to determine whether to try a new product or service. Following this, more than one-third (37%) would rely on recommendations from friends, family or colleagues. When asked how they prefer to hear about new products or services, the majority (72%) selected advertising; approximately one-quarter (23%) prefer social media. The most preferred advertising channels include websites (65%), television (65%), and newspapers (52%). Among social media channels, a strong majority (82%) prefer Facebook, while significantly fewer prefer YouTube (22%) and Twitter (20%). 

Interview participants suggested using online advertising to inform Canadians about GCSurplus. Use of social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram were commonly mentioned as ways to promote the site. When asked what features should be used to promote GCSurplus, participants mentioned focusing on interesting and unique items or goods offered on GCSurplus. Most felt that communications for GCSurplus should promote the variety of items offered on the site and the range of categories available for users to browse and purchase from.

Conclusions and Implications

The findings suggest that GCSurplus users were largely satisfied with the service. Overall perceptions tended to be positive, with majorities expressing satisfaction with the online payment process, the email notifications, Buyer’s corner, the search feature, the length of the bidding period, the photos and descriptions of the items, as well as the pick-up of items. In addition, those exposed to GCSurplus as part of the research—non-clients—had generally positive impressions of the service. They felt that GCSurplus is straightforward and easy to use, and they expect to use the site to browse for or to purchase products in the next 12 months.

Despite these positive reviews, suggestions for improvement were identified by research participants. Looking ahead, to increase use of GCSurplus by current and potential clients, the findings suggest that PSPC might want to consider the following: making the bidding process more open and transparent by making the bids visible; setting the starting bid lower or having no minimum starting bid at all; providing a “buy now” option for some items; and providing less expensive options for shipping, as well as making shipping available for more items on GCSurplus.

Furthermore, GCSurplus could benefit from promotion. Almost half of current clients first heard about GCSurplus via word-of-mouth and several interview participants expressed surprise that a site like this is available. Regarding where and how to advertise GCSurplus, the research offers some direction. In terms of the medium, traditional and digital media will reach GCSurplus current and potential clients. That said, research participants tended to focus on online advertising and social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Turning to the message, focusing on the unique features or perceived strengths of GCSurplus may be a good starting point for PSPC. As identified through the research, these include the variety (and uniqueness) of items offered on the site, the simplicity of the website—that it is user-friendly, and the fact that it is a Government-owned site, among others. When competing in a marketplace in which not all online sellers are reputable, trustworthiness is a key strength of GCSurplus and one that separates it from other online classified and auction sites.

Statement of Political Neutrality

I hereby certify as a Senior Officer of Phoenix Strategic Perspectives that the deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada political neutrality requirements outlined in the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada and Procedures for Planning and Contracting Public Opinion Research. Specifically, the deliverables do not contain any reference to electoral voting intentions, political party preferences, standings with the electorate, or ratings of the performance of a political party or its leader.

Alethea Woods
President
Phoenix Strategic Perspectives Inc.

Introduction

Phoenix Strategic Perspectives (Phoenix SPI) was commissioned by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) to conduct market research in support of GCSurplus’ efforts to improve its services.

Background and Objectives

GCSurplus is an organization within PSPC that provides the Government of Canada expert and innovative asset management solutions that are cost effective, environmentally sustainable, open, fair and transparent. GCSurplus is mandated to sell surplus assets for federal departments and agencies listed under Section 2 of the Financial Administration Act. Assets can be purchased online through GCSurplus.ca.

GCSurplus has nine sales centres located across the country to provide support and guidance on disposal and to facilitate the sale of over 25,000 assets annually across 40 commodity groups. GCSurplus.ca is the Government of Canada’s e-commerce solution for the sale of surplus assets on behalf of federal departments. GCSurplus.ca provides the public with a bilingual, accessible, open, fair and transparent platform to view, bid and buy government surplus assets such as vehicles, planes, ships and office furniture via a closed bidding process.

Since the launch of GCSurplus.ca in 2009, the program has grown significantly. In 2008, GCSurplus annual sales were approximately $20M. By 2013-14, GCSurplus sales had more than doubled and in 2016-17 total sales topped $57M. Currently, GCSurplus.ca attracts 95,000 visits (Internet hits) per week and has over 97,000 registered active user accounts.

Public opinion research was conducted to determine how to improve the existing service for past and current users, as well as how to engage with potential users. The objectives of the research were:

• to determine how to improve the existing service to make it easier and more attractive to use, for past and current buyers;
• to engage with potential users to determine why they are not currently using the service, and how to interest them in using the service or market GCSurplus to them; and
• to establish a baseline to track and measure organizational reach and impacts from year to year.

The results will be used to possibly redesign different facets of GCSurplus’ service delivery and program management, as well as to inform the design of a marketing strategy to advertise and grow GCSurplus.

Methodology

To meet the objectives, both quantitative and qualitative research were conducted with the target population. The target population included:

• Current users of GCSurplus, defined as registered users who have used the system in the past year to view goods, place a bid, or make a purchase.
• Former users of GCSurplus, defined as those who have registered with the system, but who have not used the system in the past year.
• Non-users, defined as Canadians who are not registered with GCSurplus and who purchase new and used goods on electronic platforms, such as Kijiji, Craigslist, or eBay.

Quantitative research in the form of an online survey was conducted with current and former users of GCSurplus. With non-users, a mixed-mode approach was used, one that included an online survey, as well as one-on-one interviews.

All steps of the project complied with market research industry standards, including those of the MRIA, and the Standards for the Conduct of Government of Canada Public Opinion Research.

Quantitative Research

An online survey was conducted with current and former clients of GCSurplus drawn from an existing database of GCSurplus clients. Available in both official languages, the survey was online from March 12^th to 26^th, 2018. Of the 4,421 registered users of GCSurplus invited to complete the survey, 1,041 did so, which represents a response rate 29%. The response rate was calculated using the formula outlined in the Standards for the Conduct of Government of Canada Public Opinion Research (Online Surveys).

Based on a sample of this size, the results for the survey can be considered accurate to within ±3%, 19 times out of 20. Reminder emails were sent to clients who had yet to respond to the survey.

In addition to the online survey of GCSurplus registered users, an online panel survey was conducted with 1,013 Canadians who were members of Maru/Matchbox’s online panel. The goal was to target panellists who purchased, or were thinking about purchasing, the types of goods available on GCSurplus. The survey was available in both official languages, and the response rate was 64%. The response rate was calculated using the formula outlined in the Standards for the Conduct of Government of Canada Public Opinion Research (Online Surveys).

The online fieldwork was conducted March 22nd to 26th, 2018. The results of the online survey cannot be generalized to the population of online Canadians who use online classified and/or auction sites because the survey sample is a non-probability sample.

Qualitative Research

Following the online survey, 20 one-on-one telephone interviews were conducted with individuals who had completed the online panel survey (for example, non-users of GCSurplus).  Interviews lasted approximately 30 minutes and were conducted in French or English. Participants received a $50 honorarium in appreciation of their time. The fieldwork was conducted during the month of April 2018. This phase of the research was qualitative in nature and, as such, the results provide an indication of participants’ views about the issues explored, but they cannot be generalized to the full population of online Canadians who use online classified and/or auction sites.

Notes to Reader

• The report is organized by use of GCSurplus—current clients followed by non-clients and former clients.
• For the non-clients, the results are organized by theme, with the findings of the online survey and in-depth interviews integrated in each section. To help the reader clearly delineate qualitative from quantitative findings, the results of the survey are presented first, followed by the in-depth interview findings.
• Regarding the quantitative research results:
  • All results are expressed as percentages, unless otherwise noted.
  • Percentages may not always add to 100 due to rounding.
  • At times, the number of respondents changes in the report because questions were asked of sub-samples of the survey population. Accordingly, readers should be aware of this and exercise caution when interpreting results based on smaller numbers of respondents.
  • Demographic and other subgroup differences are identified in the report. When reporting subgroup variations, the report discusses only the differences that are significant at the 95% confidence level or pertain to a subgroup sample size of more than n=30.
• Regarding the qualitative research results:
  • This research was qualitative in nature, not quantitative. As such, the results provide an indication of participants’ views about the issues explored, but they cannot be generalized to the full population of online Canadians who use online classified and/or auction sites.

Detailed Findings

1. GCSurplus Clients

This section reports on the findings of the online survey of GCSurplus registered users.

Almost all survey registered users have logged into GCSurplus in the last year

Almost all of the GCSurplus registered users who participated in the research logged into GCSurplus in the past 12 months. Of the 1,041 registered users who completed the survey, 1,026 were active or current clients. Specifically, 88% had browsed items for sale, 72% placed a bid, and 41% had been awarded an item. Only 15 respondents said they had not logged into GCSurplus and were classified as former clients for the purpose of this research.

Figure 1: Use of GCSurplus in the Past 12 Months

Scr3. Thinking about your use of GCSurplus over the past 12 months, which of the following apply to you….
Base: All respondents; n=1,041. [Multiple responses accepted.]

Regionally, clients in the West were more likely to have placed a bid on items (77%) than clients in Atlantic Canada (69%) and most likely to have been awarded an item (48% versus 33% of clients in Quebec, 39% in Ontario and 40% in Atlantic Canada).

The rest of this section reports on findings related to current clients of GCSurplus—those who have used GCSurplus in the past 12 months. For findings related to former clients—those who had not used GCSurplus in the past 12 months—please refer to Section 3: Former Clients.

Use of GCSurplus

Two-thirds of current clients have been registered users for more than 5 years

The vast majority of surveyed clients have been registered with GCSurplus for at least three years. Specifically, two-thirds (66%) have been registered for more than five years and three in 10 (30%) have been registered for three to five years. Very few clients (2%) have been registered for fewer than three years.

Figure 2: Length of Time as a Registered User

Q2. For how long have you been a registered user of GCSurplus?
Base: Current clients; n=1,026.

The likelihood of being a registered GCSurplus user for more than five years is higher among those age 55 and older (69%) than it is among those 35 to 54 years of age (62%).

Current clients are most likely to have learned of GCSurplus via word of mouth

Nearly half of the clients surveyed (47%) first learned about GCSurplus via word of mouth. Following this, almost one-quarter (23%) said they learned about GCSurplus through an Internet search, while one in 10 (10%) became aware of it when browsing Government of Canada websites.

Figure 3: Source of Awareness about GCSurplus

Q1. How did you first learn about GCSurplus?

Base: Current clients; n=1,026.

Seven percent of GCSurplus clients pointed to some other source and 1% heard about GCSurplus through notifications from their department or agency. Eleven percent of respondents could not recall how they first learned about GCSurplus.

Clients located in Quebec (31%) and those between the ages of 35 and 54 (27% versus 21% of clients age 55+) were more likely to have learned about GCSurplus via an Internet search.

More than three-quarters said it was easy to register for GCSurplus

Most (77%) clients found it easy to register for GCSurplus, with more than half (56%) saying it was very easy. Those who did not find it easy were more likely to be neutral (11%) than to say it was difficult (3%) to register for GCSurplus.

Figure 4: Ease of Registering for GCSurplus

Q3. How easy or difficult was it to register for GCSurplus?

Base: Current clients; n=1,026. Cannot recall: 10%.

Of the 22 clients who found it difficult to register, eight respondents said they were asked to provide too much information and five reported having trouble reading or understanding the registration instructions. Three respondents had difficulties selecting a password. Other issues or problems were identified by single respondents.

Vast majority use GCSurplus for personal reasons

The vast majority (92%) of clients reported having used GCSurplus for personal interest. In addition, nearly one-quarter (23%) said they have done so on behalf of a business or some other organization.

Figure 5: Reasons for Using GCSurplus

Q5. For which of the following reasons have you used GCSurplus? [Multiple responses accepted.]

Base: Current clients; n=1.026.

Clients in Quebec (89%) were less likely than those in Ontario (95%) to have used GCSurplus for personal interest.

Frequency of use varies, but most survey respondents are frequent users

When clients were asked how many times they logged into GCSurplus in the last year, one in five (20%) said they did so between one and 10 times. In contrast, three-quarters of clients logged in over 10 times in the last year, including 29% who reported doing so more than one hundred times.

Of the clients who log in frequently (n=820), approximately one in five (19%) log in once a day, 36% several times a week, and 23% about once a week. In total, therefore, more than three-quarters (78%) of clients use GCSurplus at least weekly. At the other end of the spectrum, 18% use GCSurplus a few times a month and 4% do so less than a few times a month.

Clients age 55+ tend to be more frequent users of GCSurplus.

Figure 6: Frequency of Logging into GCSurplus in the Last Year

Q6. In the last year, how many times have you logged into GCSurplus to search the site for products of interest to you? Base: Current clients; n=1,026.

Q7. On average, how often would you say you use GCSurplus? Base: Clients who logged in more than 10 times; n=820.

Most log in periodically and when they need something specific

Most (88%) clients log in from time to time to see what is new and when they need something specific. Conversely, approximately one in 10 (12%) log in only when they are looking for something specific.

Figure 7: Pattern of Using GCSurplus

Q8. Which of the following best describes how you use GCSurplus?

Base: Base: Current clients; n=1,026.

Clients living in a rural community (90%) were more likely than those in urban areas (86%) to log in only when looking for something new or specific.

Wide variety of items sought on GCSurplus

Clients were asked to specify which type of items they tend to look for on GCSurplus. The top items sought include:

• Cars and light trucks (59%)
• Hand tools, maintenance and repair shop equipment (54%)
• Trailers (52%)
• Vehicle equipment, parts and accessories, tires and tubes (50%)
• Recreational vehicles (48%)
• Boats and ships (44%).

More than four in 10 clients look for these items on GCSurplus.

Figure 8: Items Typically Sought on GCSurplus

Q9. What type of items do you tend to look for on GCSurplus? [Multiple responses accepted.]

Base: Current clients; n=1,026.

The following table provides a breakdown of the items viewed, bid on, and awarded in the last year.

Figure 9: Outcome of Items Sought on GCSurplus in the Last Year

Q10. In the last year, did you bid on or win any auction items from the following categories? [Multiple responses accepted.]

Base: Current clients who looked for one of these items; n=1,026.

Motorcycles (68%) and fishing equipment (64%) were the top items viewed by clients in the last year. In contrast, hand tools, maintenance and repair equipment were viewed by the smallest proportion of clients, although those who viewed these products were likely to bid on them as well (39% viewed, 39% bid on). The most bid on items on GCSurplus include the following:

• Hand tools, maintenance and repair shop equipment (39%)
• Recreational vehicles (36%)
• Agricultural machinery and equipment (35%)
• Machine tools (33%)
• Cars and light trucks (32%).

Most clients have been awarded at least two items in the last year

Most clients (76%) have been awarded at least two items in the last year, with the plurality saying they were awarded two to five items. At the other end of the spectrum, 23% of clients have been awarded one item only.

Figure 10: Number of Items Awarded in the Last Year

Q11. Still thinking about the last 12 months, approximately how many items were you awarded by GCSurplus?

Base: Clients who were awarded items; n=365 [Not sure; n=24 removed].

Those viewed/changed account information found it easy

Nearly one-third (32%) of clients logged into GCSurplus to view or change their account information in the last year. Clients who viewed or changed their account information (n=328) found the process very (51%) or somewhat (25%) easy. Few (2%) found it difficult to update their account information.

Figure 11: Updating Account Information in the Last Year

Q17. In the last year or so, have you logged into GCSurplus to view or change your account information? Base: All respondents; n=1,026. [Not sure: 12%]

Q18. How easy or difficult was it to view or change your account information? Base: Respondents who viewed/changed acct. info.; n=328.

Assessments of GCSurplus

Seven in 10 clients are satisfied with GCSurplus

The majority (72%) of clients are satisfied with GCSurplus. Specifically, 38% are very satisfied and 34% are moderately satisfied. Those who are not satisfied with GCSurplus were similarly likely to be neutral (15%) or dissatisfied (14%).

Compared to clients between 35 and 54 years of age, those age 55+ (41%) were more likely to be very satisfied with the service provided by GCSurplus.

Figure 12: Overall Satisfaction with GCSurplus

Q14. Overall, how satisfied are you with GCSurplus?

Base: Current clients; n=1,026.

Few reported difficulties using GCSurplus in the last year

Few clients (9%) had difficulties using GCSurplus in the last year. Among those who had difficulties (n=82), similar proportions experienced challenges with customer service (28%) and poor photo quality (27%). One in five (20%) said the site loads slowly, while 15% had difficulty accessing help on the website. Other issues were mentioned by smaller numbers and are depicted in the graph.

Figure 13: Difficulties Using GCSurplus in the Last Year

Q15. In the last year or so, have you experienced any difficulties or problems using GCSurplus? Base: All respondents; n=1,026.

Q16. What type of difficulty or problem did you have using GCSurplus? Base: Clients who experienced difficulties; n=92.

Majorities of clients are satisfied with different aspects of GCSurplus

Clients were asked to rate their level of satisfaction with the following features of GCSurplus:

• GCSurplus email notifications
• The ability to search for items by keyword, location, posting or closing date, or type
• The process of bidding on an item
• Lot details or descriptions of items
• Photos of items
• The frequency of new items becoming available in categories of interest
• Buyer’s corner
• The process of paying for an item online
• The length of the bid period
• Shipment of items
• Pick-up of items.

Majorities of clients are satisfied with all but one feature of GCSurplus. Satisfaction is strong and widespread when it comes to the online payment process (79% satisfied, including 58% very satisfied), email notifications (75% satisfied, including 53% very satisfied), and Buyer’s corner (74% satisfied, including 50% very satisfied). Those who are not satisfied with these features were more likely to be neutral than to express any level of dissatisfaction.

In addition, approximately seven in 10 are satisfied with the ability to search for items by keyword, location, posting or closing date, or type, the length of the bidding period, the photos, and the pick-up of items awarded on GCSurplus. For each, respondents were more likely to be very (as opposed to moderately) satisfied.

Nearly two-thirds are satisfied with the lot details or descriptions of items (65%) and the process of bidding (64%). Fewer, but still a majority of 59%, are satisfied with the frequency of new items becoming available in categories of interest and exactly four in 10 (40%) are satisfied with the shipment of items. Notably, for both of these items, respondents were more likely to express indifference by placing themselves at the mid-point of the five-point scale than to express any level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction.

Dissatisfaction was highest for the bidding process (21%), shipment (19%), as well as the photos (14%) and descriptions (14%) of items.

Figure 14: Satisfaction with Aspects of GCSurplus

Q12. How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the following aspects of GCSurplus?

Base: Current clients. [“Not applicable” removed; n= 10-589]

Varied reasons for dissatisfaction with aspects of GCSurplus

Those clients who expressed dissatisfaction with any aspect of GCSurplus were asked to explain why they felt this way. The following graphs detail the reasons for dissatisfaction offered by respondents. The verbatim responses grouped in the “other” category of each graph are provided under separate cover.

Figure 15: Reasons for Dissatisfaction with the Process of Bidding for an Item

Q13. You said you are not satisfied with [INSERT ITEM FROM Q12]. Why is that?

Base: those who were dissatisfied with the bidding process; n=206. [Multiple responses accepted.]

The main reason why clients are dissatisfied with the GCSurplus bidding process is because they cannot see what others bid on items.

Figure 16: Reasons for Dissatisfaction with Lot Details or Descriptions of Items

Q13. You said you are not satisfied with [INSERT ITEM FROM Q12]. Why is that?

Base: those who were dissatisfied with lot details or descriptions of items; n=144. [Multiple responses accepted.]

Clients who were dissatisfied with the lot details or description of items felt there was not enough information and/or that the technical information for each item needs more clarification.

Figure 17: Reasons for Dissatisfaction with Photos of Items

Q13. You said you are not satisfied with [INSERT ITEM FROM Q12]. Why is that?

Base: those who were dissatisfied with photos of items; n=139. [Multiple responses accepted.]

Seventy-one percent of clients who were dissatisfied with the photos of items attributed this to their perception that there are not enough photos of items.  Others mentioned the poor photo quality (44%), the inability to enlarge photos (44%), and the lack of photos for some items (17%).

Figure 18: Reasons for Dissatisfaction with Shipment of Items

Q13. You said you are not satisfied with [INSERT ITEM FROM Q12]. Why is that?

Base: those who were dissatisfied with shipment of items; n=81. [Multiple responses accepted.]

Clients who were dissatisfied with the shipment of items mentioned that shipping is not offered on all items (63%), that pick-up options are limited if shipping is not available (54%), and that they do not like the shipper used by GCSurplus (30%).

Figure 19: Reasons for Dissatisfaction with Pick-up of Items

Q13. You said you are not satisfied with [INSERT ITEM FROM Q12]. Why is that?

Base: those who were dissatisfied with pick up of items; n=74. [Multiple responses accepted.]

Clients who were dissatisfied with the pick up of items attributed this to the lack of shipping for some items (49%) and the fact that pick-up locations are not convenient (45%).

Figure 20: Reasons for Dissatisfaction with the Ability to Search for Items

Q13. You said you are not satisfied with [INSERT ITEM FROM Q12]. Why is that?

Base: those who were dissatisfied with the ability to search for items; n=59. [Multiple responses accepted.]

Clients who were dissatisfied with the search feature pointed to the need for additional search fields to narrow their search (44%), the perception that the search returned too many irrelevant results (25%), and the perception that the search is slow (22%).

Figure 21: Reasons for Dissatisfaction with the Length of the Bid Period

Q13. You said you are not satisfied with [INSERT ITEM FROM Q12]. Why is that?

Base: those who were dissatisfied with the length of the bid period; n=50. [Multiple responses accepted.]

Clients who were dissatisfied with the length of the bid period said the process is too long (72%). In contrast, 24% said the bidding process is too short.

Figure 22: Reasons for Dissatisfaction with GCSurplus Email Notifications

Q13. You said you are not satisfied with [INSERT ITEM FROM Q12]. Why is that?

Base: those who were dissatisfied with GCSurplus email notifications; n=48. [Multiple responses accepted.]

Clients who expressed dissatisfaction with GCSurplus’ email notifications were most likely to attribute this to the fact that they did not know the service was available (69%).

Figure 23: Reasons for Dissatisfaction with the Buyer's Corner

Q13. You said you are not satisfied with [INSERT ITEM FROM Q12]. Why is that?

Base: those who were dissatisfied with the buyer’s corner; n=44. [Multiple responses accepted.]

Clients who were dissatisfied with the buyer’s corner were dissatisfied because they did not notice messages in the message centre (59%) and some of their past bids were missing (26%).

Figure 24: Reasons for Dissatisfaction with Paying for an Item Online

Q13. You said you are not satisfied with [INSERT ITEM FROM Q12]. Why is that?

Base: those who were dissatisfied with paying for an item online; n=42. [Multiple responses accepted.]2

Reasons for dissatisfaction with the payment process included the inability to use a prepaid credit card (21%), the system timing out (21%), and not receiving a confirmation that the transaction was successful (12%).

GCSurplus Perceived as “Canadian” or “Government”

Clients were asked in an open-ended manner to identify one word or image that comes to mind with they think of GCSurplus. The most common word used to describe GCSurplus was “Canadian” or “Government”, which was mentioned by 12% of clients. Nine percent used the word “Surplus” and 8% used the word “Expensive” to describe GCSurplus. Following these, 7% used the word “Value”, 6% used the word “Old” or “Used” and 5% used the words “Interesting Items” to describe GCSurplus. Other descriptors were mentioned by fewer than 5% of clients.

Figure 25: Perceptions of GCSurplus

Q25. When you think of GCSurplus, what one word or image comes to mind?

Base: Current clients; n=1,026. Not sure: 29% [Multiple responses accepted.]

Strong majority would recommend GCSurplus to a friend or colleague

Eighty-five percent of clients are likely to recommend GCSurplus to a friend or colleague (scores of 6 to 10), including 29% who are extremely likely to do so. Only 4% of clients are not likely to recommend GCSurplus (scores of 0 to 4). Nine percent placed themselves at the mid-point of the scale indicating they are ambivalent (neither likely nor not likely to recommend GCSurplus).

Figure 26: Likelihood of Recommending GCSurplus

Q20. How likely are you to recommend GCSurplus to a friend or colleague? Please use an 11-point scale where “0” mean not at all likely, “10” mean extremely likely and “5” mean neutral.

Base: Current clients; n=1,026.

Perceptions of Competitors

Kijiji followed by eBay are the top sites used by clients in the last 2 years

Nine in 10 (89%) used Kijiji to browse or buy items in the last two years, while nearly three-quarters (73%) used eBay. In contrast, exactly one-quarter (25%) said they used Craigslist to browse or buy items in the last two years. Twenty-six percent used other websites, including Amazon, Facebook, and GovDeals (govdeals.ca). Four percent of GCSurplus clients have not used other sites.

Figure 27: Sites Used for Online Purchases in the Last 2 Years

Q21. In the past two years, have you used any of the following websites to browse or buy items?

Base: All respondents; n=1,026. [Multiple responses accepted.]

Preferred attributes of these sites

When those who used Kijiji, eBay and Craigslist (n=982) were asked what they like most about the site, four in five (81%) said the variety of goods available for sale. Following this, just over half (56%) mentioned that it is easy to find what they are looking for and 46% liked the search function. In addition, 38% liked the photos of the items and 33% liked the speed of the site. One in five (21%) said they like that the registration process for the site is simple, while relatively few (5%) mentioned the ease with which they can get support or help for technical issues.

Figure 28: Preferred Qualities of Websites Used to Browse or Buy Items

Q22. What do you like about [IF 1 SELECTED, INSERT THIS SITE/IF MORE THAN 1 SELECTED, INSERT: these sites]?

Base: Respondents who use websites to browse or buy goods; n=982. [Multiple responses accepted.]

Clients who use Craigslist (41%) were more likely to point to the speed of the site than clients who use Kijiji (33%).

One in five rated GCSurplus as better than these sites

One in five (20%) think GCSurplus is better than Kijiji, eBay or Craigslist. In contrast, nearly three in 10 (28%) said GCSurplus is worse than these three sites. The majority (52%) rated GCSurplus as “about the same” as Kijiji, eBay and Craigslist.

Figure 29: GCSurplus Comparison

Q23. How does GCSurplus compare to [IF 1 SELECTED, INSERT THIS SITE/IF MORE THAN 1 SELECTED, INSERT: these sites]? Is GCSurplus….?

Base: Respondents who use websites to browse or buy goods; n=982

GCSurplus is better because it is easier to navigate and trustworthy

Those who said GCSurplus is better than Kijiji, eBay or Craigslist (n=242) were most likely to attribute this to their perception that it is easier to navigate (20%) and more trustworthy and reliable (20%). These top reasons were followed closely by the impression that GCSurplus provides better photos and item descriptions (18%). A wide range of other reasons were offered by smaller proportions of GCSurplus clients and are detailed in the graph below.

Figure 30: Reasons why GCSurplus is Better

Q24. Why is GCSurplus [INSERT: better/worse] than [INSERT SITE / IF MORE THAN 1 SITE, INSERT: these sites]?

Base: Clients who indicated GCSurplus is better than eBay, Craigslist or Kijiji; n=242. [Multiple responses accepted.]

Slow bidding process is the main reason GCSurplus is viewed as not as good

Those who said GCSurplus is worse than Kijiji, eBay or Craigslist (n=312) were most likely to attribute this to the bidding process—specifically, that it is slow and blind (42%). Following this, over one-quarter (27%) said GCSurplus is worse than these other sites because it lacks variety in terms of the items for sale. A wide range of other reasons was offered by smaller proportions of GCSurplus clients and are detailed in the graph below.

Figure 31: Reasons Why GCSurplus is Worse

Q24. Why is GCSurplus [INSERT: better/worse] than [INSERT SITE / IF MORE THAN 1 SITE, INSERT: these sites]?

Base: Clients who indicated GCSurplus is worse than eBay, Craigslist or Kijiji; n=312. [Multiple responses accepted.]

Enhancements and Suggestions

Bidding visibility—top feature to incorporate in GCSurplus

Clients who use online services (n=933), such as online banking, online purchasing, or online bill payment, were asked if these services have features that could be incorporated into GCSurplus. Nearly three in 10 (28%) think these services have features that should be considered by GCSurplus. Specifically, one-quarter (25%) of clients mentioned bidding visibility as a potential feature to incorporate into GCSurplus. Following this, 18% each suggested more shipping options, improved bidding process like eBay, or inclusion of a PayPal payment option. Eleven percent think a better payment process in general, one with more options, would be a good enhancement. Other features were mentioned by fewer than one in 10 clients and are depicted on the graph below.

Figure 32: Potential Features for GCSurplus

Q27. Do any of the other online services that you use have features that you think could be incorporated into GCSurplus?

Base: Clients who use other online services; n=258. [Multiple responses accepted.]

Improved bidding process, shipping options - main suggestions for improvement

All clients surveyed were asked if they had any suggestions to improve GCSurplus. In total, 587 respondents (or 57% of the survey sample) used the opportunity to provide feedback. The two main suggestions were to allow users to view current bids (20%) and to offer more shipping options (19%). Following this, 10% suggested that the bidding system be changed to be similar to that used by eBay or GovDeals (govdeals.ca). Other suggestions were mentioned by smaller proportions and are depicted below in the graph.

Figure 33: Suggestions to Improve GCSurplus

Q28. Do you have any suggestions to improve GCSurplus? for example, are there any features you would like to see added to GCSurplus, or improvements to any aspects of the existing service?

Base: Current clients; n=587. Excludes those who provided no suggestions. [Multiple responses accepted.]

Profile of Respondents

Figure 34: Age of Respondents

Q35. In which of the following age categories do you belong?

Base: Current clients; n=1,026.

Figure 35: Gender of Respondents

Q36. Are you …?

Base: Current clients; n=1,026. [Other=1% and Prefer not to say=3%]

The client base of GCSurplus is approximately 90% male and 10% female. This can be explained, in part, by the type of goods available for sale on GCSurplus, which skews heavily in favour of goods more typically purchased by men (for example, agricultural or plumbing equipment, 4-wheelers, boats) than women. At 4%, females are slightly under-represented in the survey sample.

Figure 36: Region of Respondents

Q29. Where are you located?

Base: Current clients; n=1,026.

2. Non-clients

This section reports on the findings of the quantitative and qualitative research conducted with non-clients. Non-clients are Canadians who use online classifieds and auction sites to browse for or to purchase goods, but who are not registered users of GCSurplus. The quantitative findings are based on an online panel survey of 1,013 respondents who have used Kijiji, eBay and/or Craigslist in the last two years to browse for or to purchase goods from the categories of products available on GCSurplus. The qualitative findings are based on 20 one-on-one telephone interviews conducted with individuals who completed the online survey.

Use of Online Sites

Kijiji followed by eBay are the top sites used for online purchases

Of the 1,013 respondents, four in five used Kijiji to browse for or purchase goods within the last two years, while a smaller majority (62%) used eBay. In contrast, relatively few (17%) browsed for or purchased goods on Craigslist in the last two years.

Figure 37: Sites Used for Online Purchases

Scr4. In the last two years or so, have you browsed for or purchased goods from any of the following online websites?

Base: All respondents; n=1,013. [Multiple responses accepted.]

Interview Findings:

Per the recruitment requirements, all interview participants had used an online classified or auction site in the last two years. Kijiji was the site most frequently used by participants, followed by eBay. In contrast, relatively few mentioned using Craigslist to browse for or to purchase goods in the last two years.

In addition to Kijiji, eBay, and Craigslist, interview participants use a variety of other online sites. Amazon.ca was among the most frequently mentioned e-commerce sites used by participants. Following this, some participants had used police auction sites and U.S.-based auction sites to browse for or purchase goods. In addition, a few participants mentioned using Facebook marketplace, local or regional auction sites, as well as sites promoting local garage sales. The following sites were mentioned by individual participants: LetGo.com, MaxSold.com, VarageSale.com, wayfair.com, LesPAC, TTC [Toronto Transit Commission] auctions, and used book sites.

Wide variety of items sought online

Respondents were asked to identify the types of items they browsed for or purchased online in the last two years. Four in 10 each searched for or bought computer equipment, including parts and accessories (41%), as well as fashion and accessories (41%). Just over one-third (36%) of panellists searched for or bought books and printing equipment, while roughly one in three were interested in automotive (30%) and household appliances (29%).

Following this, similar proportions sought furniture (25%), sporting goods and equipment (24%), and tools (22%). Fewer than one in five were looking for art and collectibles (17%) or building materials, including hardware and paint (13%).

As the graph below indicates, a variety of other categories of products were sought and/or purchased by smaller numbers.

Figure 38: Items Browsed for or Purchased Online

Scr.5 In the last two years or so, have you browsed for or purchased any of the following items from an online website?

Base: All respondents; n=1,013. [Multiple responses accepted.]

Two-thirds use online classified and auction sites only when something is needed

When respondents were asked to describe how they use online classifieds and auction sites, two-thirds (67%) indicated that they only log in when they are looking for something specific. The rest, 34%, log in from time to time to see what is new and when they need something specific.

Figure 39: Use of Online Classifieds and Auction Sites

Q1. Which of the following best describes how you use INSERT SITE FROM SCR.4 / IF MORE THAN ONE SITE, INSERT: online classifieds or auction sites like eBay, Kijiji and Craigslist?
Base: All respondents; n=1,013.

Few use these sites for business purposes

Virtually everyone (99%) uses online classifieds and auction sites for personal interest. Few reported they use these websites for business purposes (1%) and for other reasons (4%), including for renting properties or selling goods.

Figure 40: Reasons for Using Online Classifieds and Auction Sites

Q2. For which of the following reasons have you used INSERT SITE FROM SCR.4 / IF MORE THAN ONE SITE, INSERT: online classifieds or auction sites like eBay, Kijiji and Craigslist?

Base: All respondents; n=1,013. [Multiple responses accepted.]

Interview Findings:

All interview participants use online classifieds and auction sites for personal interest. They use these sites to browse for goods, to compare prices, or to sell goods. The types of goods browsed for or bought on these sites include cars or trucks, tools, indoor and outdoor furniture, toys, exercise equipment, and household items, such as linens, pottery, a vacuum cleaner, and a dehumidifier. Very few use these sites for business purposes in addition to personal reasons. Those who do, said they looked for office furniture or equipment, such as telephones or fax machines. When asked to describe their use of these sites, most characterized themselves as frequent users, although some participants described their use as “infrequent” or “only when I need to”.

Preferred attributes of these sites

When asked to identify what they like most about the online classifieds or auction sites they use, three-quarters of the panellists surveyed (77%) pointed to the variety of goods that are available for sale. Just over half (55%) said they like these websites because it is easy to find what they are looking for on them, while a significant minority (45%) like the photos/images of the items for sale on the sites. Following closely, two in five respondents like the search function and three in ten respondents like the frequency of new items available for sale on the websites.

Other features were identified by smaller proportions and are depicted in the graph below.

Figure 41: Preferred Qualities of Online Classifieds and Auction Sites

Q3. What do you like most about INSERT SITE FROM SCR.4 / IF MORE THAN ONE SITE, INSERT: online classifieds or auction sites like eBay, Kijiji and Craigslist?

Base: All respondents; n=1,013. [Multiple responses accepted.]

Interview Findings:

When interview participants were asked to identify the attributes or features they like about the online classifieds and auction sites they use, most participants pointed to the variety of items offered on these sites. Kijiji and Craigslist users liked that the goods offered for sale can be purchased locally (for example, no shipping is needed and the item for sale can be viewed in person before completing the purchase). Other attributes or features routinely mentioned included the search capabilities of these sites, their overall ease of use, and the photos of goods for sale.

Mentioned less frequently were the following strengths: the prices of items (for example, prices are reasonable); the categorization of goods (for example, items can be easily sorted); the descriptions or information provided about the items; the methods of payment available; the bidding process (on eBay); the speed of the sites (for example, pages load quickly), and; the ability to assess sellers based on ratings provided by those who have purchased goods from them.

The following were offered by individual participants:

• confidentiality when selling (for example, sellers can mask their email address on Kijiji)
• the ability to use a site across different platforms (for example, mobile apps)
• the shipping options available
• quick responses from sellers to inquiries
• notifications and alerts, and
• the availability of customer service/support.

When asked to focus on what they do not like about these sites, participants routinely mentioned lack of trust. Specifically, participants explained that they can not fully/confidently gauge the quality of items offered for sale on these sites or that they are wary of scammers and fraudulent sellers. In addition, other participants said they did not like the photos or the information about the items provided by sellers. A few interview participants dislike these sites (even though they use them) because there are too many choices for items and it takes too long to find items they are interested in. Others mentioned not being able to find what they are looking, distance between the buyer and seller (among eBay users), and shipping, including the high cost of it (also among eBay users).

The following were identified by individual participants as weaknesses of Kijiji, eBay, or Craigslist, things they do not like about these sites:

• the organization of the sites
• the fact that there is no money back guarantee or refund option
• the need to create an account to browse or purchase items
• they are not available in French.

Awareness and Impressions of GCSurplus

Few had heard of GCSurplus; those who have learned of it via word of mouth

Few panellists (6%) said they had heard of GCSurplus. Those aware of GCSurplus (n=60) were most likely to have heard about it via word of mouth, with 42% mentioning a friend or colleague as their source.

Figure 42: Awareness of GCSurplus

Q4. Have you heard of the website, GCSurplus? Base: All respondents; n=1,013.

Q5. How did you hear about GCSurplus? Base: Respondents aware of GCSurplus; n=60.

Other sources were mentioned infrequently: searching the Internet (13%) and browsing Government of Canada websites (12%). Of the rest, 17% could not recall how they learned about GCSurplus, while the same proportion (17%) pointed to other sources, including a previous employer and through a newspaper.

Six in 10 of those aware of GCSurplus haven’t logged in during the last year

The majority of those who are aware of GCSurplus (63%) have not logged into site in the last year. Those who have are most likely to have browsed for items only (35%) as opposed to bidding on (5%) or being awarded (2%) an item.

Figure 43: Use of GCSurplus

Q6. In the last year, have you used GCSurplus to do any of the following?

Base: Respondents who heard about GCSurplus; n=60. [Multiple responses accepted.]

Moderate interest in and likelihood of using GCSurplus among those not aware

Those not aware of GCSurplus (n=953) were presented with the following description of the online auction:

• GCSurplus is a federal government organization responsible for the sale of surplus goods for federal departments and agencies. It sells goods like electronics, jewellery, collector’s items, sporting goods and camping equipment, as well as larger items like cars, ATVs, ships and planes. New items are listed for sale every day, and there are approximately 25,000 sales listings each year. Its website draws approximately 7 million site visits and over 300,000 bids per year.
• After registering at GCSurplus.ca, people can view, bid on and buy federal government surplus goods online. Features of GCSurplus.ca include the ability to:
  • Search for specific items;
  • View photos and descriptions of items;
  • Track your current and past bids, as well as winning bids for items sold;
  • Pay online; and get items shipped to your door.
• Users can receive email notifications every time an item of interest is posted for sale. The bidding period for most items is 7 to 10 days. Shipping is available through Purolator for most small items, and the cost varies depending on the size and location of the item.

Following this, these panellists were asked about their interest in GCSurplus and likelihood of using it in the next 12 months. More than four in five showed interest in GCSurplus, with 29% very interested and 56% moderately interested. In contrast, 15% said they are not interested in a website like GCSurplus.

Figure 44: Non-User Interest in GCSurplus

Q7. How interested, if at all, are you in a website like GCSurplus?

Base: Respondents not aware of GC Surplus; n=953.

Fewer, but still a strong majority of 74%, said it is very (30%) or somewhat (44%) likely that they will use GCSurplus in the next 12 months. Fifteen percent are unlikely to use GCSurplus in the next 12 months and the rest (11%) were ambivalent, placing themselves at the mid-point of the scale.

Figure 45: Non-User Likelihood to Use GCSurplus

Q8. Based on what you’ve just read about GCSurplus, how likely is it that you will use this online website to browse for or purchase products in the next 12 months?

Base: Respondents not aware of GC Surplus; n=953.

Interview Findings:

Almost everyone interviewed said they would be likely to use GCSurplus to browse for or to purchase products in the next 12 months. Additionally, participants were more likely to say they would use GCSurplus to browse for goods or to check for prices than to bid on/purchase an item.

Products participants expressed interest in include:

• Home and office furniture
• Vehicles and recreational vehicles
• Computer and electronics
• Arts and crafts related items
• Jewellery and watches
• Tools and equipment
• Fire equipment—smoke alarms.

Among those who did not think they would use GCSurplus (n=144), one-third (33%) could not identify a reason why not. Those who provided a reason were most likely to say that the site did not appear to have any items of interest to them (26%) or that they simply are not interested in GCSurplus (12%). Other reasons were offered by small proportions and are detailed in the graph below.

Figure 46: Reasons why Non-users are Unlikely to Use GCSurplus

Q9. Why do you think you will be unlikely to use GCSurplus?

Base: respondents not likely to use GCSurplus; n=144. [Multiple responses accepted.]

Interview Findings:

In advance of the interview, participants were asked to visit GCSurplus.ca and review the site. Many participants had a positive first impression of GCSurplus, and they attributed this to their impression that the site is straightforward and easy to use or navigate. In fact, when asked explicitly if GCSurplus was easy to use, virtually everyone said it was. One participant felt that the “Help” section could be more instructive. Other aspects of the site that participants pointed to when explaining their positive impression included the wide variety of items available, the overall organization of GCSurplus, the pictures of the items, and the search features. The fact that the GCSurplus is government-operated was viewed favourably by most participants. This suggested to them that the site could be trusted—recall that the inability to trust the seller was one of the perceived weaknesses of sites like eBay, Kijiji and Craigslist.

Those participants who did not have a positive first reaction to GCSurplus attributed this to a number of things, including: the type of goods for sale, such as the large lots and bulk items; the look and feel of the site itself which was described as “boring”; the slow server response time, and; the fact that the site is not mobile-friendly. One participant did not like the requirement to create a GCSurplus account in order to view some categories of items on the site.

When asked specifically what they liked about GCSurplus, most participants pointed to the site being easy to use, straightforward and very functional. Others liked the photos and description of items available. In addition, the “recently sold” and “closing today” sections were features liked by many. Following this, participants liked the variety of items available, the organization of the site, and the shipping information available for each product. The search feature, including the ability to search by location, was appealing to some participants. In addition, a few people mentioned liking the site because of its affiliation with the Government of Canada, thus providing them with a sense of security. Other reasons why participants liked GCSurplus include the easy sign-up process and the physical sales centres across Canada.

Positive feedback notwithstanding, interview participants, when prompted to do so, identified things they did not like about GCSurplus. The main things participants did not like about GCSurplus were the minimum bids (including the perception that they seemed high), the limited shipping options, the quality of the pictures of products, the fact that many items are offered in large lots or in bulk, and the look and feel of the site (which was described as “boring”, “not welcoming” or “cluttered”). Several participants mentioned each of these as perceived weaknesses of GCSurplus. In addition, individuals pointed to the following as things they did not like: the requirement to sign up to view bids; the search function, which did not seem easy to use; the perceived lack of information, including payment information and bid status, available on the site, and; the fact that it is a blind auction.

Marketing and Communications

Personal experience and recommendations from friends—more influential than ads

Nearly half (47%) of panellists said they would be most likely to rely on personal experience to determine whether or not to try a new product or service. Following this, more than one-third (38%) would rely on recommendations from friends, family or colleagues. Relatively few (8%) claimed they would be most likely to rely on advertisements for this type of information. Those who cited other sources (7%) said they would research or read reviews about the product or service in question.

Figure 47: Influencers of New Products/Services

Q10. Which of the following are you most likely to rely on for information when considering whether or not to try a new product or service?

Base: All respondents; n=1,013.

Advertising preferred to social media for hearing about new products or services

Nearly three-quarters of panellists (72%) said they would prefer to hear about new products or services through advertising. Following this, nearly one-quarter (23%) would prefer their social media account. One in five (18%) would rely on other marketing channels to hear about new products or services, including email notifications, referrals from family and friends, or personal research.

Figure 48: Marketing Channel Preference

Q11. How do you prefer to hear about new products or services?

Base: All respondents; n=1,013. [Multiple responses accepted.]

Among those who prefer social media, Facebook is top channel

Among those who prefer social media (n=234), approximately four in five (82%) pointed to Facebook as their preferred channel for hearing about new products or services. All other social media channels were mentioned by significantly fewer respondents, as depicted in the graph below.

Figure 49: Preferred Social Media Channels

Q11a. Through which social media channels would you prefer to hear about new products or services?

Base: Respondents who prefer Social Media; n=234. [Multiple responses accepted.]

Websites and TV—most preferred advertising channels

Among those who expressed a preference for advertisements (n=731), two-thirds said they would rely on websites (65%) and TV (65%) to hear about new products or services. Following this, 52% would prefer to receive this information from newspapers and one-third (34%) from the radio. Exactly one-quarter of those who prefer to hear about new products or services through advertising would like to receive this information on their social media channels.

Figure 50: Preferred Advertising Channels

Q11b. Through which advertising channels would you prefer to hear about new products or services?

Base: Respondents who prefer Advertisements; n=731. [Multiple responses accepted.]

Interview Findings:

When participants were asked to identify the best ways to inform Canadians about GCSurplus, most suggested using online advertising—specifically, social media and website banner ads. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram were mentioned along with search engine optimization (SEO) to help improve awareness of GCSurplus. In addition, some participants suggested advertising GCSurplus on similar sites, such as eBay, Kijiji or Craigslist, or on other Government of Canada sites.

In additional to digital methods, a few participants suggested using traditional media to inform Canadians about GCSurplus. Television and radio advertisements were the main suggestions, although a few participants suggested mail, such as a “Did you know about GCSurplus…?” flyer that could be sent to Canadians. One participant said that billboards and magazines are a good way to raise awareness of GCSurplus, and another suggested advertising directed at small businesses. Regarding small businesses, this participant explained that GCSurplus has items for sale that could be used by a new business. For this reason, it was suggested that GCSurplus be promoted to new business owners when they register their corporation with the Government of Canada.

After being asked about which channels to use to promote GCSurplus, interview participants were asked what they would say about the site if they were creating communications designed to encourage people to check out GCSurplus. Participants identified various features and aspects of the site to promote when creating communications for GCSurplus. Many mentioned the unique and high-quality items available for sale on GCSurplus. Specifically, most said communications should promote the variety of items offered on the site and the range of categories available for users to browse and purchase from.  Others suggested that advertising for GCSurplus should focus on promoting how the site is easy to use and navigate. Recall that virtually everyone interviewed felt the site was easy to use.

Promoting the price advantage and the “deals” available through GCSurplus was also mentioned as a unique selling point—ffor example, “quality items and a great price”. Several participants suggested promoting the fact that GCSurplus is a government-operated site (for example, users can feel secure/safe when they bid on goods because the seller is trustworthy unlike on other online sites where less is known about the seller), the recycling element (for example, the selling of surplus goods), and the cost-recovery aspect (for example, already purchased goods are being sold—part of the cost of purchase is being recovered).

Suggestions to improve GCSurplus

Interview participants were asked if they had any suggestions to improve the site and online service to make it more useful. The one suggestion to improve GCSurplus routinely offered was to make the search function location-specific. This would allow users to search only for items of interest in their region or city. Other suggestions were offered with less frequency and included: offering less expensive shipping options; posting better pictures of products; making GCSurplus a more interactive and intuitive platform (like commercial services); adding a “buy now” option; providing better product descriptions; offering fewer large lots or bulk items, and; offering more payment options.

Nearly everyone would like to be notified when new products are added to GCSurplus. Those who wanted to be notified most often suggested monthly notification as the preferred frequency. A few participants, however, wanted to be notified on a weekly basis, and one person expressed a performance for daily notifications. Email was the preferred method of notification, although several participants suggested that text notifications (for example, SMS or MMS) about new products would be acceptable. In terms of content, participants suggested that notifications include links to items of interest, pictures and descriptions of items, and trending items (such as the most bid on or viewed items). Most of those who preferred email notifications suggested the need for users to set preferences allowing them to receive updates about categories of products or specific items of interest. A few would like to be notified about all new items being added to GCSurplus.

Profile of Respondents

Figure 51: Age of Respondents

Scr1. Which of the following age groups do you fall into?

Base: All respondents; n=1,013.

Figure 52: Gender of Respondents

Scr2. Are you …?

Base: All respondents; n=1,013.

Figure 53: Region of Respondents

Scr3. Where are you located?

Base: All respondents; n=1,013.

3. Former Clients

Appendix

Annex 1: Quantitative Research Instruments

1a: Survey of Current and Former Clients

Intro Page

Thank you for agreeing to take part in this short survey about GCSurplus. This survey is voluntary and it is being conducted on behalf of the Government of Canada. Your participation will help improve the online service.

The survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete, and it is registered with the national survey registration system*. Please be assured that all opinions will remain anonymous and will not be attributed to you personally in any way. Please click here to review the Government of Canada’s “User Survey Privacy Notice”

This research is being conducted by Phoenix Strategic Perspectives, an independent Canadian research firm. If you have any questions about the survey, you may contact Phoenix Strategic Perspectives at research@phoenixspi.ca. To view our privacy policy, click here.

Your assistance is greatly appreciated, and we look forward to receiving your feedback.

Please click ‘Next’ to start the survey.

Screening Questions

Scr1. Are you a registered user of GCSurplus? To be a registered user of GCSurplus, you will have had to complete an online form to create your account.

• Yes
• No THANK/TERMINATE
• I’m not sure THANK/TERMINATE

TERMINATION SCREEN:

Thank you for your interest in this survey, but you need to be a registered user of GCSurplus to take part.

Scr2. Are you an employee of the Government of Canada?

• Yes
• No

Scr3. Thinking about your use of GC surplus over the past 12 months, which of the following apply to you….

Select all that apply

• Browse items for sale^{Footnote 1}
• Place a bid on items^{Footnote 1}
• Been awarded an item^{Footnote 1}
• I have not logged onto GCSurplus in the last 12 months^{Footnote 2}

Client Survey

Experience with GCSurplus

To begin,

1. How did you first learn about GCSurplus?

• Word of mouth (for example, from a friend or colleague)
• Internet search
• Browsing Government of Canada websites
• [DISPLAY ONLY FOR GC EMPLOYEES] Notification from my department/agency
• [DISPLAY ONLY FOR GC EMPLOYEES] Information Session by GCSurplus
• Some other way. Please specify: [TEXT BOX]
• I’m not sure

2. For how long have you been a registered user of GCSurplus?

• Less than a year
• 1 to 2 years
• 3 to 5 years
• More than 5 years
• I’m not sure

3. How easy or difficult was it to register for GCSurplus?

• Very difficult
• Somewhat difficult
• Neither difficult nor easy
• Somewhat easy
• Very easy
• Cannot recall

[ASK IF REGISTRATION WAS DIFFICULT]

4. You said it was difficult to register for GCSurplus. Why was this difficult?

Check all that apply

• I didn’t receive an email confirmation to activate my account
• I was asked to provide too much information
• I had trouble selecting a password
• I had trouble reading or understanding the registration instructions
• Please specify: [TEXT BOX].
• I’m not sure

5. For which of the following reasons have you used GCSurplus?

Check all that apply

• For personal interest
• On behalf of a business or some other organization
• For some other reasons. Please specify .

6. In the last year, how many times have you logged into GCSurplus to search the site for products of interest to you?

• Once only
• 2 to 5 times
• 6 to 10 times
• 11 to 20 times
• 21 to 50 times
• 51 to 100 times
• More than 100 times
• Not sure

[FREQUENCY OF USE QUOTAS TO BE SET FOLLOWING THE PRETEST; THE PRETEST WILL GIVE US A SENSE OF THE DISTRIBUTION]

[ASK THOSE WHO HAVE USED IT MORE THAN 10 TIMES]

7. On average, how often would you say you use GCSurplus?

• At least once a day
• Several times a week
• About once a week
• A few times a month
• Less than a few times a month

8. Which of the following best describes how you use GCSurplus?

• I generally log in only when I’m looking for something specific.
• I log in from time to time to see what’s new and when I need something specific.

9. What type of items do you tend to look for on GCSurplus?

Select all that apply

• Agricultural machinery and equipment
• Aircraft, airframe components, parts and instruments.
• Boats and ships
• Books, maps and other publications
• Building materials, hardware and paint
• Cars and light trucks
• Chemicals and chemical products
• Computer equipment, parts and accessories
• Electrical equipment and supplies, motors, generators, transformers
• Electronic and communication equipment and supplies 
• Fire fighting, safety and rescue equipment
• Fishing equipment 
• Fuel, oil and lubricant
• Hand tools, maintenance and repair shop equipment
• Heavy equipment
• Household appliances, food preparation and serving equipment
• Jewelry, collectors items, arts and crafts
• Machine tools
• Marine equipment and supplies
• Materiel handling equipment 
• Medical, dental, scientific, lab equipment
• Miscellaneous equipment
• Motorcycles
• Musical instruments and accessories
• Office furniture and equipment, household furniture
• Photographic, optical and surveying equipment and supplies
• Plumbing, heating, refrigeration and air conditioning equipment
• Precious metals 
• Printing equipment 
• Recreational vehicles
• Scrap metal 
• Scrap nonmetallic 
• Scrap paper
• Scrap textiles
• Sporting goods and camping equipment
• Textiles, leather, fur, clothing and footwear
• Trailers
• Vehicle equipment, parts and accessories and tires and tubes

10. In the last year, did you bid on or win any auction items from the following categories?

[INSERT ITEMS CATEGORIES FROM Q9]

GRID LAYOUT; RESPONSE OPTIONS:

• Bid on, but did not purchase
• Awarded
• Viewed only
• Cannot recall

ASK THOSE WHO AWARDED ITEMS:

11. Still thinking about the last 12 months, approximately how many items were you awarded by GCSurplus?

• Was awarded one item
• Was awarded 2 to 5 items
• Was awarded 6 to 10 items
• Was awarded 11 to 20 items
• Was awarded 21 to 50 items
• Was awarded 51 to 100 items
• Was awarded more than 100 items
• Not sure

Overall Assessments of GCSurplus

Thinking about your use of GCSurplus over the last few years:

12. How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the following aspects of GCSurplus?

[ROTATE ITEMS]

1. The GCSurplus email notifications.
2. The ability to search for items by keyword, location, posting or closing date, or type.
3. The process of bidding on an item.
4. The lot details or descriptions of items.
5. The photos of items.
6. The frequency of new items becoming available in categories of interest.
7. The buyer’s corner that allows tracking of current and past bids.
8. The process of paying for an item online.
9. The length of the bid period.
10. Shipment of your item.
11. Pick-up of your item.

GRID LAYOUT; RESPONSE OPTIONS:

• 1-Very dissatisfied
• 2
• 3-Neutral
• 4
• 5-Very satisfied
• Not applicable

ASK OF RESPONDENTS WHO PROVIDED A SCORE OF 1-3 FOR AN ITEM IN Q12:

13. You said you are not satisfied with [INSERT ITEM FROM Q12]. Why is that?

Select all that apply

[USE RESPONSE OPTIONS BELOW A-J]

a) The GCSurplus email notifications.

• I didn’t know this was available.
• I receive too many email notifications.
• Other. Please specify [TEXT BOX]

b) The ability to search for items by keyword, location, posting or closing date, or type.

• Too many results that are not relevant are delivered.
• The search is too slow.
• Additional search fields are needed.
• Other. Please specify [TEXT BOX]

c) The process of bidding on an item.

• I found it difficult to understand the process.
• I don’t like that I can’t see what others have bid.
• I didn’t know I could raise or lower my bid before the sale closes.
• I can’t withdraw a bid.
• Finding an amount to bid that hasn’t already been used.
• Other. Please specify [TEXT BOX]

d) The lot details or descriptions of items.

• There isn’t always enough information.
• The technical information needs clarification.
• Other. Please specify [TEXT BOX]

e) The photos of items.

• The quality is poor.
• I can’t enlarge the photos enough.
• Not all items have photos.
• Other. Please specify [TEXT BOX]

f) There should be more than one photo for some items.

• The buyer’s corner that allows tracking of current and past bids.
• Some bids were missing.
• I didn’t realize there were messages in the message centre.
• Other. Please specify [TEXT BOX]

g) The process of paying for an item online.

• I couldn’t use a prepaid credit card.
• The system timed out.
• I didn’t receive confirmation that my transaction was successful.
• Other. Please specify [TEXT BOX]

h) The length of the bid period.

• It’s too short.
• It’s too long.
• Other. Please specify [TEXT BOX]

i) Shipment of your item.

• Shipping is not offered on all items.
• I don’t like the shipper used by GCSurplus.
• My options are limited if shipping is not available.
• Other. Please specify [TEXT BOX]

j) Pick up of your item.

• Shipping is not offered on all items.
• The pick up location is not convenient.
• Other. Please specify [TEXT BOX]

14. Overall, how satisfied are you with GCSurplus?

• 1-Very dissatisfied
• 2
• 3-Neutral
• 4
• 5-Very satisfied
• Not applicable

15. In the last year or so, have you experienced any difficulties or problems using GCSurplus?

• Yes
• No SKIP NEXT QUESTION

16. What type of difficulty or problem did you have using GCSurplus?

Select all that apply

• The site loads slowly
• The site is not easy to navigate
• It’s hard to find items
• The photo quality is poor
• Difficulty accessing help
• Information is not organized in a logical manner
• Issues with payment
• Challenges with customer service
• Please specify [TEXT BOX]

17. In the last year or so, have you logged into GCSurplus to view or change your account information?

• Yes
• No SKIP NEXT QUESTION
• Not sure SKIP NEXT QUESTION

18. How easy or difficult was it to view or change your account information?

• Very difficult
• Somewhat difficult
• Neither difficult nor easy
• Somewhat easy
• Very easy
• Cannot recall

[ASK IF IT WAS DIFFICULT]

19. You said it was difficult to view or change your GCSurplus account information. Why was this difficult?

[TEXT BOX]   

• I’m not sure

20. How likely are you to recommend GCSurplus to a friend or colleague? Please use an 11 point scale where “0” mean not at all likely, “10” mean extremely likely and “5” mean neutral.

Competitors

21. In the past two years, have you used any of the following websites to browse or buy items?

Select all that apply

• Kijiji
• Craigslist
• eBay
• Please specify: [TEXT BOX]
• None of the above*

*SKIP TO NEXT SECTION

22. What do you like about [IF 1 SELECTED, INSERT THIS SITE/IF MORE THAN 1 SELECTED, INSERT: these sites]?

Select all that apply

• The registration process is simple
• It’s easy to get support/help for a technical problem
• The variety of items available for sale
• The photos of the items
• It’s easy to find what I’m looking for
• Search function
• The speed of the site
• Please specify: [TEXT BOX]

23. How does GCSurplus compare to [IF 1 SELECTED, INSERT THIS SITE/IF MORE THAN 1 SELECTED, INSERT: these sites]? Is GCSurplus….?

IF 1 SITE USED:

• Better
• About the same
• Worse

IF MORE THAN 1 SITE:

GRID LAYOUT:

[ROW]

• Kijiji
• Craigslist
• eBay

[COLUMNS]

• Better
• About the same
• Worse

24. Why is GCSurplus [INSERT: better/worse] than [INSERT SITE / IF MORE THAN 1 SITE, INSERT: these sites]?

[TEXT BOX]

• Not sure

25. When you think of GCSurplus, what one word or image comes to mind?

[TEXT BOX]

• Not sure

Enhancements and Suggestions

26. In general, how often would you say you use online services through their other websites? By this, we mean conducting transactions like online banking, online purchasing, or online bill payment.

• Routinely or all the time
• Only sometimes
• Rarely SKIP NEXT QUESTION
• Never SKIP NEXT QUESTION

27. Do any of the other online services that you use have features that you think could be incorporated into GCSurplus?

• Yes -Please describe this feature/these features: [TEXT BOX]
• No
• Not sure

28. Do you have any suggestions to improve GCSurplus? for example, are there any features you would like to see added to GCSurplus, or improvements to any aspects of the existing service?

[TEXT BOX]

• No suggestions
• Not sure

Background

These last few questions are for background purposes. All responses will remain confidential.

29. Where are you located?

• Canada  [alphabetical list of provinces/territories]
• United States
• Somewhere else. Please specify: [TEXT BOX]
• Prefer not to answer

ASK NEXT 2 QUESTIONS IF A BUSINESS/ORGANIZATION AT Q5:

30. You mentioned that you use GCSurplus on behalf of a business or some other organization. Approximately how many employees work for your company or organization in Canada? Please include part-time employees as full-time equivalents.

• One (for example self-employed)
• 2-4
• 5-9
• 10-19
• 20-49
• 50-99
• 100 or more
• Prefer not to answer

31. What is the main industry or sector that your company or organization operates in?

• Accommodation and Food Services
• Administrative and Support, Waste Management and Remediation Services
• Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting
• Arts, Entertainment and Recreation
• Construction
• Educational Services
• Finance and Insurance
• Health Care and Social Assistance
• Information and Cultural Industries
• Management of Companies and Enterprises
• Manufacturing
• Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction
• Other Services (except Public Administration)
• Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
• Public Administration
• Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
• Retail Trade
• Transportation and Warehousing
• Utilities
• Wholesale Trade
• Please specify [TEXT BOX]

32. What is the highest level of formal education that you have completed?

• Grade 8 or less
• Some high school
• High School diploma or equivalent
• Registered Apprenticeship or other trades certificate or diploma
• College, CEGEP or other non-university certificate or diploma
• University certificate or diploma below bachelor’s level
• Bachelor’s degree
• Post graduate degree above bachelor’s level
• Prefer not to answer

33. Which language do you speak most often at home?

• English
• French
• Other
• Prefer not to answer

34. Do you live in…

• …an urban community?
• …a rural community?
• …a remote or isolated community?
• Prefer not to answer

35. In which of the following age categories do you belong?

• 18-24
• 25-34
• 35-44
• 45-54
• 55-64
• 65 or older
• Prefer not to say

36. Are you….?

• Male
• Female
• Other
• Prefer not to answer

Closing Page

This completes the survey. On behalf of GCSurplus, we thank you for taking the time to share your feedback.

Former Client Survey

1. You mentioned that you haven’t logged onto GCSurplus in the last 12 months. Why is that?

Select all that apply

• Never bought anything/items for sale are not of interest to me
• Frustration/issues with customer service
• Too complicated to use
• Use other online sites
• It’s not part of my job responsibilities anymore
• Can’t remember my password
• Health issues
• Accessibility issues
• No need
• No reason in particular
• Some other reason. Please specify: [TEXT BOX]

2. What, if anything, would encourage you to use GCSurplus in the future?

Select all that apply

• More shipping options. Please specify: [TEXT BOX]
• More payment options. Please specify: [TEXT BOX]
• Better photos that allow for zooming
• Faster, easier-to-use website
• The option to see what other people bid
• Nothing, I’m not likely to use GCSurplus
• Something else. Please specify: [TEXT BOX]

3. In the past year or so, have you used any of the following websites to browse or buy items?

Select all that apply

• Kijiji
• Craigslist
• eBay
• Please specify: [TEXT BOX]
• None of the above*

*SKIP NEXT QUESTION

4. What do you like about [IF 1 SELECTED, INSERT NAME/IF MORE THAN 1 SELECTED, INSERT: these sites]?

Select all that apply

• The registration process is simple
• It’s easy to get support/help for a technical problem
• The variety of items available for sale
• The photos of the items
• It’s easy to find what I’m looking for
• Search function
• The speed of the site
• Please specify: [TEXT BOX]

5. In general, how often would you say you use online services through their websites? By this, we mean conducting transactions like online banking, online purchasing, or online bill payment.

• Routinely or all the time
• Only sometimes
• Rarely SKIP NEXT QUESTION
• Never SKIP NEXT QUESTION

6. Do any of the other online services that you use have features that you think could be incorporated into GCSurplus?

• Yes -Please describe this feature/these features: [TEXT BOX]
• No
• Not sure

7. Finally, do you have any suggestions to improve GCSurplus? for example, are there any features you would like to see added to GCSurplus, or improvements to any aspects of the existing service?

[TEXT BOX]

• No suggestions
• Not sure

-ADD APPROPRIATE DEMO QUESTIONS

1b: Survey of Non-clients

Landing page

Language. Please select which language you wish to complete the survey in.

• English
• French

Survey Introduction page

Thank you for agreeing to take part in this short survey. This survey is voluntary and it is being conducted on behalf of the Government of Canada.

The survey should take approximately 5 minutes to complete, and it is registered with the national survey registration system*. Please be assured that all opinions will remain anonymous and will not be attributed to you personally in any way.

Please click ‘Next’ to start the survey.

Screener

Scr1. Which of the following age groups do you fall into?

• Under 18 TERMINATE: GO TO SCREEN 1
• 18-24
• 25-34
• 35-44
• 45-54
• 55-64
• 65-75
• 75 or older

TERMINATION SCREEN 1

Thank you for your interest in this survey, but you need to be at least 18 years old to take part.

Scr2. Are you….?

• Male
• Female
• Other
• Prefer not to answer

Scr3. Where are you located?

• Alberta
• British Columbia
• Manitoba
• New Brunswick
• Newfoundland and Labrador
• Northwest Territories
• Nova Scotia
• Nunavut
• Ontario
• Prince Edward Island
• Quebec
• Saskatchewan
• Yukon Territory
• Outside of Canada TERMINATE: GO TO SCREEN 2

Scr.4 In the last two years or so, have you browsed for or purchased goods from any of the following online websites?

Select all that apply

• Kijiji
• Craigslist
• eBay
• None of the above TERMINATE: GO TO SCREEN 2

Scr.5 In the last two years or so, have you browsed for or purchased any of the following items from an online website?

Select all that apply

• Agricultural machinery and equipment
• Aircraft, airframe components, parts and instruments
• Art and collectibles
• Automotive (Cars, trucks, motorcycles, trailers, parts)
• Boats and ships
• Books and printing equipment 
• Building materials, hardware and paint
• Chemicals and chemical products
• Computer equipment, parts and accessories
• Electrical equipment and supplies, motors, generators, transformers
• Fashion and accessories
• Fire fighting, safety and rescue equipment
• Furniture (office, household)
• Heavy equipment
• Household appliances, food preparation and serving equipment
• Medical, dental, scientific, lab equipment
• Musical instruments and accessories
• Photographic, optical and surveying equipment and supplies
• Plumbing, heating, refrigeration and air conditioning equipment
• Precious metals 
• Scrap metal, paper, textiles
• Sporting goods (Exercise equipment, outdoor/indoor equipment, or etc.)
• Tools (hand and machine)
• None of the above TERMINATE: GO TO SCREEN 2

Scr6. Are you an employee of the Government of Canada?

• Yes TERMINATE: GO TO SCREEN 2
• No

TERMINATION SCREEN 2

Thank you for your interest in this survey, unfortunately you do not qualify for the survey.

QUOTA TERMINATION

Thank you very much for your willingness to complete this survey. We’re sorry, but at this time we’ve already received a sufficient number of completed surveys from people with a similar profile to yours.

Use of Online Sites

1. Which of the following best describes how you use [INSERT SITE FROM SCR.4 / IF MORE THAN ONE SITE, INSERT: online classifieds or auction sites like eBay, Kijiji and Craigslist]?

• I generally log in only when I’m looking for something specific
• I log in from time to time to see what’s new and when I need something specific

2. For which of the following reasons have you used [INSERT SITE FROM SCR.4 / IF MORE THAN ONE SITE, INSERT: online classifieds or auction sites like eBay, Kijiji and Craigslist]?

Select all that apply

• For personal interest
• On behalf of a business or some other organization
• For some other reasons. Please specify

3. What do you like most about [INSERT SITE FROM SCR.4 / IF MORE THAN ONE SITE, INSERT: online classifieds or auction sites like eBay, Kijiji and Craigslist]?

Select all that apply

• The variety of goods available for sale
• Frequency of new items becoming available in categories of interest
• The photos/images of the items for sale
• Payment process for items
• Payment methods available
• [ONLY EBAY USERS] The length of the bidding process
• Notification when items are posted or closing date of an item of interest
• It’s easy to find what I’m looking for
• Search function
• The speed of the site
• Shipping options
• Please specify: [TEXT BOX]

Awareness/Use of GCSurplus

4. Have you heard of the website, GCSurplus?

• Yes [CONTINUE]
• No [SKIP TO EXPLANATION]

5. How did you hear about GCSurplus?

• Word of mouth (for example, from a friend or colleague)
• Internet search
• Browsing Government of Canada websites
• Some other way. Please specify: [TEXT BOX]
• I’m not sure

6. In the last year, have you used GCSurplus to do any of the following?

Select all that apply

• Browse items for sale
• Place a bid on items
• Been awarded an item
• I have not logged onto GC Surplus in the last year

[USERS GO TO Q10]

[EXPLANATION AND Q7 ON THE SAME PAGE]

GCSurplus is a federal government organization responsible for the sale of surplus goods for federal departments and agencies. It sells goods like electronics, jewellery, collector’s items, sporting goods and camping equipment, as well as larger items like cars, ATVs, ships and planes. New items are listed for sale every day, and there are approximately 25,000 sales listings each year. Its website draws approximately 7 million site visits and over 300,000 bids per year.

After registering at GCSurplus.ca, people can view, bid on and buy federal government surplus goods online. Features of GCSurplus.ca include the ability to:

• Search for specific items;
• View photos and descriptions of items;
• Track your current and past bids, as well as winning bids for items sold;
• Pay online; and get items shipped to your door.

Users can receive email notifications every time an item of interest is posted for sale. The bidding period for most items is 7 to 10 days. Shipping is available through Purolator for most small items, and the cost varies depending on the size and location of the item.

7. How interested, if at all, are you in a website like GCSurplus?

• Not at all interested
• Not very interested
• Moderately interested
• Very interested

8. Based on what you’ve just read about GCSurplus, how likely is it that you will use this online website to browse for or purchase products in the next 12 months?

• Very unlikely
• Somewhat unlikely
• Neither
• Somewhat likely
• Very likely

ASK IF UNLIKELY AT Q8:

9. Why do you think you will be unlikely to use GCSurplus?

[TEXT]

• No reason in particular

Marketing and Communications

[EVERYONE]

10. Which of the following are you most likely to rely on for information when considering whether or not to try a new product or service?

• Advertisements
• Recommendations from friends, family or colleagues
• Personal experience
• Other, please specify: [TEXT BOX]

11. How do you prefer to hear about new products or services?

Select all that apply

• Through a social media account on [ASK Q11a]
• Advertising on [ASK Q11b]
  • Some other way. Please specify: [TEXT BOX]

11a. Through which social media channels would you prefer to hear about new products or services?

Select all that apply

• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• YouTube
• Instagram
• Please specify: [TEXT BOX]

11b. Through which advertising channels would you prefer to hear about new products or services?

Select all that apply

• Social media
• TV
• Radio
• Newspapers
• Websites
• Please specify:

Background

12. What is the highest level of formal education that you have completed?

• Grade 8 or less
• Some high school
• High School diploma or equivalent
• Registered Apprenticeship or other trades certificate or diploma
• College, CEGEP or other non-university certificate or diploma
• University certificate or diploma below bachelor’s level
• Bachelor’s degree
• Post-graduate degree above bachelor’s level
• Prefer not to answer

ASK NEXT 2 QUESTIONS IF A BUSINESS/ORGANIZATION AT Q2:

13. You mentioned that you use [INSERT SITE FROM SCR.4 / IF MORE THAN ONE SITE, INSERT: online classifieds or auction sites like eBay, Kijiji and Craigslist] on behalf of a business or some other organization. Approximately how many employees work for your company or organization in Canada? Please include part-time employees as full-time equivalents.

• One (for example self-employed)
• 2-4
• 5-9
• 10-19
• 20-49
• 50-99
• 100 or more
• Prefer not to answer

14. What is the main industry or sector that your company or organization operates in?

• Accommodation and Food Services
• Administrative and Support, Waste Management and Remediation Services
• Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting
• Arts, Entertainment and Recreation
• Construction
• Educational Services
• Finance and Insurance
• Health Care and Social Assistance
• Information and Cultural Industries
• Management of Companies and Enterprises
• Manufacturing
• Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction
• Other Services (except Public Administration)
• Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
• Public Administration
• Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
• Retail Trade
• Transportation and Warehousing
• Utilities
• Wholesale Trade
• Please specify [TEXT BOX]

Qualitative Research Contact

15. Would you be willing to participate in a follow-up discussion on these same topics to explore a few areas in greater depth? If you are willing, you may be contacted in the next few weeks for a follow-up phone interview by a senior researcher. Participants will receive an honorarium to thank them for their time. Would you be willing to participate?

• Yes
• No

Closing Page

This completes the survey. On behalf of the Government of Canada, we thank you for taking the time to share your feedback.

Annex 2: Qualitative Research Instruments

2a: Interview Guide

Interview Guide

Initial Phone Contact: Recruitment/Scheduling

• Note that they agreed to take part in this interview when they completed an online survey on GC Surplus. And that they were sent an email letter following the survey that contained a link to the website and asked to explore it.
• Explain purpose of interview. This interview is a follow up to explore a few issues in greater detail.
• Interview would take no more than 30 minutes.
• Confirm agreement to take part in the study.
• Note $50 honorarium will be paid following completion of the interview (say how).
• Schedule time for interview, if agreeable.
• Ensure participant has had a chance to review the GCSurplus website before taking part in the interview and that they the participant has GCSurplus open on his/her computer. If needed, offer to resend email letter with link to site.

Interview: Introduction

• Thank the individual for agreeing to participate.
  • Re-schedule the interview if the individual is no longer available.
• Ensure participant
• Remind him/her that responses are confidential.
  • Your participation is voluntary and your responses during the interview will be kept confidential and will not influence any future interactions you may have with GCSurplus or the Government of Canada. The information you provide will be administered in accordance with the Privacy Act and other applicable privacy laws. The feedback you provide will be used for research purposes only, and will not be attributed to you personally in any report resulting from this study.

Use of Online Sites

In your completed survey, you told us that in the past two years you’ve browsed or bought goods from [INSERT SITE(S) USED FROM SURVEY/IF MORE THAN ONE SITE, SAY: online classifieds or auction sites like eBay, Kijiji and Craigslist].

1. How would you describe your use of this website [these websites^{Footnote 3}]? By this, I mean how often you use the site, how long you’ve used it, whether you only visit it when looking for something specific or visit more generally, things like that.

• PROBE:
  • - explore patterns of use (frequency, purpose, length of sessions)
  • - types of goods bought, volume of goods bought

2. Do you use this site for personal interest, business purposes, or for some other reason?

• PROBE:
  • - if used for business, explore business needs
  • - if used for other reasons, explore those needs

3. What do you like most about using this website? Are there any specific features that you particularly like? Anything else?

• Probe:
  • - general impressions
  • - specific features liked
  • - if more than one site used, explore above for all relevant sites
  • - use survey responses to explore in MORE depth the selected features: variety of goods, frequency of new items, photos of items, payment process, payment methods, length of bidding process, notifications, easy to find what looking for, search function, speed of the site, shipping options

4. Is there anything you don’t like about using this website? Is there anything that makes this site hard to use or less useful to you? Anything else?

5. Are there any other online classifieds or auction sites that you use? If so, what other sites do you use? What do you use it/them for?

• Probe:
  • - explore additional site(s) using same probing as above

GCSurplus

In advance of this interview, we sent you a link to the GCSurplus website and asked you to review it. These next questions are about the site.

6. First, based on your review of the GCSurplus website, what is your overall impression of it? Why do you say that?

• PROBE:
  • - overall perception and reasons why

7. What did you like most about the website? Are there any specific features that you particularly liked? Anything else?

8. Is there anything you don’t like about the website? Is there anything that makes this site hard to use or less useful to you? Anything else?

9. Did you find products you were interested in on the site? If not, why not?

10. Would you like to be notified when new products are added to GCSurplus.ca? If not, why not? If so, what would this look this? Probe: method of notification, frequency of alerts, content of alerts (for example, should they contain links to the products?).

11. Was the website easy to use? If not, why not? How could it be made easier?

12. Do you have any suggestions to improve the site and online service to make it more useful for you?

13. How likely is it that you would use this online website to browse for or purchase products in the next 12 months? If not likely, why not?

Marketing and Communications

Turning briefly to marketing and communications to promote the use of GCSurplus,

14. What do you think would be the best way to inform Canadians like you—people who use online classifieds or auction sites like eBay, Kijiji and Craigslist—about the GCSurplus site?

• PROBE:
  • - advertising, social media, other

15. If you were creating the communications to encourage people to check out GCSurplus, what would you say about it? How would you promote its use?

16. What features or aspects of the service should the communications focus on? Anything else?

Conclusion

17. Do you have any other comments or suggestions about any of the issues we’ve discussed before we conclude the interview?

Record name, position, phone number, length/date of interview, address for incentive

Footnotes

Return to footnote * referrer

Exercise caution interpreting because of the small number of respondents.

Return to footnote 1 referrer

IF 1 OR MORE SELECTED, GO TO CLIENT SURVEY [QUOTA—n=800]

Return to footnote 2 referrer

GO TO FORMER CLIENT SURVEY [QUOTA—n=200]

Return to footnote 3 referrer

IF RESPONDENT USED MORE THAN ONE WEBSITE, USE PLURAL FORM WHERE RELEVENT IN THE REST OF THIS SECTION.