Data dashboard: How coronavirus / COVID-19 is impacting local business revenue across the U.S.

Please note: due to the fluid nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are no longer updating the data and charts in this article.

As the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) made its way from Asia and Europe to the U.S., the warnings came first and then the fallout. There’s a lot of chatter about coronavirus right now, and this is a rapidly-evolving situation unprecedented in our lifetime.

Our goal is to track the impact of coronavirus on revenue at small, local businesses across the country.

Local businesses are the lifeblood of the U.S. economy, accounting for half of domestic GDP and hiring, and businesses like restaurants, hotels, retail shops, salons, and entertainment businesses are likely to be disproportionately affected by the ripple effects as events, schools, businesses, public spaces, and more go on temporary lockdown.

We tracked revenue data for local businesses nationwide, and analyzed how local business sales are trending in response to COVID-19 spreading in the U.S.

This dashboard contains several reports on the situation at local businesses across the country and in multiple industries.

The impact of coronavirus on local businesses by daily revenue

Not all types of small businesses have been impacted the same way. Here’s a view of daily revenue at different types of local businesses compared to last year:

This chart includes only data from businesses that are still open and transacting. Each day represents a comparison of average daily revenue at open businesses vs. a comparable day in 2019.

As you can see, restaurants and travel-related industries have seen average revenue plummet amidst coronavirus fears while grocery stores saw sales skyrocket. Retail and service industries, as a wide-ranging category, have seen inconsistent changes in revenue.

Here are individual charts examining different types of businesses.

There are two ways we can examine the economic impact of coronavirus on local businesses. First, is the impact on total consumer spending in a given category (the increase or decrease in total dollars spent on businesses overall). Second, is the impact on average revenue at those businesses still open and doing business.

We will be looking at both views in each of the charts below.

Impact of coronavirus on total spending at local restaurants

This chart examines total revenue at restaurants in our analysis in 2020 compared to total revenue at restaurants on a similar day in 2019.

Impact of coronavirus on daily revenue at open restaurants

This chart includes only data from restaurants that are still open and transacting. Each day represents a comparison of average daily revenue at open restaurants vs. a comparable day in 2019.

Impact of coronavirus on total spending at local bars

This chart examines total revenue at bars in our analysis in 2020 compared to total revenue at bars on a similar day in 2019

Impact of coronavirus on daily revenue at open bars

This chart includes only data from bars that are still open and transacting. Each day represents a comparison of average daily revenue at open bars vs. a comparable day in 2019.

Note: our research has shown that over 60% of bars have closed their doors or stopped transacting entirely, which explains the large discrepancy between the two charts above.

Impact of coronavirus on total spending at lodging places

This chart examines total revenue at lodging places in our analysis in 2020 compared to total revenue at lodging places on a similar day in 2019.

Impact of coronavirus on daily revenue at open lodging places

This chart includes only data from lodging places that are still open and transacting. Each day represents a comparison of average daily revenue at open lodging places vs. a comparable day in 2019.

Impact of coronavirus on total spending at grocery stores

This chart examines total revenue at grocery stores in our analysis in 2020 compared to total revenue at grocery stores on a similar day in 2019.

Impact of coronavirus on daily revenue at open grocery stores

This chart includes only data from grocery stores that are still open and transacting. Each day represents a comparison of average daily revenue at open grocery stores vs. a comparable day in 2019.

Impact of coronavirus on total spending at retail shops

This chart examines total revenue at retail shops in our analysis in 2020 compared to total revenue at retail shops on a similar day in 2019.

Impact of coronavirus on daily revenue at open retail shops

This chart includes only data from retail shops that are still open and transacting. Each day represents a comparison of average daily revenue at open retail shops vs. a comparable day in 2019.

Impact of coronavirus on total spending at local sporting goods and guns and ammo stores

This chart examines total revenue at sporting goods and and guns and ammo stores in our analysis in 2020 compared to total revenue at sporting goods and guns and ammo stores on a similar day in 2019.

Impact of coronavirus on daily revenue at open sporting goods and guns and ammo stores

This chart includes only data from sporting goods and guns and ammo stores that are still open and transacting. Each day represents a comparison of average daily revenue at open sporting goods and guns and ammo stores vs. a comparable day in 2019.

How many local businesses in different categories have stopped transacting entirely?

As you can imagine, plummeting revenue and increases in “stay at home” orders have forced a lot of businesses to close down indefinitely. Here’s what we did to learn how many businesses have stopped transacting due to COVID-19:

1. We analyzed credit card transaction data at businesses who were regularly transacting between January 1, 2020, and March 1, 2020
2. A business was designated as “closed” if it didn’t process a single transaction for three straight days starting on March 1
3. If, after that three day period, the business processed a transaction, they are no longer considered closed and we back-update previous dates to represent that business as being “open”
4. An important note: Restaurants and other businesses who have shifted to processing 100% of their transactions via third party delivery apps (like Doordash, Grubhub, etc.) would also show as being “closed” by this metric

Taking the above requirements into account, here’s a look at how many local businesses in different categories have stopped processing transactions since the start of the coronavirus outbreak:

If viewing the chart below on a mobile device, rotate your screen for the best viewing experience

Read more: How many local businesses have had to close due to COVID-19, a Womply Research Report