Study: Washington residents would pay more for homegrown goods

Washington residents are willing to pay top dollar when they shop online for homegrown goods, according to a new study.

In fact, Evergreen state residents are willing to pay a 31% premium for made in Washington products, according to a survey of 3,000 Washingtonians by HostingAdvice, a web hosting service.

Hawaii residents took the No. 1 spot with a willingness to spend up to 35% more for items made on the islands, followed by Utah with 32%, the report said.

New Yorkers are the least willing to pay a premium. The survey found they’d only spend an extra 8% for locally made products.

Washington’s willingness to pay more for homegrown goods, 31%, tied with Connecticut and West Virginia.

A 2020 study by the Reshoring Institute revealed that nearly 70% of respondents preferred American-made products. More than 83% were willing to pay up to 20% more for domestic products, according to Reshoring, a nonprofit that promotes American manufacturing.

HostingAdvice sought to delve further with a state-by-state survey looking into how much of a premium people would pay for products produced and sold online by businesses in their state.

The survey also found 32% of online shoppers specifically search for locally made products, while 40% do so occasionally.

On the other hand, 28% said they don’t consider a product’s origin and opt for the best option regardless of where it was made, the report said.

Consumers are most willing to pay a premium for locally made products, in order of preference:

• Health and beauty products;

• Clothing and apparel;

• Cars and car parts;

• Electronics;

• Home appliances;

• Furniture and home decor;

• Food and beverages, such as specialty foods and craft beer;

• Sporting goods and outdoor equipment;

• Children’s products, including toys and clothing;