--- title: "Poll Finds More Than 35% Of Small Businesses Could Fail By End of 2020" url: https://burnaze.com/article/7bbc2687-8d37-405f-86aa-874424dfa2da source: "Franchising.com" original_url: https://www.franchising.com/articles/poll_finds_more_than_35_of_small_businesses_could_fail_by_end_of_2020.html author: "Multi-Unit Franchisee" category: "Finance" topics: ["Finance & M&A"] published: 2020-08-31T07:00:00.000Z modified: 2026-11-01T01:44:08.546Z image: https://imgs.franchising.com/art/articles/5540_plate.jpg --- # Poll Finds More Than 35% Of Small Businesses Could Fail By End of 2020 **TL;DR:** A poll by Alignable found that over 35% of small businesses could fail by the end of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The poll surveyed 1,361 small retailers and found that 63% depend on Q4 sales to stay afloat. *By Multi-Unit Franchisee, originally published in Franchising.com on 2020-08-31. [Read the original](https://www.franchising.com/articles/poll_finds_more_than_35_of_small_businesses_could_fail_by_end_of_2020.html).* ## Story Based on revenue, inventory projections, and the long-term impact of Covid-19, more than 35% of shops and restaurants might not survive to see 2021, according to research from Alignable’s Q4 Anticipation Poll. The poll of 1,361 small retailers warns of what could lie ahead for small businesses on Main Streets across the U.S. and Canada. The research was collected between August 15-20 and offers these findings: - 63% of retail business say they depend on Q4 sales to stay afloat - 69% anticipate a decline in sales compared to Q4 2019 - 33% predict sales decreases in excess of 50% - Retailers estimate needing at least 64% of Q4 2019 revenues to stay in business The sobering findings suggest that more than 35% of retailers could close for good at the end of Q4. “If consumers want to preserve the vibrance and character of their communities and their overall quality of life, they’ll take these predictions to heart. They’ll put on their masks, walk out of their homes, and spend a high percentage of their holiday shopping budgets at local retailers,” said Alignable Co-Founder and CEO Eric Groves. “By Q4, it’ll come down to a question of ‘now or never’ in many cases.” - Get Started in Franchising - Franchise Rankings & Awards - Franchise Sales & Development - Featured Franchise Stories Franchising.com is produced by Franchise Update Media. Franchise Update Media has its finger on the pulse of franchising with unrivalled audience intelligence and market driven data. No media company understands the franchise landscape deeper than Franchise Update Media. 1201 New York Avenue NW, Suite 300A Washington, DC 20005 PH. (408) 402-5681 - Franchisee Financing & Lending - Site Selection & Real Estate - Supply Chain & Procurement - Annual Franchise Development Report - Multi-Unit Franchising Conference - Franchise Growth & Marketing Conference - Franchise Leadership & Development Conference - Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine - Franchise Update Magazine - Franchise Update Franchisor Report - Franchising Express Report - International Franchise Report - Multi-Unit Franchisee Report The multi-unit franchise opportunities listed above are not related to or endorsed by Multi-Unit Franchisee or Franchise Update Media Group. We are not engaged in, supporting, or endorsing any specific franchise, business opportunity, company or individual. No statement in this site is to be construed as a recommendation. We encourage prospective franchise buyers to perform extensive due diligence when considering a franchise opportunity. ## Entities - Franchising.com (publication) - General (sector) - Multi-Unit Franchisee (person) - covid-19 impact (topic) - retail sales (topic) - Alignable (company) - Eric Groves (person) - small business failure (topic) - q4 projections (topic) --- Originally reported by Multi-Unit Franchisee, Franchising.com (https://www.franchising.com/articles/poll_finds_more_than_35_of_small_businesses_could_fail_by_end_of_2020.html). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/7bbc2687-8d37-405f-86aa-874424dfa2da).