向电子商务的转变帮助许多美国小企业度过了这场大流行病，但据报道，电子商务平台也被视为这些企业扩大全球影响力的Zui重要工具。的联邦快递贸易指数(1)。
在 Morning Consult 为 FedEx 对 1,000名美国小企业进行的这项调查中，四分之三的受访者认为扩大美国与其他国家客户之间的贸易是一件好事，近一半的人认为扩大贸易将有助于他们的业务或公司，具体来说。更高的比例（78%）同意增加贸易将带来机会和就业机会。
“在 COVID-19大流行期间，电子商务一直是各种规模的消费者和企业的生命线，有助于保持商品和全球供应链的运转，”联邦快递公司执行副总裁、营销和传播官Brie Carere 说。“美国小企业清楚地了解贸易可以为他们的企业和经济带来的力量和潜力。进入国际市场似乎势不可挡，但我们每天都在努力帮助我们的中小型客户与世界各地的机会和市场联系起来。”
小型企业决策者也越来越看好其企业的健康状况。45% 的受访企业主表示，他们的收入目前正在增加，比去年的结果 (36%) 高 9个百分点，但低于 2019 年秋季大流行前的数字 56%。62% 的人表示他们预计明年的收入将增加，比去年的贸易指数增加了 4个百分点。
今年的联邦快递贸易指数还向美国小企业询问了他们对环境可持续性的看法。大多数接受调查的美国小企业（82%）同意公司有责任管理自己的环境影响。只有大约一半的受访者表示，他们认为为他们的企业提供了足够的资源，使其尽可能在环境上可持续（53%）或充分关注贸易中的环境问题（50%）。
“E-commerce has been a lifeline for consumers and businesses ofall sizes during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping to keep goods andglobal supply chains moving,” said Brie Carere, executive vicepresident, chief marketing and communications officer, FedEx Corp.“U.S. small business leaders clearly understand the power andpotential that trade can bring to their business and the economy.Though reaching international markets can seem overwhelming, wework every day to help connect our small and medium-sized customersto opportunities and markets around the world.”
Small business decision makers are also increasingly positiveabout the health of their business. Forty-five percent of surveyedbusiness owners say their revenue is currently increasing, up ninepercentage points from last year’s results (36%) though lower thanthe pre-pandemic figure of 56% in Fall 2019. Additionally, 62% saidthey expect their income to increase in the next year, afour-percentage point increase from last year’s Trade Index.
This year’s FedEx Trade Index also asked U.S. small businessleaders about their perspectives on environmental sustainability. Alarge majority of the U.S. small business leaderssurveyed—82%—agreed that companies are responsible for managingtheir own environmental impact. However, only about half ofrespondents said they felt like the government provided enoughresources for their business to be as environmentally sustainableas possible (53%) or adequately focuses on environmental issues intrade (50%).