Data for site selection

Site selection means choosing where to open a store, branch, office, warehouse or charging hub, and deciding which existing locations to keep. Location data replaces gut feel with measurable demand, competition and access.

Foot traffic data, aggregated from mobile panels, estimates visits and dwell time at places and areas and shows where visitors come from. Demographic data describes the residents of each trade area, including population, age, income and household mix. Points of interest data maps competitors, complementary businesses and anchors such as transit stops or schools.

A typical workflow

1. Define a trade area for each candidate site by drive time or walking distance.
2. Measure demand from demographics and visit patterns.
3. Map competition and complementary places.
4. Score sites and check the model against your best existing locations.

What to check before you buy

Ask how foot traffic panels are built, how they are weighted to the population and which privacy protections apply, because this data must be aggregated and must never reveal individual movements. Check POI freshness, especially open and closed status, and confirm that demographics use recent census or estimate vintages.