A location analysis or a retail site selection study evaluates the potential opportunity for a specific site.

This is applicable for retail stores investigating new locations, or shopping center developers interested in understanding the market opportunity a proposed site might offer. Tailored to client needs, a location analysis would involve some of the following elements:

• Overview of the surrounding market and review of macro trends such as population and employment growth.
• Delineation of retail trade area boundaries for the site based on drive time analysis and other influencing factors such as topography, competition, and regional accessibility.
• Examination and benchmarking of trade area characteristics such as population and household change, and demographic characteristics such as age, income, and ethnicity.
• Review of key retail store or shopping center competition within the trade area, focusing on relative strengths and weaknesses against the proposed site.
• Forecast of sales potential for the site and estimation of market share capture for the retailer or shopping center.
• Final recommendation for the specific geographic location, taking all factors into account.