Retailing applications of geodemographics: a preliminary investigation

The term geodemographics is derived from the combination of both geographic and demographic information on populations. The concept of geo‐demographic data is relatively new, and much confusion exists as to the extent to which such information is actually being used by both the public and private sector in the UK. One industry for which geodemographic information is particularly important is retailing. This is because retail location decisions are extremely capital‐intensive and locations themselves, once chosen, are (in the short term at least)fixed. Given the current economic climate and increased competition, it is becoming ever more important for retailers to monitor their trade areas, assess the impact of competition, and choose new store locations strategically. Discusses the use of geodemographics by retailers in their site modelling and trade area decision making and use is made of exploratory interviews in this respect.