Location evaluation method
How to evaluate a retail location
A sound location review is a chain of evidence. It starts with the exact premises, uses spatial data to narrow uncertainty and ends with on-site and lease checks that maps cannot answer.
The questions that decide the location
Start with decision questions, then collect only the evidence that can answer them.
- Is the place identity correct and precise enough for a premises decision?
- Which evidence is measured, which is a proxy and which is still missing?
- What new information would change the decision before signing?
Worked example: a café near Jing'an Temple
The public report shows how a real POI sample can justify further fieldwork while leaving rent, observed footfall and premises constraints outside the conclusion. This separation is the core of a credible first-pass review.
Open the public reportVerify the resolved place before counting its surroundings.
State the search envelope and walking network separately.
Turn every missing fact into a fieldwork or document request.
A repeatable evaluation method
Each stage produces evidence or a clear request for missing information.
Verify the place
Confirm the name, address, coordinates and alternatives. Stop if the system resolved the wrong place.
Define the business question
Specify the format, audience, time periods, hard constraints and what would make the site unacceptable.
Collect spatial evidence
Calculate walking access, retrieve demand proxies, classify comparable businesses and record data coverage.
Audit and compare
Remove duplicate records, check hard constraints, compare scenarios and mark fields that have no reliable source.
Complete fieldwork
Observe flows, verify competitors, inspect the unit and obtain lease and regulatory documents before deciding.
Data sources and their limits
Every source is used for a specific claim. No source is treated as complete by default.
Named businesses, transport stops, residential compounds, offices and amenities in China.
POI records can lag opening or closure events. Field verification is still required.Pedestrian-network routes and 5, 10 and 15-minute walking catchments in China.
A route boundary describes access, not observed footfall or conversion.The authoritative national basemap and address context for Singapore.
Basemap authority does not make every commercial attribute complete or current.Mapped businesses, amenities, buildings and pedestrian roads in Singapore.
Coverage varies by feature type and contributor activity. Zero results never prove zero competition.Observed footfall, frontage, permitted use, utilities, rent and lease terms.
These inputs are premises-specific and cannot be reliably inferred from public map data.Questions people ask before choosing a site
Does a high POI count mean the site will be profitable?
No. POIs are demand and competition proxies. Revenue still depends on rent, frontage, product, price, operations and observed footfall.
Why use a walking catchment instead of a circle?
A street network reflects crossings, barriers and actual paths. A simple radius treats blocked and accessible places as equally close.
What should never be inferred from POI data alone?
Future revenue, negotiated rent, observed footfall, conversion, frontage visibility, permitted use, utilities and licences should not be inferred from POI counts alone.
Run a place evaluation
Open the evidence workspace and replace the sample address with the premises you are considering.