The market background is first examined to give an indication of the competitive advantage that could follow the development of consumer durable shop siting studies. Next, the methodological factors which distinguish these studies from research into branded products and siting studies for repeat-purchase items are discussed. The concept of the trading area is then touched on briefly, leading to a discussion of the preliminary research necessary before fieldwork, and the interrelationship between secondary statistical sources and survey objectives. There follows a consideration of survey methods, sampling problem and the concept of accessibility with particular reference to practical problems, leading to a case history report on how research indicated which one of two sites in a town was preferable. Finally, brief consideration is given to the use of research to investigate currently unprofitable branches.
My aim in this paper is to discuss the kinds of survey research which can be helpful to town planners and those concerned with the design and building of shopping centres. In Britain this relates both to new shopping centres in places where none have existed before and to the redevelopment of old shopping centres, where obsolescence of buildings and changing traffic patterns make a major reconstruction necessary.
The main problems of location research are: optimum supply of the population with goods and services, preservation and securing of the functional operating of existing centres and creation of new centres in accordance with changes in consumer behaviour due to a rising standard of living. Methodical tasks - in general to be mastered by the methods of interview, observation and experiments - under the application of mathematical-statistical techniques of diagnosis and forecasts are appropriated to: A. finding under-supplied regions; B. defining market areas; C. measuring the potential; D. estimating sales expectations and requested areas in local disposition.
The main problems of location research are: optimum supply of the population with goods and services, preservation and securing of the functional operating of existing centres and creation of new centres in accordance with changes in consumer behaviour due to a rising standard of living. Methodical tasks - in general to be mastered by the methods of interview, observation and experiments - under the application of mathematical-statistical techniques of diagnosis and forecasts are appropriated to: A. finding under-supplied regions; B. defining market areas; C. measuring the potential; D. estimating sales expectations and requested areas in local disposition.