Geofencing Data: A Strategic Asset for Modern Business

Jun 24, 2025 / 9 min

Geofencing Data: A Strategic Asset for Modern Business

Blog

Have you ever walked into a store and received a perfectly timed discount notification on your phone? Or perhaps wondered how businesses seem to know exactly when you’re near their locations? 

The intersection of the physical and digital realms has created powerful new ways for businesses to connect with consumers, but what’s really happening behind the scenes?

Today’s most innovative enterprises are quietly revolutionizing how they engage customers by tapping into one of the most underutilized data assets available: the precise geographic locations where people spend their time. 

As mobile devices become extensions of ourselves, the data generated from our movements creates unprecedented opportunities for businesses to understand and respond to customer behavior in real-time.

At the core of this revolution is geofencing data. This is any information generated when users cross virtual boundaries established around physical locations. This powerful dataset is transforming how businesses make strategic decisions across industries, from retail to real estate, logistics to finance.

In this article, we will review what geofencing data is, how it works, and most importantly, how forward-thinking organizations like yours can partner with dataplor and use it to gain a competitive advantage in an increasingly location-aware marketplace.

Geofencing Data: What It Is and How It Works 

Think of geofencing as setting digital tripwires around real-world places such as your storefront, a rival’s location, or even a busy commercial hub. When someone enters or exits these zones, it triggers a flow of actionable data. That’s the core power of geofencing technology.

Geofencing data is created when a mobile device’s location enters or exits a predefined virtual boundary established around a physical location. These virtual fences typically rely on Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, cellular data networks, Wi-Fi signals, or radio frequency identification (RFID) to detect when a device crosses the established perimeter.

The resulting dataset doesn’t identify specific individuals but instead reveals patterns like:

  • How many devices entered a location
  • How long they stayed
  • What time of day saw peak activity
  • How these patterns change over time

For example, a retail chain might establish geofences around all store locations to understand foot traffic patterns before and after a major marketing campaign.

In fact, businesses using geofencing see a doubled engagement rate compared to standard mobile targeting methods.

What makes geofencing work effectively is its ability to trigger actions based on location context. When a device enters or exits a virtual boundary, geofencing software can automatically collect anonymized data about that movement, providing businesses with valuable insights about location-based behavior while maintaining user privacy.

Strategic Applications of Geofencing Data Across Industries

Wondering how geofencing data makes an impact in different industries? Here’s what you need to know.

Retail and Marketing

The retail sector has emerged as one of the primary beneficiaries of geofencing technology. By understanding how customers move around and between physical locations, retailers can refine their targeted marketing strategy and optimize operations.

Location-based marketing becomes dramatically more effective when informed by geofencing data. Rather than blanketing an entire region with generic advertisements, businesses can deliver targeted advertising and messaging to mobile users based on their geographical location and specific movement patterns. 

For instance, a coffee shop might analyze patterns of devices that regularly visit competitor locations, then tailor specific offers to those potential customers.

Source: Salesforce

In-app and push notifications triggered by geofencing capabilities allow brands to engage customers at the most receptive moments, when they’re physically near a retail store or have just entered a shopping district. 80% of consumers want location-based alerts and are willing to share location data in exchange for relevant offers.

Sophisticated retailers are now using geofencing statistics to understand the relationship between external events and store visits, measuring how weather patterns, local sports events, or even traffic disruptions impact customer flow.

Real Estate and Urban Planning

For real estate developers and urban planners, understanding how the local population moves through space is invaluable. Geofencing data provides insights into which areas receive high foot traffic, when people visit different districts, and how long they typically stay.

By establishing virtual boundaries around different neighborhoods, developers can quantify movement patterns and identify emerging hotspots before they become obvious to competitors. This gives early movers a significant advantage in site selection and property acquisition.

Real estate investors are increasingly integrating geofencing data into their analysis frameworks, using foot traffic as a leading indicator of area desirability and economic vitality. For example, a neighborhood showing increasing dwell time and visit frequency often signals rising property values.

Logistics and Operations

The logistics sector has embraced geofencing solutions for both fleet management and asset management. By defining virtual boundaries around warehouses, distribution centers, and delivery zones, companies gain unprecedented visibility into their operations.

Source: Happiest Minds

When a delivery vehicle enters or exits a designated area, geofencing software can automatically log arrival and departure times, eliminating manual check-ins and improving data collection accuracy. This creates a wealth of information for optimizing routes and schedules.

For CPG companies, understanding how products move through distribution networks and into retail environments is critical. Geofencing relies on location tracking to provide visibility into this journey, helping brands ensure optimal product placement and availability.

Beyond traditional logistics, drone management has emerged as a cutting-edge application of geofencing technology. By establishing no-fly zones and operational boundaries, drone operators can automate compliance with regulations and optimize flight paths.

Finance and Risk Management

Financial institutions are harnessing geofencing capabilities to enhance security and deliver more personalized location services. When customers enter branch locations, sophisticated systems can analyze traffic patterns to optimize staffing and service delivery.

Risk assessment benefits from location data by identifying unusual patterns that might indicate fraud. For example, if a customer’s device enters or exits locations in a pattern inconsistent with their established behavior, additional verification might be triggered.

Investment firms analyze geofencing data to evaluate retail performance, feeding location-based insights into their valuation models. Understanding customer engagement at specific locations provides a competitive advantage when making investment decisions.

Key Considerations for Leveraging Geofencing Data

Before you begin to use geofencing data, you need to keep these key factors in mind.

Defining Clear Objectives

Before implementing geofencing as part of your business strategy, clearly articulate what you hope to achieve. 

  • Are you looking to enhance customer engagement? 
  • Improve operational efficiency? 
  • Gain competitive intelligence? 

The specific goals will determine which aspects of geofencing data are most valuable to your organization.

For location-based triggers to deliver value, they must connect to specific business outcomes. Random data collection without a clear purpose rarely yields actionable insights.

Data Accuracy and Reliability

The effectiveness of any geofencing campaign depends entirely on the accuracy of the underlying data. Location accuracy can vary significantly based on the technology used (GPS vs. cellular geofencing) and environmental factors.

High-quality geofencing data requires precise latitude and longitude coordinates for each location, consistent monitoring of when a device enters or exits boundaries, and reliable processing of this information. 

Working with experienced providers like dataplor who specialize in location-based services is essential for meaningful results.

Privacy and Compliance

Consumer privacy must remain paramount when working with location data. Ensure all geofencing work complies with relevant regulations like GDPR and CCPA, focusing on anonymized, aggregated data rather than tracking specific individuals.

The most sustainable approach is to focus on patterns and trends rather than individual user behavior. This not only respects privacy but often yields more strategically valuable insights anyway.

Integration with Other Data Sources

Geofencing data becomes exponentially more valuable when combined with other business intelligence. Integrating location-based insights with customer profiles, transaction histories, and external factors like weather or local events creates a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing customer decisions.

The messaging effectiveness of location-based marketing improves dramatically when informed by a holistic view of customer context and preferences.

The Synergistic Power of Geofencing Data and POI Data

While geofencing technology provides information about when and how many people visit locations, Point of Interest (POI) data tells you precisely what exists at each location. When combined, these datasets create an unparalleled view of the relationship between places and people.

Consider these scenarios:

  • A quick-service restaurant chain planning expansion might use POI data to reveal competitor density in various neighborhoods, while geofencing data shows actual foot traffic to those locations. Together, they paint a complete picture of market opportunity.
  • For retail businesses, understanding the correlation between specific store attributes (identified through POI data) and customer visits (measured through geofencing) enables more strategic decision-making about store design, merchandising, and marketing efforts.
  • Mobile apps that leverage both datasets can deliver highly personalized experiences, sending trigger notifications that are contextually relevant to both the user’s location and the specific characteristics of nearby businesses.
  • Media companies can optimize targeted advertisements by understanding both where audiences spend time and what specific businesses or amenities exist in those areas. This allows for more relevant social media ads and mobile ads that connect with consumers at precisely the right moment.

Harness Location Intelligence for Strategic Advantage

The businesses gaining the greatest advantage from geofencing data are those that view it as a long-term strategic asset and a fundamental source of insight that informs decision-making across the organization.

By decoding how people move through the physical world, companies can bridge the online/offline divide and deliver customer experiences that feel seamless, timely, and relevant. Active geofences don’t just track—they reveal patterns, unlock efficiencies, and spark innovation.

As location-based technology becomes more advanced, the winners will be those who build real fluency in geospatial data—collecting it with precision, analyzing it with intent, and acting on it with clarity.

Want to turn location data into a strategic advantage?

Reach out to dataplor today to explore our global, privacy-compliant geofencing and POI solutions. We’ll help you unlock powerful insights and stay ahead in an increasingly location-aware world.

Announcing Our $20.5M Series B to Expand Global Location Intelligence and Meet Growing Demand for Smarter, Compliant Data

Jun 03, 2025 / 7 min

Announcing Our $20.5M Series B to Expand Global Location Intelligence and Meet Growing Demand for Smarter, Compliant Data

Blog

Today marks another major step forward in dataplor’s mission to build the world’s most accurate, complete, and comprehensive source of global location intelligence. We’ve successfully closed our $20.5 million Series B funding round, led by F-Prime with participation from Spark Capital, FFVC, Acronym Venture Capital, Space Capital, Two Lanterns, APA Ventures, dara5, and Alumni Ventures.

This new round will accelerate our growth at a critical time, following the launch of our global mobility product and amid a surge in demand for location data that works globally, not just in the U.S.

While the world has become more connected, the data that powers global business hasn’t kept pace. In many international markets, location data remains difficult to access, riddled with inaccuracies, and often sourced from outdated or unverified platforms. Most providers concentrate on the U.S. and Canada, leaving major coverage gaps in high-growth and underserved regions. As a result, businesses are often forced to rely on static data that hasn’t been updated in years. The consequences? Flawed market assessments, inefficient resource allocation, and critical decisions made without a clear view of the ground.

At dataplor, we built our platform to solve this exact problem: delivering globally scaled, locally verified data that reflects the real world as it is today. As the only single-vendor solution for global location intelligence, dataplor eliminates the need to cobble together messy, inconsistent datasets, providing clean, deduped, and normalized data from one trusted source.

Scaling the Infrastructure for Smarter Global Decisions

With this new funding, we’re doubling down on what makes dataplor unique: a globally scaled and locally verified approach that blends proprietary AI, machine learning, and native-language human review to deliver dynamic, near-real-time, privacy-first location intelligence, even in the most data-scarce regions.

Our proprietary data now covers over 350 million Points of Interest (POIs) across more than 250 countries and territories, with mobility insights layered on top to show how consumers behave and move across spaces. We’ve also expanded our privacy-compliant foot traffic product internationally, giving customers fresh, actionable insights without ever exposing personally identifiable information (PII).

This funding enables us to:

  • Expand geographic coverage in under-mapped markets
  • Enhance our POI and mobility product suite
  • Support more seamless customer integrations
  • Invest in new talent and technology to further scale our infrastructure

How Our Customers Use dataplor

Our customers are global businesses solving complex challenges. They rely on dataplor to power decisions across operations, growth, and risk modeling:

  • Financial services and insurance providers use our POI data to assess property risk and exposure at the building level
  • Retail and CPG leaders tap into our intelligence to find new partners, identify white space, and guide market expansion
  • Logistics and EV infrastructure companies use our mobility data to forecast demand and optimize location strategies

And they do so with confidence, knowing our data is accurate, complete, and fully compliant with international privacy standards.

The Road Ahead

What sets dataplor apart isn’t just our tech stack, it’s our team and principles. We’ve built a system that respects privacy, scales globally, and delivers real-world business impact. We don’t track individuals. We don’t scrape data indiscriminately. Instead, we’ve created a new standard for POI and mobility intelligence, one that prioritizes ethics, quality, and transparency.

I’m deeply grateful to our investors, new and existing, for recognizing the importance of this mission. Their support helps us move faster, think bigger, and deliver more value to our customers worldwide.

And none of this would be possible without the incredible team behind dataplor. From engineers and analysts to customer success and operations, this group shows up every day with the precision, care, and curiosity needed to solve some of the hardest data challenges on the planet. I’m proud to build alongside them.

As we scale our platform, our focus remains the same: to build the most accurate, privacy-first location intelligence platform in the world. Our customers deserve better data, and the global market depends on it.

We’re proud of how far we’ve come, but even more excited about what’s next. If your team is navigating global growth, expansion, or risk modeling and needs location data you can trust, we’re here to help.

Let’s build the future of location intelligence together.

Convenience at Scale: How dataplor and Linnda Unlock Mexico’s Retail Insights

May 26, 2025 / 7 min

Convenience at Scale: How dataplor and Linnda Unlock Mexico’s Retail Insights

Blog

In Mexico, convenience stores—known as tienditas de la esquina—are more than just quick stops. They’re essential hubs for groceries, bill payments, and community connections. These small-format retailers provide essential goods and services, especially in neighborhoods where supermarkets are scarce or  expensive. With extended hours, local trust, and a deep understanding of their clientele, convenience stores have become an integral part of Mexico’s cultural and economic landscape.

For businesses trying to reach these essential retailers, visibility is key. That’s where the partnership between dataplor and Linnda comes in. By combining dataplor’s global location intelligence with Linnda’s intuitive platform, companies now have the tools to find, assess, and act on insights related to Mexico’s vast independent convenience store market.

Beyond the Chains: A Fragmented Landscape 

When people think about convenience stores in Mexico, the first names that come to mind are OXXO and 7-Eleven. But beneath the surface of these high-profile brands lies a vast, fragmented ecosystem of independent retailers—and the numbers speak for themselves.

According to dataplor’s POI database, there are 179,755 convenience stores across Mexico. Surprisingly, 137,682 of them—over 76.6%—are independently owned and operated, not affiliated with any national or regional chain.

That means three out of every four convenience stores in Mexico fall under the radar of traditional data sources, which typically emphasize only major brands.

This fragmentation makes it difficult for brands, logistics providers, and retailers to truly understand market saturation, identify growth opportunities, or reach everyday consumers. Independent stores may not show up on search engines, location APIs, or basic mapping tools—making them invisible to many data platforms.

Why This Matters

  • Consumer Access: Independent stores often serve as critical access points for groceries, prepaid mobile plans, and basic household goods in both urban and rural areas.
  • Expansion Strategy: For businesses looking to expand product distribution or evaluate retail footprints, relying on chain data alone paints an incomplete picture.
  • Data Visibility Gap: These “hidden” businesses and POIs are not just statistical blind spots—they’re missed opportunities.

That’s why dataplor’s approach to building and maintaining accurate POI data across all of Mexico’s municipalities, including remote, underserved, and informal areas, is a game-changer for companies that depend on accurate, real-world visibility into convenience stores and retail. 

Analysis Results: Independent Stores Dominate Even in Metro Hubs

To  demonstrate the depth of dataplor’s coverage, we conducted an in-depth analysis of convenience store distribution across several of Mexico’s largest metropolitan areas. The results confirmed a clear trend: independent convenience stores dominate the landscape, even in highly urbanized regions.

By leveraging dataplor’s robust location intelligence, we identified tens of thousands of active convenience stores across cities like Guadalajara, León, and the greater Mexico City metro area. Within each, a significant majority are independently owned and operated, reinforcing the importance of comprehensive POI coverage that extends beyond national chains. These findings not only underscore the depth and accuracy of dataplor’s dataset, but also highlight the critical need for visibility into the “hidden majority” of retail outlets that serve as vital economic and cultural hubs in their communities.

The Solution: dataplor + Linnda for Smarter CPG Distribution

As this analysis shows, even in Mexico’s most densely populated and economically dynamic metro areas, independent convenience stores far outnumber their chain counterparts. These small, often informal retailers are essential to the daily lives of millions, yet they remain largely invisible to conventional data providers.

That’s where dataplor makes the difference. With meticulously verified POI data spanning every municipality in Mexico, dataplor brings clarity to the fragmented retail landscape, unlocking insights that are critical for market expansion, competitive analysis, and strategic planning. In a country where over three-quarters of convenience stores are independently owned, having visibility into the full ecosystem isn’t just helpful—it’s essential.

Through our strategic partnership with Linnda, these insights are now more accessible and actionable than ever. Linnda’s powerful platform transforms dataplor’s verified location data into dynamic, easy-to-use insights that help CPG wholesalers, distributors, and field teams make smarter, faster decisions.

Whether it’s optimizing sales routes, identifying untapped independent stores, or pinpointing high-potential clusters by municipality, Linnda enables users to visualize and activate dataplor’s comprehensive dataset directly within their workflows. For companies selling into Mexico’s fragmented and hyperlocal retail ecosystem, this partnership eliminates guesswork and empowers precision.

With dataplor + Linnda, CPG teams can bridge the gap between store coverage and sales execution, expanding their footprint with confidence.

To learn more, contact us today at contact@dataplor.com or jose@linnda.co.

Introducing dataplor’s Global Mobility Data: Foot Traffic Insights at Scale

May 19, 2025 / 7 min

Introducing dataplor’s Global Mobility Data: Foot Traffic Insights at Scale

Blog

Foot traffic data is no longer just a North American product, it’s a global imperative. As businesses expand into new markets and adapt to shifting consumer behaviors worldwide, the need for precise, GDPR-compliant, privacy-first mobility data has never been more urgent.

To meet this demand, dataplor is expanding its mobility product globally, bringing timely, POI-level foot traffic insights to countries around the world. From major retail hubs to high-growth emerging markets, companies can now access the same caliber of mobility intelligence internationally that they’ve come to rely on in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

What is Global Mobility Data and Why Now?

Mobility data, also known as foot traffic data, measures when and how many people visit a specific place. Combined with dataplor’s point-of-interest (POI) data, this reveals where consumers go, how often, when, and in what context. For multinational businesses, this type of intelligence is foundational to making strategic decisions around expansion, marketing, investment, and operations.

Global enterprises have long grappled with fragmented and incomplete location intelligence solutions, with many providers offering only partial visibility or overlooking emerging markets entirely. Even when data is available, it often lacks the precision needed to tie foot traffic to specific points of interest, limiting its usefulness. Compounding these issues are growing privacy concerns, as many existing solutions fail to meet compliance standards like GDPR or rely on opaque data collection practices.

dataplor’s global mobility product directly addresses these gaps, offering monthly, GDPR-compliant data across both developed and underserved regions, with precise attribution down to individual POIs. What sets our solution apart is its ability to deliver:

  • Granular POI-Level Tracking: Understand exactly which store, venue, or site is being visited, not just general zones or districts.
  • Expanded Global Reach: Access mobility insights in regions that were previously underserved, including key growth markets.
  • Monthly Updates: Stay current with data that’s refreshed every month, rather than relying on outdated quarterly snapshots.
  • Privacy-First Design: Our data is anonymized, aggregated, and compliant with all relevant global privacy regulations.

Combining POI and mobility data, dataplor eliminates the need for patchwork solutions, giving global enterprises a unified, dependable source for location intelligence.

Global Applications, Real-World Impact

The use cases for mobility data are expanding, and industries worldwide can tap into dataplor’s insights to power smarter decisions:

Retailers and quick-service restaurants can pinpoint high-traffic areas, evaluate market potential, and strategically expand into new regions. Consumer packaged goods companies can optimize distribution by targeting stores with proven footfall. Tourism boards and hospitality groups can analyze visitor patterns through major attractions and travel corridors, fine-tuning everything from marketing to operations.

Meanwhile, city planners and infrastructure leaders can use real-world movement data to design more efficient, accessible urban spaces. Real estate professionals, from developers to investors, can assess property value and neighborhood potential through the lens of actual consumer activity.

The World is Moving. We’re Tracking It

As global connectivity deepens, businesses need more than static maps and quarterly reports. They need a consistent, ethical, and scalable way to understand real-world human movement, no matter the market.

Powered by anonymized mobile location signals, verified POI data, and a privacy-first foundation that meets global standards like GDPR, dataplor’s global mobility product delivers the clarity and confidence today’s businesses demand.

Whether you’re optimizing a retail footprint in Southeast Asia, tracking tourism patterns across Europe, or assessing real estate opportunities in Latin America, dataplor provides the insights to help you move forward.

Want to see what global foot traffic looks like in action? Explore our latest tourist attraction report or request a sample to get started.

Global Foot Traffic Trends: What the World’s Most Visited Places Reveal About Tourism’s Return

May 19, 2025 / 7 min

Global Foot Traffic Trends: What the World’s Most Visited Places Reveal About Tourism’s Return

Blog

After years of closed borders and empty landmarks, the world is moving again. From the base of the Great Pyramid to the halls of the Louvre, tourism foot traffic is not only back, it’s shifting in ways that tell us more than just where travelers are going. It reveals how global tourism is evolving.

At dataplor, we use numbers to surface patterns, uncover behaviors, and guide more intelligent decision-making. That’s why we’ve built a foot traffic product rooted in trillions of movement data points. With this latest global tourism dataset, we’ve uncovered meaningful patterns, anomalies, and shifts that define the return of tourism from 2021 through 2024, and point to what 2025 will bring.

The Data That Tells the Story

In 2021, as travel bans slowly lifted, tourism began to crawl back. Places like the Louvre saw modest foot traffic (roughly 2.8 million visitors that year), while open-air icons like the Sydney Opera House and Tokyo Disneyland hovered around 6 million.

By 2022, the Colosseum in Rome saw foot traffic soar from over 1.5 million in 2021 to over 9 million, a year-over-year (YoY) growth of over 400%. The Taj Mahal, Christ the Redeemer, and Petra, all constrained by access and local policy, showed mild YoY growth of less than 50%. But the full comeback didn’t arrive until 2023, when global travel surged past many pre-pandemic benchmarks. Tokyo Disney saw an estimated 13+ million visits based on aggregated mobility patterns. The Sydney Opera House hosted over 10 million. The Great Pyramid at Giza crossed 7 million, reclaiming its place among the most-visited heritage sites in the world.

Beyond the Peaks: What the Footprints Reveal

In 2024, travel demand has accelerated into the spring months. Compared to 2023, global foot traffic at top tourist sites rose by more than 11% in March alone, reflecting a growing preference for earlier trips, driven by favorable pricing and a desire to avoid peak summer crowds.

Meanwhile, the traditional summer hotspots remain dominant. The Colosseum continues to see over 1 million visitors in July and August alone. But even here, we see emerging constraints: extreme heat, labor strikes, and local policy interventions are reshaping not just when people travel, but how destinations manage that demand.

In Rome, for example, the introduction of the “Moon over the Colosseum” night tours in 2023 successfully redirected some tourist traffic to evening hours, helping to spread out demand and slightly boost October’s overall visitation. In Peru, a 23-day rail protest in early 2023 reduced Machu Picchu’s annual traffic by nearly 150,000, a reminder of how even short-term disruptions can erase months of tourism volume.

A New Tourism Calendar

Tourism is increasingly shaped by micro-events, some celebratory, some disruptive. And dataplor’s data captures these trends, offering timely visibility into shifting travel patterns.

  • The Sydney Opera House marked its 50th anniversary with a yearlong celebration that began in October 2022 and concluded in October 2023, drawing a rare peak in visitor numbers during Australia’s typically quieter months.
  • Strikes in Paris reduced March 2023 traffic at the Louvre.
  • Across all sites in our dataset, October and December 2024 each saw more than 5.4 million visits, surpassing June. The trend points to extended holiday travel and growing interest in off-peak experiences driven by cooler weather, cultural events, and pricing advantages.

Whether driven by weather, politics, or pop culture, these moments ripple outward, impacting bookings, campaigns, and even regional economies.

What 2025 Might Look Like

Using four years of consistent seasonal benchmarks and trends, dataplor projects a continued shift toward earlier travel planning and spring surges.

Based on recent trends, 2025’s most visited sites are expected to mirror past performance, with the top five being:

  • Tokyo Disneyland
  • Sydney Opera House
  • The Colosseum
  • Great Pyramid at Giza
  • The Louvre

These landmarks show durable interest, seasonal consistency, and the ability to absorb disruptions. Meanwhile, sites like Petra and Machu Picchu, though smaller in raw volume, continue to show strong seasonality tied to weather and limited access, with peak demand condensing around narrow windows.

Another variable shaping 2025 tourism trends may come from beyond the travel industry itself. Trade tensions, shifting visa policies, and regional tariffs, especially involving China, the U.S., and the EU, could reshape cross-border travel flows. We’ve already seen how government actions directly affect tourism patterns: in Peru, anti-government protests in early 2023 led to the closure of Machu Picchu for nearly a month, resulting in a measurable drop in foot traffic. In France, nationwide strikes over pension reform triggered a temporary decline in March visitation to the Louvre. While dataplor doesn’t predict policy, our foot traffic data shows how quickly decisions at the top, whether diplomatic or domestic, can ripple through global movement. As 2025 approaches, we’ll be watching how geopolitics continue to shape where the world travels.

Why This Matters

Tourism isn’t just a consumer preference; it’s an infrastructure challenge, an economic driver, and a cultural signal. Cities, brands, and agencies all depend on accurate, timely data to make high-stakes decisions about pricing, staffing, events, and policy.

dataplor’s foot traffic product delivers:

  • Verified POI-level insights across continents
  • Month-over-month comparisons for multi-year analysis
  • Granular visibility into seasonal and disruption-based shifts

From managing overflow crowds in Rome to launching early spring promotions in Peru, our data equips decision-makers with the tools to adapt in real time, and stay ahead of what’s next.

dataplor’s mobility insights illuminate that story, helping you respond to today and plan for tomorrow. Want to learn more about how our global foot traffic product can inform your business strategy? Reach out for a mobility sample.

Unlocking the Power of Mobility Data: Insights for Localized Strategies

May 19, 2025 / 7 min

Unlocking the Power of Mobility Data: Insights for Localized Strategies

Blog

What is Mobility Data?

Mobility data provides dynamic insights into visitation patterns across various locations. This data offers valuable information about how people move and interact within the physical world, enabling businesses to make informed decisions.

Unlike static location data which offers a more limited view of business attributes, mobility data reveals trends and patterns in how people visit given locations over time. By analyzing anonymized and aggregated visitation data, businesses can gain a deeper understanding of consumer behavior and make informed decisions about market analysis, site selection, and more. This data provides insights into overall movement trends without compromising individual privacy.

According to MarketsandMarkets, the location data industry is expected to reach $39.2 billion by 2025 as the demand for precise and actionable mobility data across industries grows. 

Location data providers offer valuable data that enables businesses to understand foot traffic patterns, refine location-based targeting, and make informed decisions.

In this article, we will explore the fundamentals of mobility location data, the sources of location data, and how businesses can leverage POI and mobility data to develop effective site selection and market expansion strategies. We’ll also look at how location data companies like dataplor can offer better data accuracy and reliability than unverified, publicly-available location data sources.

Why is Mobility Location Data Important?

Mobility location data forms the foundation of modern strategy for businesses that want to get real-time insights into consumer behavior, movement patterns, and local trends. 

Having accurate and up-to-date location data allows organizations to make informed decisions, adapt to changing market conditions, and create highly personalized experiences for their customers.

In today’s competitive landscape, businesses in sectors such as retail, real estate, transportation, CPG, and more are leveraging mobility data to enhance their operations. 

With localized strategies driven by this data, businesses can:

  • Allocate resources based on foot traffic patterns
  • Identify areas for expansion or investment
  • Deliver location-based advertising

Additionally, unlike static data, mobility location data enables businesses to respond to real-world changes. This means you can track how weather impacts foot traffic or assess the performance of a marketing campaign in specific locations. 

Being able to process location data in real-time allows businesses to stay one step ahead.

For example, imagine a global retail brand like H&M using mobility data to analyze customer movement during peak holiday shopping hours. With this data, H&M can allocate staff and stock to the stores with the most foot traffic. This type of real-time optimization can lead to an increase of in-store sales.

Key Use Cases of Mobility Location Data

Mobility location data is a powerful tool with a wide range of applications. Its real-time accuracy is essential for making targeted decisions, optimizing operations, and enhancing customer experiences. Below are some of the most popular use cases for mobility location data.

Business Applications

Mobility location data is transforming the way businesses operate, providing valuable insights to drive growth and improve decision-making.

Here are the industries where it’s being used most proactively:

Retail

Mobility location data gives retailers a deeper understanding of customer behavior and trends. By analyzing foot traffic patterns, businesses can identify top-performing stores, spot underperforming locations, and measure the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. 

For example, real-time location data can: 

  • Target customers with promotions as they enter specific areas
  • Enable better competitive analysis by allowing retailers to benchmark against nearby competitors
  • Inform site selection by identifying high-traffic areas for future expansion

Real Estate

In the real estate sector, mobility location data is a game-changer for demand forecasting and property valuation. 

Developers and investors can assess the desirability of a location by analyzing traffic patterns, demographic data, geospatial data, and proximity to amenities. High-traffic areas become more prominent, helping realtors pinpoint prime locations for new developments.

This data-driven approach also sheds light on how seasonal or economic changes impact different areas.

Transportation

Transportation services, from public transit to logistics companies, use mobility location data to enhance efficiency in several ways:

  • Traffic flow analysis helps identify congestion points and develop better routing 
  • Public transportation agencies can optimize schedules based on passenger patterns
  • Ride-sharing services rely heavily on this data to match supply with demand and offer dynamic pricing

Logistics and delivery companies use real-time data to improve delivery times, reduce fuel costs, and ensure timely customer service.

Tourism

Tourism benefits from mobility location data by analyzing tourist flow and popular attractions. 

Travel agencies can identify high-traffic areas and develop strategies to promote lesser-known destinations, enhancing the overall tourist experience. 

This data also highlights underserved areas where new attractions, hotels, or transportation options could be introduced. Local cities and tourism boards can use these insights to improve facilities and infrastructure, providing better services to visitors.

Urban Planning & Government

Beyond business, mobility location data is transforming communities and public services. From urban development to emergency management, here’s how it’s being used:

Urban Planning

Mobility location data gives valuable insights into population density and movement patterns. By analyzing where people are most active throughout the day, urban planners can identify areas that need more infrastructure or services. 

For example, a surge in foot traffic in a particular area may indicate a need for better roads, public transportation options, and opportunities for more commercial and residential development.

Urban growth analysis can be conducted by tracking people and businesses, allowing planners to forecast the expansion of cities and their changing needs. 

This data helps create smarter cities that accommodate growing populations with strategically placed amenities, transport networks, and green spaces.

Emergency Response

In emergency situations, mobility location data can significantly improve disaster management. By collecting real-time data from phone locations, GPS devices, and other connected devices, authorities can track movement in affected areas, enabling data-driven decisions for rapid evacuations or aid distribution. 

Additionally, it supports crowd management during emergencies such as natural disasters or large-scale events. 

For example, after the California wildfires, government agencies can analyze historical mobility data to understand which evacuation routes were most heavily traveled. This insight helps inform future emergency planning by identifying where to reinforce infrastructure, or stage resources for faster, safer evacuations.

Source: Frontline Wildfire

By using real-time location data, governments can improve public safety planning, ensuring that resources and interventions are allocated where they are needed most.

Transportation Planning

Transportation planning greatly benefits from mobility location data, particularly when addressing traffic congestion and optimizing public transport routes. 

By analyzing real-time traffic flow, transportation authorities can pinpoint congestion hotspots and find alternative routes to minimize delays, improving the overall commuter experience. 

This data can also guide infrastructure development, such as building new roads or expanding public transport in high-demand areas. 

With the mobility data gathered, city authorities can:

  • Optimize bus and train schedules
  • Improve pedestrian safety 
  • Promote environmentally friendly transport options like biking or walking

By tracking movement patterns, authorities can prioritize projects that will most effectively reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality, and make travel easier for residents.

Experience the Power of Localized Insights with dataplor

Mobility location data is a game changer for both businesses and public sector initiatives, enabling localized strategies that deliver tangible results.

With high-quality location intelligence, organizations can unlock opportunities, optimize operations, and create solutions to meet the changing needs of their audience.

At dataplor, we provide comprehensive, reliable datasets so you can make informed decisions. Our data is tailored to a wide variety of industries and sectors, offering unmatched granularity and coverage.

With dataplor, you can say goodbye to lengthy data collection processes, seamlessly integrate our datasets into your existing systems, and process data your way to get the insights you need most.

Benefit from:

  • High-Quality Data: Complete and accurate datasets for diverse use cases.
  • Custom Data Feeds: Get the data you need, in the format that suits you best.
  • Unbeatable Support: Our team will give you the tools and guidance to help you maximize your data’s potential.

Ready to buy location data from a data provider and supercharge your localized strategies, saying no to irrelevant third-party data sources? 

Talk to an expert today or request a free data sample to experience our services and see how we compare to other data providers. 

So, what are you waiting for?

Get in touch with dataplor today and start unlocking precise, actionable insights to achieve your objectives. 

Foot Traffic Analysis for Strategic Expansion: A Data-Driven Approach

May 14, 2025 / 7 min

Foot Traffic Analysis for Strategic Expansion: A Data-Driven Approach

Blog

Did you know that almost 85% of retail sales still happen in-store despite the rise of e-commerce? 

There’s no question that foot traffic analysis is key to businesses planning expansion. Understanding how people move through and interact with physical spaces gives you powerful insights that can make or break a new location’s success.

So what is foot traffic, you might ask?

Foot traffic refers to the number of customers who enter a specific location over a given time period. By collecting and analyzing this data, you can gain valuable insights into customer behavior, peak hours, and potential revenue opportunities. This is critical when identifying potential expansion locations and minimizing risk.

In this article, we’ll review how foot traffic data drives expansion decisions, key considerations when analyzing foot traffic, and how dataplor’s comprehensive location intelligence can power your expansion strategy.

Foot Traffic Analysis for Expansion: Key Considerations

Before investing in a new location, understanding the existing foot traffic within that area is a must. Proper foot traffic analysis combines several key considerations to give you the full picture.

Identifying High-Traffic Areas

When analyzing foot traffic, volume alone isn’t enough. Businesses need to evaluate the quality of foot traffic and how it matches their target audience. 

For example, a luxury retailer might want areas with fewer but higher spending visitors over areas with high volume but lower spend.

To find high-traffic areas that match your business needs, consider:

  • Daily and hourly foot traffic variations
  • Seasonal patterns and trends
  • Dwell time and engagement levels

Analyzing Nearby Businesses

Understanding the business ecosystem around potential expansion locations gives critical context to foot traffic data. 

A restaurant might benefit from being near entertainment venues that generate evening foot traffic. A coffee shop might thrive near office buildings with morning commuters.

When analyzing foot traffic around existing businesses, consider:

  • Complementary businesses that drive shared customers
  • Competitive density and positioning
  • Anchor tenants that generate significant foot traffic
  • Businesses with similar target audience

Evaluating Accessibility and Infrastructure

Even high foot traffic areas can underperform if they’re hard to reach. 

Foot traffic and location data about transportation options, parking availability, and pedestrian-friendly features give you critical context for foot traffic trends.

When evaluating accessibility through foot traffic data:

  • Analyze how pedestrians naturally flow through an area
  • Examine public transport proximity and usage
  • Assess vehicle traffic patterns and parking availability
  • Consider pedestrian infrastructure quality and safety

Stores on pedestrian-friendly streets often see more foot traffic than similar stores on car-dominated or traffic-heavy streets.

Leveraging Foot Traffic Data for Strategic Expansion Decisions

Now that you have a good understanding of the foot traffic considerations, here’s how you can apply the data collected to inform your expansion decisions and marketing efforts.

Market Gap Analysis

Analyzing foot traffic patterns reveals where people go—but also where they don’t go, and why.

By analyzing foot traffic across broader areas, you can find underserved markets with potential and gain valuable insights on the physical location worth considering.

For example, a retailer might use foot traffic data to find areas with high foot traffic but limited shopping options in their category. This gap is an opportunity to enter a market with established foot traffic and less competition with a better understanding of customer behavior.

Market gap analysis using foot traffic data should:

  • Compare foot traffic density to existing service density
  • Find areas where customers travel further for services
  • Measure foot traffic leakage to other areas
  • Assess campaign performance using store visits as a metric 

Competitor Analysis

Understanding how competitors perform at their locations is like an undiscovered gold mine for your expansion plans. By analyzing foot traffic at competitor locations, you can find models to copy and opportunities to differentiate.

Effective competitor analysis through foot traffic data involves:

  • Comparing foot traffic volumes across competitor locations
  • Analyzing peak hours and seasonal trends
  • Evaluating customer engagement and dwell time
  • Identifying underperforming competitor locations

Site Selection

The ultimate application of foot traffic analysis is to find locations for new stores or facilities. 

By combining foot traffic data with other location intelligence, you can calculate foot traffic potential and project performance for specific sites.

Effective site selection using foot traffic data should:

  • Analyze historical foot traffic trends in the area
  • Compare site performance to successful existing locations
  • Project foot traffic based on nearby development plans
  • Evaluate the impact of nearby store locations on each other

Combining Data Sources for a Holistic View

Foot traffic data is most powerful when combined with other data sources, like Point of Interest (POI) data, to get a complete picture.

For example, understanding foot traffic peaks around lunchtime near a cluster of office buildings differs from foot traffic at night near entertainment venues.

When combining foot traffic data with POI data, you can:

  • Find which business types drive foot traffic in an area
  • Understand the relationship between business mix and visitor patterns
  • See symbiotic relationships between certain business types
  • Project how new developments will impact existing foot traffic patterns

Internal business data takes foot traffic analysis to the next level. By comparing foot traffic trends to store performance metrics, you can find your ideal foot traffic profile and target similar patterns in expansion locations.

For instance, a quick-service restaurant chain might find that locations with steady foot traffic all day perform better than those with big peaks and troughs, even if the total foot traffic is the same. This would guide them to locations with more consistent traffic patterns.

Mobility location data adds another layer of insight to help you understand the customer’s journey before and after visiting a location. This data shows traffic patterns across the wider area, not just at the storefront.

dataplor’s POI Data: Fueling Expansion Strategies

dataplor’s location intelligence has the data you need to make informed growth decisions. 

With coverage across over 250 countries and territories, dataplor provides high-quality data on millions of points of interest worldwide.

What sets dataplor apart is our focus on data accuracy and depth. While many providers offer basic location data, dataplor provides:

  • Verified and up-to-date information on millions of locations
  • Comprehensive business attributes (hours, categories, contact info)
  • Global coverage with consistent data schema
  • Privacy-compliant mobility data
  • Customizable data solutions for your business needs

This dataset allows you to use foot traffic data for growth planning. For example, a retail business expanding internationally can use dataplor’s POI data with foot traffic analysis to:

  • Identify promising markets based on competitive density
  • Analyze foot traffic around similar businesses
  • Evaluate site accessibility and infrastructure
  • Understand local consumer behavior and preferences

By combining dataplor’s POI data with foot traffic insights, your business has a powerful tool to identify trends and promote growth planning. This minimizes risk and maximizes success in new markets.

Expand Your Horizons with Foot Traffic Data

Foot traffic analytics has moved from manual counting to advanced data science that drives business decisions. By tracking foot traffic data across a broader geographical area and targeted locations, you can identify opportunities, reduce risk, and optimize your growth strategy.

The best growth strategies combine data sources—foot traffic patterns, POI data, demographic data, and internal business metrics—to give a complete view of potential locations. 

This goes beyond mere gut feel and into data-driven decision-making for maximum success. With dataplor’s global POI data and location intelligence, you can expand into new markets with confidence.

Ready to power your strategy with location data? Contact dataplor today to find out how our location intelligence capabilities can boost your business and help you find the perfect location for continued growth.

How the UK’s Top Grocery Chains are Evolving: Growth Stories from Aldi, Tesco, and Sainsbury’s

May 07, 2025 /

How the UK’s Top Grocery Chains are Evolving: Growth Stories from Aldi, Tesco, and Sainsbury’s

Blog

The UK grocery market has always been fiercely competitive, but over the past five years, the landscape has shifted in fascinating ways. Behind every new store, every closure, and every strategic move lies a story of adaptation, ambition, and long-term vision.

In today’s high-stakes retail environment, understanding where and how brands grow is essential. For investors, real estate developers, and portfolio managers, understanding these growth stories is more than an academic exercise—it’s critical to making smarter location-based decisions.

That’s why dataplor has partnered with Cherre, the leading real estate data management platform. By combining dataplor’s global location intelligence with Cherre’s real estate data integration capabilities, investment management and real estate firms can unlock powerful, location-based insights—especially for private chains that don’t share public disclosures. With Cherre, firms can easily combine dataplor’s point of interest data with a client’s internal portfolio data, and other third-party datasets to enable:

  • Smarter site selection based on competitor proximity and retail growth patterns
  • Visibility into openings, closures, and market shifts—especially from private chains like Aldi
  • Custom investment models incorporating retail density, geospatial trends, and foot traffic insights

To illustrate how this works in practice, we analysed five years of store growth trends for three of the UK’s leading grocery brands: Aldi, Tesco, and Sainsbury’s. Instead of just counting stores, we looked at the why and where behind their expansion. The patterns reveal not only the strategies of these retailers, but also the opportunities they create for those looking to invest, build, or compete in these markets.

Aldi: The Challenger That’s Not Slowing Down

Few grocers have disrupted the UK market quite like Aldi. With a no-frills, value-first model, Aldi has shown consistent momentum with targeted bursts of expansion.

From 2020–2024, Aldi averaged a strong 4.9% annual growth rate in store openings. The brand kicked off the decade with 5.5% growth in 2020, followed by a peak of 6.4% in 2021. In 2022, the pace moderated to 4.7%, and 2023 saw a notable slowdown to just 0.8%, signaling a strategic pause. But in 2024, Aldi delivered an impressive 8.5% growth—its strongest performance in five years.

This cadence isn’t random. dataplor’s analysis suggests that the 2023 pause represented a deliberate period of site selection, planning, and operational optimisation. The result? A sharp rebound that underscored Aldi’s renewed confidence in capturing more market share.

Proximity Patterns: Retail Neighbors of New Aldi Locations

Our initial geospatial analysis highlighted Aldi’s 2023 slowdown and rapid acceleration into 2024. With dataplor’s location intelligence layered into Cherre’s platform, we were able to take the next step: examining the specific characteristics of Aldi’s 2024 store locations to uncover meaningful insights about their selection strategy. The goal was simple, to understand not just where Aldi is growing, but the underlying factors shaping those decisions. 

dataplor analysed the types of POIs and most common chains within 400m and 2km of the 80+ new Aldi locations that opened in 2024.

Interpretation:

  • Allpoint and InPost: Aldi strongly favors utility-dense areas, ensuring customers have access to both cash and parcel services.
  • Sainsbury’s presence supports the idea Aldi is not avoiding competition but rather positioning itself in established grocery zones.
  • Motability Scheme proximity highlights a potential bias toward vehicle-accessible locations, perhaps in suburban commercial strips.

Chains Disproportionately Concentrated Near Aldi Stores

These chains appear almost exclusively within 400m and not in the wider 2km trade area, indicating Aldi may be deliberately co-locating near:

  • InPost Lockers
  • Motability Scheme Locations
  • Evri ParcelShops
  • Boots Pharmacy
  • McDonald’s, KFC, Timpson (key service and fast-food chains)

Top 5 Most Common POI Types Within 400m:

  • Bus Stops
  • ATMs
  • Beauty Salons
  • Restaurants
  • Corporate Offices

Strategic Implications

Aldi appears to be selecting new store locations with the following characteristics:

  • High Accessibility: The presence of many bus stops suggests Aldi prioritizes locations with strong public transportation access, which can drive foot traffic and accessibility.
  • Financial Convenience: Proximity to ATMs may indicate a preference for areas with available financial services, supporting quick cash access for customers.
  • Community-Oriented Retail Zones: Beauty salons and restaurants point toward Aldi targeting areas that function as local commercial hubs with steady daily activity.
  • Business Districts: The number of nearby corporate offices implies Aldi may be placing stores in or near employment centers, perhaps targeting lunchtime or post-work shopping traffic.

Tesco & Sainsbury’s: The Competitive Backdrop

While Aldi pushed aggressively into high-density commercial zones, Tesco and Sainsbury’s opted for more measured strategies over the same five-year period.

Tesco saw 3.6% growth in 2020, followed by 1.9% in 2021. Growth rebounded to 3.5% in 2022, then held steady through 2023 (3.2%) and 2024 (3.4%). dataplor’s insights revealed a trend of store closures during the later years of this period, highlighting a strategic reshuffling. Tesco appears to be fine-tuning its presence, prioritizing profitability and precision over rapid expansion.

Sainsbury’s, in contrast, followed the most conservative path. From 1.3% growth in 2020 to 2.8% in 2021, the brand dialed back slightly in 2022 (1.5%), rose again in 2023 (2.7%), and stayed consistent in 2024 (2.4%). These moderate, consistent figures reflect a company focused on stability, closing underperformers while reinforcing key strongholds.

Together, these approaches illustrate the broader market context Aldi is navigating and disrupting.

The Future of Growth is Data-Driven

The evolution of the UK grocery sector over the last five years is more than a story of new openings or market share battles—it’s a story of strategic intent.

dataplor’s location intelligence makes it possible to see beyond the headlines. We offer a detailed, dynamic view of store growth, site selection, market saturation, and competitive positioning in real time. With our integration into Cherre’s platform, it’s easier than ever for real estate and investment firms to put that intelligence into action.

Let’s explore what’s possible. Contact us to learn how dataplor and Cherre can help you unlock the full power of location intelligence—wherever your next move takes you.

Mobility Data: Empowering CPG Companies with Privacy-First Location Intelligence

Apr 17, 2025 /

Mobility Data: Empowering CPG Companies with Privacy-First Location Intelligence

Blog

In the physical retail landscape, knowing where consumers go and how they move is no longer a luxury you can miss out on. It’s a must-have source of information. 

Mobility data has become the missing piece for Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies to gain deeper insights into customer visitation patterns. This location-based intelligence shows not just where customers shop but how they move throughout the day—revealing patterns in visits, dwell times, and shopping frequency. This empowers CPG brands to make smarter decisions around product placement, distribution, and marketing strategies.

According to recent research from McKinsey, 71% of CPG leaders have said they leverage AI and advanced analytics in at least one area of business functions. Applying these tools to mobility data can boost margins and offer a significant competitive edge.

In this article, we’ll look at how mobility data transforms CPG operations, what to look for in a mobility data provider, and how dataplor’s privacy-first approach delivers comprehensive, high-quality insights without compromising consumer privacy. 

Mobility Data in Action: CPG Use Cases

Mobility data goes far beyond simple location tracking. 

For CPG companies looking to improve their market position and boost revenue, mobility data offers powerful opportunities to optimize performance by improving distribution, refining marketing strategies, and gaining deeper insights into customer behavior.

Understanding Consumer Behavior

Mobility data provides a real-world view of consumer visitation, delivering insights that traditional location data can’t.  When aggregated and analyzed correctly, this data shows:

  • How customers move between different locations
  • Dwell time in retail environments
  • Cross-shopping patterns between neighboring stores

For example, a beverage manufacturer might discover their target demographic visits fitness centers before grocery stores on weeknights. This intelligence could change their distribution and promotional strategies.

Optimizing Distribution Networks

For CPG companies, distribution efficiency is the bottom line. Mobility data helps manage logistics networks by showing:

  • High-traffic retail locations to stock priority
  • Regional variations in in-store visitation patterns
  • Best delivery routes based on store visitation peaks
  • Competitive density mapping

Travelers want directions they can rely on, and so do CPG logistics teams. When high-quality data informs distribution decisions, products arrive where needed most and when demand peaks.

Targeting Marketing Campaigns

Generic marketing rarely delivers good ROI. Mobility metrics, on the other hand, allow for hyper-targeted campaign planning:

  • Find complementary retailers for partnerships
  • Determine the best billboard and out-of-home advertising locations
  • Validate audience segments with real-world behavior

Measuring Campaign Effectiveness

Traditional campaign measurement is all about sales lift, but mobility data helps add much-needed context:

  • Track visitation patterns to retailers that carry your products
  • Compare store traffic before, during, and after promotions
  • Analyze competitive visitation from your campaigns
  • Measure actual footfall from specific marketing initiatives

For CPG brands, this closes the loop between marketing spend and in-store impact, allowing for continuous campaign optimization.

Choosing the Right Mobility Data Provider: Key Considerations

Not all mobility data is collected equally. In the same way that public agencies, cities, and private companies rely on shared languages and standards, a mobility data provider should offer clear and consistent data formats for easy integration and understanding.

Data Accuracy and Reliability

The foundation of any good mobility dataset is accuracy. Reliable directions require high-quality data inputs. Look for providers who:

  • Have rigorous data verification processes
  • Use multiple data sources for validation
  • Provide transparent methodology documentation
  • Have regular, documented update frequencies

Never compromise on quality—insufficient and inaccurate data can lead to poor decision-making, which can ripple throughout your organization.

Data Coverage

Comprehensive geographic coverage is key for CPG companies with a global footprint. It’s important to evaluate if the provider has:

  • National and global mobility data coverage
  • Rural and urban area representation
  • Multiple retailer types and categories
  • Consistent methodologies across different regions

The more complete the data, the better equipped you are to develop scalable solutions that support your entire market footprint.

Data Privacy and Compliance

With increasing regulatory scrutiny, privacy can’t be an afterthought. Look for providers who:

  • Never collect personally identifiable information (PII)
  • Implement rigorous data anonymization protocols
  • Follow GDPR and other regulations for compliance 
  • Filter out sensitive information and locations

A responsible provider ensures standardized, high-quality, and comprehensive processes that respect privacy while delivering valuable, actionable insights to businesses.

Maximizing the Value of Mobility Data

Acquiring mobility data is just the beginning. To unlock its full value, organizations should build capabilities across multiple dimensions.

However, many companies struggle to implement mobility data due to technical complexity, organizational silos, and analysis paralysis. 

To overcome these challenges:

  • Integrate data across systems: Connect mobility insights with your existing customer, sales, and inventory management platforms.
  • Build cross-functional teams: Bring together marketing, sales, supply chain, and analytics experts to interpret findings holistically.
  • Start with specific use cases: Rather than targeting an area that is too broad, begin with high-impact applications like new product launches or significant campaign optimizations.
  • Invest in visualization: Complex mobility patterns become accessible when visualized effectively and can improve the adoption of standardized formats across your organization.
  • Develop systemic solutions: Build long-term capabilities for mobility data use through clear processes, tools, and ongoing knowledge sharing.

Organizations that effectively operationalize mobility data can achieve greater ROI from their marketing investments compared to those who collect, but underutilize such data.

dataplor’s Mobility Data: Privacy-First Location Intelligence

At dataplor, we believe powerful insights shouldn’t come at the cost of privacy. Our approach to mobility data stands out through several key advantages:

Privacy-First Approach

Unlike some vendors who’ve faced legal challenges over privacy concerns, dataplor built privacy protection into its foundation:

  • Zero collection of personally identifiable information (PII)
  • Algorithmic filtering of sensitive locations
  • GDPR compliant methodologies

We don’t just comply with regulations; we exceed them with a fundamental commitment to ethical data practices.

Global Coverage with Consistent Methodology

CPG customers benefit from dataplor’s unmatched international coverage:

  • Standardized data collection across countries
  • Consistent schema for easy cross-market analysis
  • Comprehensive coverage beyond urban centers
  • Reliable mobility insights to support global expansion strategies

Our global mobility data enables accurate market comparison and strategy development across borders.

Actionable Intelligence

Raw data without context has limited value. dataplor transforms location signals into business intelligence:

  • Estimated visitor metrics derived from proprietary algorithms
  • Polygon-accurate location definitions
  • Time-based visitation patterns
  • Competitive benchmarking capabilities

Our estimated visitor count algorithm incorporates population density, signal frequency, and historical patterns to deliver accurate metrics without compromising privacy.

Customized for CPG Applications

We understand the unique challenges faced by CPG companies:

  • Retailer-specific intelligence
  • Category-level competitive analysis
  • Distribution optimization insights
  • Campaign effectiveness measurement

Our data bridges your business questions with actionable insights, powered by our location intelligence expertise.

Mobility Data: A Powerful Tool for CPG Success

As visitation patterns evolve over time, CPG companies with access to high-quality mobility data gain a major competitive advantage

By understanding physical world consumer journeys, optimizing distribution networks, targeting marketing efforts more accurately, and measuring real-world impact, they are set up for long-term growth.

dataplor’s privacy-first mobility data gives CPG companies the intelligence they need without the ethical and legal headaches that other providers face. Our global methodology, rigorous verification processes, and customized analytics deliver measurable business outcomes.

Ready to see how mobility data can transform your CPG business? Get in touch with dataplor today to learn how our privacy-first approach to location intelligence can help you understand consumer behavior, optimize operations, and grow in a competitive market.

Driving Retail Success: A Guide to Foot Traffic Analytics

Apr 11, 2025 /

Driving Retail Success: A Guide to Foot Traffic Analytics

Blog

Retail success goes beyond having a great product. It also relies on getting customers through the door. But how do retailers track foot traffic trends, identify patterns, and measure foot traffic in a way that drives insights? 

The answer is foot traffic analytics, a data-driven approach to understanding customer behavior in physical locations.

Foot traffic analysis is the process of examining external, aggregated foot traffic data to see how many visitors visit a specific location and how these patterns change over time. This data helps businesses optimize marketing, site selection, and the overall customer experience.

Studies show that over 80% of retail transactions still happen in physical stores, so it’s crucial to track foot traffic and analyze patterns. 

In this guide, we’ll look at the importance of foot traffic analytics, how businesses can use it to grow, and what to consider when choosing a foot traffic data provider like dataplor.

The Retail Landscape: Challenges and Opportunities

The retail world is undergoing a seismic shift. Traditional brick-and-mortar stores are battling on multiple fronts:

  • Unprecedented competition from e-commerce
  • Rapidly changing consumer behavior
  • Economic uncertainty
  • Technological disruption

Today, physical stores must compete not only with one another but also with digital marketplaces offering unmatched convenience and personalization.

Challenges for retailers include:

  • Changing Consumer Behavior: Shoppers no longer visit stores just to transact. They expect unique in-store experiences, seamless online-to-offline integration, and personalization. Retailers need foot traffic data to understand customer behavior and adjust their strategy accordingly.
  • Site Selection and Expansion Risks: Choosing the wrong retail location can be costly. Retailers need to analyze foot traffic patterns and demographic data to ensure they invest in the best locations that attract more visitors.
  • Competition and Market Saturation: With so many businesses vying for the same customers, understanding competitive foot traffic trends is key. Tracking foot traffic near competitor locations can give insights into market gaps and opportunities.

Retailers who use location intelligence and external foot traffic analytics can get a competitive edge by:

  • Identifying ideal locations for new retail stores
  • Refining marketing campaigns based on real-time traffic data
  • Configuring store layouts to get more customer visits
  • Using foot traffic patterns to improve operations

The Importance of Foot Traffic Analytics for Retailers

Foot traffic analysis is more than just counting how many visitors walk into a store. It gives a complete view of customer movement and engagement so businesses can make data-driven decisions.

Types of foot traffic data include:

  • Aggregated Pedestrian Counts: Measures overall foot traffic trends in and around a specific location.
  • Competitor Foot Traffic Data: Helps businesses understand consumer behavior at rival locations.
  • Trends Over Time: This includes tracking seasonal fluctuations, marketing campaign impact, and long-term visitation trends.

Why do retailers need this data?

  • High foot traffic = more customers. Footfall data helps businesses predict revenue.
  • Consistent traffic = loyal customers. Patterns show brand loyalty and customer engagement.
  • Sudden traffic changes = market shifts. A decline in foot traffic can mean an economic downturn or poor marketing efforts.

Strategic Applications: Turning Foot Traffic into Retail Advantage

Retailers should combine foot traffic data with demographic data, point of interest (POI) insights, and market data for the best advantage to their retail strategy.

  • Optimizing Site Selection: Choosing the right store location is key to success. Analyzing foot traffic and mobility data can show which areas have high commercial potential and steady customer visits. Retailers can avoid costly leasing mistakes by identifying higher foot traffic zones.
  • Hyperlocal Marketing: Retailers can use foot traffic data to tailor their marketing. By studying mobile location data, they can launch promotions when traffic is highest, boosting conversion rates.
  • Competitive Intelligence: Using foot traffic analysis, retailers can see competitors’ performance. If a nearby store sees a spike in customer data, it may indicate a successful marketing campaign or product launch from which businesses can learn.
  • Performance Evaluation: Measuring foot traffic data before and after an event, sale, or ad campaign provides valuable insights. Retailers can analyze foot traffic to adjust future marketing and operations.

Building a Holistic Retail Strategy

Retailers today face a complex landscape where estimating foot traffic isn’t enough. To stay competitive, they must combine accurate foot traffic analytics with a broader set of data-driven insights to create a retail strategy. 

By using multiple data sources—including POI data, sales performance metrics, and market trends—retailers can get a 360-degree view of customer behavior and optimize store operations.

Here’s how retailers can build a holistic retail strategy by understanding foot traffic so they can better target customers and gain valuable insights:

 1. Leveraging POI Data

A physical store doesn’t operate in isolation—its surroundings play a big role in driving customer visits. Point of interest (POI) data shows nearby businesses, attractions, transit stations, and landmarks that impact foot traffic trends.

How POI data helps: 

  • High-Traffic Locations: Stores near restaurants, gyms, or shopping malls will have more foot traffic than standalone locations.
  • Partnership and Collaboration: Knowing nearby businesses can help retailers explore cross-promotional opportunities (e.g. a clothing store offering discounts to gym members).
  • Competitor Analysis: POI data helps retailers see how competitor locations impact consumer behavior and if opening a store near a competitor would be a wise decision.

2. Aligning Sales Data with Foot Traffic Trends

Tracking foot traffic patterns is valuable, but businesses must also correlate these numbers with sales performance. A location with high visitor numbers but low conversion rates may indicate issues with store layout, pricing, or product selection.

How aligning sales data helps: 

  • Conversion Rate Optimization: By comparing foot traffic data with sales data, retailers can see what percentage of visitors buy and adjust their stores accordingly.
  • Product Placement: If an area of the store has high foot traffic but low sales, product placement or in-store promotions may need to be adjusted.
  • Traffic vs. Revenue Gaps: If a store has consistent foot traffic but declining sales, pricing, customer service, or inventory could likely be the issue.

 3. Benchmarking Against Market Trends and Competitors

External factors like economic trends, consumer spending habits, and competitor performance all impact success. To develop a holistic strategy, businesses must benchmark their foot traffic data against industry trends and competitor insights.

How benchmarking helps:  

  • Seasonal Trends: Comparing year-over-year foot traffic data helps businesses plan for peak shopping periods, staffing, and inventory adjustments.
  • Competitor Analysis: Monitoring foot traffic at competitor locations will show which stores are getting more customers and why.
  • Adapting to Market Changes: If a new shopping mall opens nearby and diverts foot traffic, businesses can adjust their marketing strategy to retain customers.

Vetting the Right Foot Traffic Analytics Provider

Choosing the right foot traffic data provider is key. Retailers should consider:

  • Data Reliability: How accurate and reliable is the foot traffic data?
  • Geographic Coverage: Can the provider track specific locations on a global scale?
  • Privacy Compliance: Does the data comply with data security laws?
  • Customer Support: Can businesses get help interpreting location data?

A quality provider offers reliable, privacy-first foot traffic data that businesses can trust to make informed decisions.

Transform Your Retail Operations with Foot Traffic Analytics

By using foot traffic analytics, you can:

  • Find the best places to expand in the physical world
  • Refine marketing campaigns with traffic data
  • Get a competitive edge by studying customer behavior
  • Optimize store layouts and operations 
  • Make strategic decisions with location intelligence

To succeed in today’s retail environment, you need to use foot traffic data to make better, data-driven decisions. 

Are you ready to get foot traffic data from a trusted provider to improve your store’s performance and success? Learn more about dataplor today, and contact us to start unlocking in-depth foot traffic insights.