Some chains are destinations that change traffic flow. Most new stores and restaurants, however, draw their customers from people who already drive the front street or visit the shopping center. This is the “actual traffic market” of potential customers that determine success.

Conventional site evaluation focuses on nearby residential data, but the actual traffic market can be surprisingly different. In commercial streets and retail parking lots, Traffic Demographic finds that most vehicles come from beyond the nearest 250,000 residents. Even local shoppers may differ significantly from what area demographics predict. These mismatches can lead to disappointing locations and costly store closings.

Chains can reduce site selection risk by evaluating the actual traffic market before committing to a new location. Traffic Demographic uses LPR to profile this market, linking cars and drivers to valuable demographic data at the household level. Clients receive detailed reports including:

• Zip+4
• Family structure, ages and ethnicity
• Income and wealth
• House, condo or apartment
• Car year, make, model and DIY
• Prizm consumer clusters
• Time specific studies for restaurant meals