Deciding on the optimal location for a new retail store is a critical decision that impacts the retailer's success. The location is one of the least flexible elements and choosing the wrong site can irritate shoppers. The process involves evaluating the current and future characteristics of geographic areas in terms of residents, offices, commercial activity, and existing retailers to determine the best type of site. A trade area analysis is then conducted to understand primary, secondary, and tertiary shopping zones. Key factors to consider include the infrastructure, economic and housing profiles of an area as well as competition levels to identify saturated, understored, or overstored trade areas. The retailer must also analyze shoppers' profiles and the specific site characteristics including whether it is in