The Benchmark Explorer can answer questions such as:
- How many retail outlets do municipalities with similar population sizes have?
- How does the retail floor area compare to other towns?
- Which sectors do we find in other, similar towns?
- Which formulas are not found in our towns, and should we therefore try to attract?
It’s possible to make the comparison accross state boundaries. Take, for example, Gent and Utrecht (two large local centres in Belgium and the Netherlands, respectively). These two cities have a similar population size, student population, and shopping atmosphere. The Benchmark Explorer by Locatus will provide you with simple and effective key figures to compare shopping areas, towns and cities, and sector patterns.
| Comparison | Gent | Utrecht |
| Population size | 247.486 | 270.175 |
| Amount of retail outlets | 5.554 | 3.636 |
| Amount of retail outlets / 1000 inhabitants | 22 | 13 |
| Share of multiples (shops) | 23% | 40% |
| Share of multiples (retail floor area) | 57% | 72% |
| Average retail floor area per store | 187 m² | 264 m² |
When we compare the division of stores over the main categories, we see a number of real differences. Gent has 1.4x as many retail outlets in the groups ‘Daily’ and ‘Leisure’ as Utrecht, while Utrecht has more stores in the group ‘In & Around the Home’ (1.6x as many). When we zoom out to compare the two countries as a whole, we recognise these very same differences on a national scale as well.
