The aim of present-day retail planning research is to obtain insight into the demand of retail floor space in a certain area. It is mainly trader-oriented and consumer interests are only dealt with implicitly. The various steps of the research procedure normally used in the Netherlands are analyzed and the main problems involved are discussed. The following principal bottle-necks of the approach are mentioned: (a) estimating the absorption rates, (b) calculating the floor space utilisation figures, (c) selecting the normative floor space utilisation figures. In short retail planning research should include: (a) a trader survey among a representative sample of the trade categories distinguished. (b) a consumer survey among a representative sample of the categories considered to be important (zones, etc).
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