5 things every store locator needs

A store locator's job is simple: help someone find the location nearest them, fast. Most fail at that in one of a few predictable ways. Here's what a good one needs.

1. Real search and filtering

"Zoom in and squint at pins" isn't search. Visitors should be able to type an address or zip code, set a radius, and narrow results by category — a coffee shop chain's locator should let someone filter to just the locations with a drive-thru, for instance, not just show every pin at once.

2. A layout that works on a phone

Most store-locator traffic is mobile — someone standing outside deciding whether to walk two more blocks. A locator that only really works on desktop, with a tiny map and a list you have to scroll past, loses exactly the visitors who need it most.

3. Accurate hours, including holidays

Nothing erodes trust faster than showing "Open now" for a location that's actually closed for a holiday. Hours need a real weekly schedule and the ability to override specific dates — otherwise every holiday becomes a support ticket.

4. Clustering for dense areas

If a business has five locations within a few blocks of each other in one city, a locator that just drops five overlapping pins is worse than useless — you can't click any of them individually. Nearby locations need to cluster into a single marker that expands as you zoom in.

5. A way to know what's working

Which locations get the most searches? Are visitors finding you and then leaving without clicking "Directions"? A locator with no analytics means every question about it is a guess. Loads, searches, and clicks per location turn "I think people use this" into an actual answer.

Shopmaps was built around exactly these five — see how it works, or get started for free.