Key Takeaways
- Anticipate market trends and competitor moves by analyzing the real-world places your customers visit.
- Enhance your marketing campaigns by targeting ads based on the physical locations your ideal customers frequent.
- Develop a deeper understanding of your customers’ lifestyles by looking at the real-world places they choose to visit.
- Find surprising connections between where your customers go offline and what they buy from you online.
If you’re running an online business, chances are you’re already swimming in data — traffic sources, conversion rates, bounce times, and social engagement.
POI stands for “point of interest,” and it’s a type of location data that maps the real-world places that people visit, not just where they live, but where they shop, eat, work out, or travel. From big-box stores to mom-and-pop cafes, POI data gives you insight into human behavior in the physical world. And when you pair that with your existing digital strategy, you unlock a deeper understanding of your customers, your competitors, and the market itself. Here’s how POI data can help transform the way you run your online business, from product development to hyper-targeted marketing.
Understand Your Customers in a Whole New Way
You already know where your customers are coming from online. Maybe you’re tracking purchases by region or optimizing for shipping times. However, POI data lets you go a step further. Instead of just knowing what city your customers live in, you can understand what kinds of physical locations they visit in their day-to-day lives.
Do your highest-value customers spend their time in upscale grocery stores or budget-friendly discount chains? Are they likely to visit boutique fitness studios or big commercial gyms? These patterns tell you a lot about lifestyle, spending habits, and preferences, all of which help you refine your messaging, product mix, and even brand voice. Resources like the Dataplor POI Guide go in-depth on how to apply these patterns to your e-commerce strategy.
Scout New Product Opportunities Based on Real-Life Trends
One of the most powerful ways to use POI data is to track how consumer trends shift over time in specific locations. For example, let’s say you sell sustainable household goods. POI data can show you whether eco-friendly co-ops, refill stores, or green cafes are opening and succeeding in particular neighborhoods. That information might help you decide where to launch a pop-up, where to pilot a regional ad campaign, or what kind of new product line to develop.
Instead of relying only on digital trends or keyword research, you’re supplementing that with real movement, where people are choosing to show up and spend money. Also, this works in reverse. If you’re noticing a drop-off in certain ZIP codes, POI data might help you figure out why. Maybe a new competitor has opened a brick-and-mortar location that’s pulling your customers away. Maybe lifestyle patterns have shifted in that area. These kinds of insights help you pivot faster and stay ahead.
Power Smarter, More Localized Marketing
If you’ve ever felt like your ads are being ignored, it might be because you’re casting too wide a net. POI data gives you the power to get hyper-specific with your targeting, and that means better ROI. For example, let’s say you run an online store that sells athletic wear. Instead of blasting a generic campaign across an entire state, you can use POI data to focus only on people who frequently visit climbing gyms, yoga studios, or trailhead parking lots. That context makes your ads more relevant and more likely to lead to clicks and conversions.
Refine Your Inventory and Fulfillment Strategy
Accurate POI data can also play a valuable role in your logistics planning. If you’re seeing increased engagement from customers who frequent specialty food stores, for example, that might suggest a growing demand for gourmet, small-batch items. Or, if your buyers tend to cluster around suburban retail parks rather than downtown cores, it could inform your packaging, delivery methods, or even warehouse locations. Plus, for brands that handle their own fulfillment, this level of insight is gold. It helps you reduce friction, anticipate demand, and create a smoother customer experience that leads to better retention.
Evaluate Partnerships with Greater Precision
If you’re exploring affiliate marketing or retail partnerships, POI data can offer a clearer picture of where those opportunities are likely to pay off. Let’s say you’re approached by a boutique in a growing neighborhood to carry your products. Instead of guessing whether it’s worth it, you can use POI data to evaluate the surrounding ecosystem. Are foot traffic patterns increasing in that area? Are new businesses popping up nearby? Do your ideal customers spend time in that neighborhood already? This data gives you context, and that makes your decision-making sharper and more confident.
Real-World Behavior, Digital Growth
The beauty of POI data is that it bridges the gap between the online and offline worlds. As an e-commerce entrepreneur, you’re already a master of the digital side. But with POI insights layered on top, you gain a richer, more grounded understanding of your customer base. That clarity helps you build smarter campaigns, develop products people actually want, and respond to market shifts with confidence. You’re no longer making decisions based on isolated online behavior. You’re seeing the full picture and using that insight to shape a stronger business.
