Footfall Analytics FAQs

The MRI OnLocation app is available to download on Google Play and the App Store. The buttons below are a direct link to the download site.

Once in the app, swipe to the right to access the settings page. Here you can amend your maximum occupancy number.

On the Android or IOS app, one swipe to the left from the main dashboard takes you to the settings page of the carousel. Here you can enter the maximum occupancy limit and the threshold percentage at which point you wish to receive alerts.

On the Android or IOS app, one swipe to the left from the main dashboard takes you to the settings page of the carousel. Here you can enter the maximum occupancy limit and the threshold percentage at which point you wish to receive alerts.

The system has the ability to act in a manual mode. Swiping to the left twice brings you to the manual control screen. Switching on Manual mode allows the user to toggle the window screen or display (if one is present) by pressing the green or red button. Manual mode can be switched off at any time, whereby the system reverts back to automatic mode.

Benchmarking is the comparison of a single store or single location or even a group of stores or locations with the average for the market, whether that be national, regional, or typology or group of locations. MRI OnLocation hold the largest benchmarking data set in the UK.

Benchmarking provides the context required to understand whether a result for a single location is good or bad by identifying the result for the market i.e. the benchmark, it enables the analyst to understand relevant performance. This is crucial is a market that is changing and changing at differential rates.

The MRI OnLocation Index is a weighted index comprising footfall in high streets, shopping centres and retail parks, it is calculated by taking into account the volumes of footfall that are attracted to each of the three types of destination and using those to derive an overall average for the UK for all three destination types.

Footfall benchmarks are available as weekly and monthly reports, bespoke data feeds, and topical reports, delivered by email or via an API, in excel or CSV file formats.

MRI OnLocation quarterly vacancy rate survey is completed by high streets for high streets and creates context to the health of your town/city.

An independent retailer is defined in the survey as having less than five branches nationally.

Any unit that is not trading at the time of the survey is vacant – our definition of vacant is that it is not currently trading. However, a view needs to be taken by the respondent as to the imminence of opening – if the unit is just about to open (e.g. tomorrow, next week) it could be classed as occupied. If works are ongoing with no fixed imminent date for opening it should be classed as vacant.

Bars are classed as a unit – we need total number of ground floor units – retail or not.

The survey runs on a quarterly basis throughout the year. We look to collect figures during January, April, July and October.

The survey is completely free and we offer regional and national benchmarks for each participant. The results are released in an easy-to-read report where you can compare your results to the UK as a whole and your specific region. Historical data for the previous quarter and year are also available on the report.

If the unit has closed due to COVID-19 but is still a business that are planning on reopening, then they should not be classed as a vacant unit.