The internet has revolutionized the way consumers shop in their local communities. Research from Think with Google tells us that 70% of shoppers say that the ability to shop in person/in a store is important when deciding which brand to buy from. With so many consumers starting the local purchasing journey online, the importance of providing an intuitive, attractive store locator so customers can easily find their favorite products in-store has grown substantially. Let’s examine the most important features in a store locator and look at eight exceptional store locator examples.

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What is a Store Locator?

A store locator is an app that’s embedded within a website. Once installed, it displays a search interface that enables site visitors to search for products and store locations within a specified geography. Store locators can be set up to share store locations, contact information for each store, and driving directions via the user’s smartphone. The best store locators are customizable, making it easy to match the store locator with your branding and the design of your website. Store locators can also be useful for engagement within your social media channels, making it even easier to connect with consumers online and encourage them to complete a purchase in-store.

→ Learn How to Add a Store Locator to Your Website

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Benefits of Using a Store Locator

Adding a store locator to your website has several advantages. Here’s a list of key benefits that store locators provide:

• Makes it easier for your customers to purchase your products
• Supports the accounts that carry your products
• Saves staff time answering customer “where-to-buy” questions
• Provides valuable analytics data on consumer demand
• Allows for easy engagement across social media channels
  

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Key Features of a Store Locator

Not all store locators are created equal. The best store locators have an interface that is very user-friendly, offer a wide range of features to meet a variety of needs, and are customizable so they work seamlessly with your website design. Here are the essentials to look for when comparing store locator options.

‍Intuitive Interface‍

A great store locator should be very easy for anyone to use. Look for a store locator that has an intuitive design with clear steps and labeling for users. The best store locators require minimal user effort to display relevant results.

‍Mobile-responsive design‍

The majority of store locator searches happen on mobile devices. When looking for the best store locator, make sure to look at the mobile experience — not just the desktop version. The best store locators will include their full range of features in the mobile version of the app.‍

‍Feature-rich‍

Look for a store locator that includes features relevant to your business and product line. Do your customers need to search for specific products, or do they just need to see a list of stores? Do you have different types of stores that users might need to filter results by? What is the experience for customers who live in areas where your product is not available? A great store locator will be well thought out and have solutions for every scenario.‍

‍Customizable‍

The best store locators have a wide range of customizations designed to make the store locator integrate seamlessly with your website. Colors, fonts, images, map styling, and more should be easily customizable and shouldn’t require coding or technical expertise to achieve excellent results. ‍

Easy setup and maintenance ‍

Your future self will thank you for choosing a store locator that’s simple to customize and keep up to date. Some providers like Grappos will even set up and maintain your locator for you.

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8 Exceptional Store Locator Examples

Let’s look at several store locator examples to show how ‘where-to-buy’ pages can be used to enhance the customer experience and increase sales.‍

1. Pabst Blue Ribbon

‍Pabst Blue Ribbon makes it easy for customers to track down their iconic brew. With a well-known brand like PBR, incorporating the brand’s iconic colors and photography allows the store locator to mesh perfectly with the brand look. The locator automatically pulls up all retailers that carry PBR products, with the option to narrow the search to a specific product. This feature allows users to locate their beers in more locations with the ability to get picky if they’re partial to a specific one.

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‍2. Bota Box‍

Bota Box has carried their vibrant brand colors over to their store locator, making it instantly recognizable and effective. The award-winning and environmentally friendly brand allows users to users to easily search by their location and see the full range of products available in their market, or they can search by a specific product or product line. The “also available” feature provides customers with additional buying options through services like Instacart or Drizly.

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3. Benham’s Spirits‍

Benham’s Spirits has a highly stylized website, and their store locator works perfectly with the beautiful design. From the use of the brand fonts and color palette to the illustration used on the initial screen, the brand personality comes through clearly. The product locator results include the distance to each retailer. With previous and next buttons, users can easily go from one result to the next to find the closest location that has exactly what they want — whether that is a store or a restaurant. This locator has all the bases covered.

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4. White Claw Seltzer‍

This iconic seltzer brand makes it simple to find their products in stores. Their store locator is configured to allow search results to overlay a map, providing an excellent side-by-side view of stores with available products and where they’re located. Each location displayed includes links to driving directions. Users can also browse a list of products and choose location options including stores, bars/restaurants, or home delivery.

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5. Partida Tequila‍

Partida Tequila is ready to capture customers in the mood for their highly rated and sought-after craft tequila, with a product locator that automatically detects the user’s location and displays nearby results. The app allows users to refine the search by product for those looking for a specific type of their tequila.

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6. Samuel Adams‍

The Boston Beer Company’s custom titled Find Sam product locator allows users to refine search results by product and store type. With features like driving directions and the list of products available at each location, Find Sam makes it easy for users to find exactly what they want, where they want it.

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7. New Belgium‍

New Belgium’s store locator page has its customers covered when they’re looking for their favorite New Belgium product. Users can easily set a specific search radius, and each location result links to driving directions.

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8. Grey Whale Gin‍

Grey Whale Gin’s store locator is another beautiful on-brand example. This store locator is set up to allow customers to filter between stores and restaurants, or show both. It also allows users to choose a radius of how many miles they’re willing to drive to find the small-batch gin distilled from botanicals foraged along the 12,000-mile migratory path of the California Gray Whale.

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Good Store Locator Design Boosts Sales

Well-designed store locators are powerful tools that make it easy for local shoppers to search your website for store locations that carry their favorite products. At the same time, a well-designed store locator will enhance the reputation of your brand. With the many benefits they provide, store locators are an indispensable part of a successful sales and marketing strategy.

‍Grappos store locators are intuitively designed, mobile-friendly, and feature-rich. Want to see our locator in action? Get a demo.