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Business Location

A shop on a busy high street outsells the same shop down a quiet lane. Learn the factors that decide the best location for a business, and why the internet is changing how much location matters.

⏱️ 16 min 🎯 14 activities Teachers Not yet rated Students Not yet rated

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What you'll cover

Location, location 📍

Where a business sets up can make or break it. A shop in a busy high street sells more than the same shop down a quiet lane, and a factory near its suppliers saves on delivery. This module explores the factors that decide the best **location** for a business.

Words to know 🔑

Four ideas run through this topic:

Why place matters? 🎯

Why does location matter to many businesses?

  • It affects costs, customers and how easy it is to run
  • It sets the colour of the products
  • It chooses the name of the business
  • It never makes any difference

Shop or online? ⚖️

How much location matters depends on how the business sells.

Match the factor 🔗

  • Proximity to the market
  • Proximity to labour
  • Proximity to materials
  • Proximity to competitors
  • Being close to the customers who buy
  • Being close to workers with the right skills
  • Being close to suppliers of raw materials
  • Being near to, or away from, rival businesses

The internet effect 🌐

The internet has changed where businesses need to be. With e-commerce, a business can sell to the whole country from a single warehouse, so being on a busy high street matters less. Many businesses now mix online selling with a few fixed premises.

What influences it? ✅

Which THREE factors influence where a business locates?

  • How close it is to its customers
  • How close it is to its raw materials
  • Whether skilled workers are available nearby
  • The age of the owner
  • The name of the business

Compare the rent 🔢

An interactive activity.

Choosing a site 🪜

An interactive activity.

Complete the idea 🧩

A business chooses its _____ by weighing several factors. Being close to the _____ means customers can reach it easily. A factory often locates near its _____ to cut delivery costs. Thanks to _____, an online business can sell from anywhere, so its location matters less. A high-street shop needs _____ premises where people pass by.

location market materials e-commerce fixed colour owner competitors temporary name

True or not? 🖍️

An interactive activity.

Best fit 🔀

  • A factory making heavy goods
  • A high-street clothes shop
  • An online-only retailer
  • A software company
  • Near raw materials, with space to build
  • Where lots of customers pass by
  • Almost anywhere, as it sells over the internet
  • Near a supply of skilled workers

Pick the spot 🧭

An interactive activity.

Where should it go? ✍️

An interactive activity.