Using the Trade Area Selector

Quick Answer

The Trade Area Selector lets you choose the geographic radius used for demographics and analytics. Pick from 7 ring distances (0.25 to 10 miles) or 7 drive-time options (3 to 30 minutes). Each site can use the project default or have its own custom override.

Where to Find the Trade Area Selector

1. Select a location on the map
2. Open Location Analytics (opens automatically)
3. Look for the trade area pills near the top of the analytics panel, above demographics

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Trade Area Options

Ring Distances (Miles)

Circular radius around the location:

Option	Radius
0.25	Quarter mile
0.5	Half mile
1	One mile
2	Two miles
3	Three miles
5	Five miles
10	Ten miles

Drive Times (Minutes)

Polygon based on how far you can drive in a given time:

Option	Drive Time
3	Three minutes
5	Five minutes
8	Eight minutes
10	Ten minutes
15	Fifteen minutes
20	Twenty minutes
30	Thirty minutes

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How It Works

Selecting a Trade Area

1. Find the two rows of pill buttons: "Radius (miles)" and "Drive (minutes)"
2. Click a pill to select that trade area
3. The active pill highlights in your theme's primary color
4. Demographics and analytics reload using the new trade area
5. The map updates to show the trade area boundary

Project Default

• One trade area is marked as the project default (shown with a "(default)" label)
• The project default is set in your SiteZeus project configuration
• New locations automatically use the project default

Visual Indicators

• Highlighted pill: Currently active trade area for this site
• "(default)" label: The project-level default option
• Loading state: Pills are disabled while data reloads

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Per-Site Trade Area Overrides

You can override the project default for individual locations.

Setting a Custom Override

1. Open analytics for a specific location
2. Click a different trade area pill than the current default
3. The override is saved for that specific site
4. Demographics reload with the new radius

How Overrides Work

• The override applies only to the selected location
• Other locations continue using the project default
• The override persists across sessions
• The project default pill still shows "(default)" for reference

Resetting to Default

• Click the pill marked "(default)" to return to the project default
• The per-site override is removed

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Trade Area Visualization on Map

When a trade area is active, Zeus.ai displays the boundary on the map:

Ring Trade Areas

• Displayed as a circle centered on the location
• Radius matches the selected mile distance
• Semi-transparent fill with a visible border

Drive-Time Trade Areas

• Displayed as an irregular polygon following road networks
• Shape reflects actual driving distance, not a perfect circle
• Adapts to the road network around the location

Trade Area Display

• The boundary appears when you select a location with analytics open
• Multiple trade areas can be visible if multiple locations are selected
• Trade area colors adapt to the current map theme

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Impact on Analytics

The selected trade area affects:

Analytics Section	How It Changes
Demographics	Population, income, and all metrics use the selected trade area boundary (ring radius or drive-time polygon)
Variable Importance	Factors are weighted based on the selected trade area
Smart Comps	Comparables are found within similar trade areas

Why Trade Area Matters

• Smaller radius (0.25-1 mile): Focuses on the immediate neighborhood
• Medium radius (2-5 miles): Captures the typical customer draw area
• Larger radius (5-10 miles): Shows broader market characteristics
• Drive time: More realistic than distance for urban areas with varying road speeds

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Tips

Choosing the Right Trade Area

• Match the trade area to your business type (fast food = smaller, destination retail = larger)
• Use drive time in urban areas where road density varies
• Use ring distance in suburban/rural areas where roads are more uniform
• Compare demographics across different radii to understand sensitivity

Efficient Workflow

• Set your most common trade area as the project default
• Use per-site overrides only for locations that need a different radius
• The "(default)" label helps you quickly identify customized sites

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Troubleshooting

Trade Area Not Changing

• Wait for the loading indicator to complete
• Check your internet connection
• Try clicking the pill again

Demographics Not Updating

• Demographics reload automatically when you change the trade area
• If data appears stale, scroll down to trigger a refresh
• Some trade areas may not have complete demographic coverage

Boundary Not Showing on Map

• Ensure the Shapes toggle is enabled in Map Settings > Layers
• Check that the location is selected and analytics are open
• Zoom to the location to see the boundary

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Related Topics

• Understanding Demographics Data
• Variable Importance Explained
• Smart Comps
• Zeustimate Explained