Every outlet in your territory, found, classified and put on the map
A retail census in India counts and records every relevant outlet in a territory — kiranas, chemists, paan shops, eateries, modern trade and wholesalers — so FMCG, pharma, beverage and telecom companies can plan distribution against the real market instead of a distributor's list. Bharat Survey's field teams walk each street, geo-tag and photograph every outlet in our offline app, classify it by type and size, and deliver a clean outlet database with coverage maps.
- Street-by-street walk, not a sample
- GPS point and storefront photo per outlet
- Outlet type, size and category presence
- Matched against your existing outlet master
Why start with a census
Market mapping and data collection for a census follows a fixed walking rule so no street is skipped and no outlet counted twice.
- 01
Divide the territory into blocks
Towns are split into walkable blocks on a map. Each block is assigned to one enumerator, and completion is tracked on the dashboard.PlanRam Kumar · shift on26.8467 N · 80.9462 E · ±12 m14Received12Accepted1Review1Outside - 02
Walk every street in a set pattern
Enumerators follow a left-hand rule through each block, recording every outlet that meets the agreed definition, open or shut.Walk
- 03
Record, photograph, geo-tag
Outlet name, type, size indicators, categories stocked, contact where volunteered, storefront photo and GPS point, captured offline.RecordSurvey 5/6 · PhotoPhoto of a public issueCamera · no faces5 MB → 210 KB · with location/timeSkipTake photo - 04
De-duplicate and verify
Points too close together with similar names are reviewed; supervisors revisit a sample of blocks to check completeness.QALocation evidenceSurvey #BS-0412- In areaInside approx. boundary
- Accuracy±12 m
- Time09:42 · fresh fix
- Mock GPSNot detected
- Interview length11 min
Added to accepted count - 05
Deliver the universe
Outlet database, block-wise counts and maps by outlet type, ready to import into your sales or DMS system.Deliver3,000Target outlets2,184Visited1,962Audited1,871AcceptedDaily accepted auditsLast 12 days
- In areaInside approx. boundary
- Accuracy±12 m
- Time09:42 · fresh fix
- Mock GPSNot detected
- Interview length11 min
Most companies already have an outlet master from distributors or salesforce apps, and it is usually wrong in predictable ways: closed shops still listed, the same outlet under three names, and many outlets never listed at all. Database validation and enrichment matches census records to your master and returns each outlet as confirmed, closed, duplicate or new.
Enrichment adds what the master lacks — GPS, photo, outlet type, size band and category presence — so beats can be re-drawn and targets reset on facts.
What 'outlet universe mapping' means in practice
Outlet universe mapping is the full list of outlets where your category could sell, whether or not you sell there today. The gap between the universe and your billed outlets is the white space your sales team should chase.
Fields per outlet
- Outlet name as displayed
- Outlet type and sub-type
- Size band indicators
- Categories stocked
- Storefront photo
- GPS point
- Match status vs your master
Outlet health scoring turns census attributes into a simple priority score so sales teams know where to focus.
Size and footfall indicators
Category relevance
Your current presence
Competitor store mapping services locate competitor branded stores, distributors and high-visibility outlets alongside your own.
Competitor exclusive stores and franchises
- GPS and photos
- Format classification
Competitor visibility in general trade
- Signage and fixtures
- Share of outlets
Overlap and white-space maps
- Block-level counts
- White space
Brands increasingly ask for the kind of quick commerce intelligence India buyers now track — which neighbourhoods are served by dark stores and how that affects nearby kiranas. A census can record visible dark-store and fulfilment locations found on the street and the kiranas around them. We don't have access to platform sales data, and we scope any quick-commerce component case by case before committing to it.
Retail census
Once, then refreshed
- Counts every outlet in the territory
- Records type, size, location and photo
- Sets the distribution denominator
- Finds white space and competitor presence
Retail audit
Repeated waves
- Visits a list or sample of outlets
- Checks availability, shelf and POSM
- Tracks execution over time
- Needs a reliable outlet list to sample from
Not the right fit if
- Sales or offtake data for each outlet
- Satellite or drone mapping of markets
- Owner personal data beyond what is volunteered with consent
- Guaranteed 100% completeness in fast-changing markets — we report coverage checks instead
A good fit if
- Resetting distribution denominators
- Cleaning distributor and salesforce outlet lists
- Planning beats and expansion into new towns
- Mapping competitor presence alongside yours
Straight answers to the questions people ask most about this topic.
How is a retail census different from a retail audit?
A census counts and records every outlet in a territory once, to establish the outlet universe. An audit visits a list or sample of outlets repeatedly to check availability, visibility and compliance. Most brands run a census first and audits afterwards.
How long does a retail census take for a town?
It depends on town size, outlet density and the attributes recorded. We divide the town into blocks, run a pilot to measure outlets covered per enumerator per day, and plan the team and schedule from that.
Can you merge census data with our DMS or SFA outlet master?
Yes. We match on name, location and phone where available, and return each outlet as confirmed, closed, duplicate or new, in a format your system can import.
Do you collect shopkeepers' personal details?
Only what is needed and volunteered with consent, such as a business contact number. We don't collect ID documents or personal data beyond the brief.
Tell us the towns, outlet types and categories. We will propose a block plan, fields and delivery format.