Store Locator
From Interaction-Patterns.org
Contents |
[edit] Store Locator
[edit] Quick Summary
Users need to find a (physical) store close to a specific location. Allow them to search for stores nad show the results on a map.
[edit] Visual Examples
Examples needed.
[edit] Examples found on the World Wide Web
- Barnes & Noble, search stores on the lower left side of that page
[edit] Use When
You are designing a site for an organization that has physical stores associated with it. It does not have to be a 'store' but could also be a different department or office of that organization. Typically you find a store locator on E-commerce Site, Corporate Site, Automotive Site or Museum Site. Using a store locator requires that there are a large number of stores to be found, otherwise it is better to simply list the stores.
[edit] Rationale
This pattern is a special version of the advanced search where users can only look for locations. This affects the search interface part and the way results are displayed.
[edit] Possible Solution
A store locator is a specific sort of Advanced Search where you are specifically looking for stores, probably in a certain area. Therefore, the basic steps in the process become: Two steps:
1. Set the (partial) destination location 2. Set search options, basically a filter on the possible results 3. Activate the search engine 4. Show a map with the results marked along with the textual addresses of the results 5. Search again if the results are not satisfactory
Displaying the Search Results is usually done using a Map Navigator with the store marked as the points of interest. Details about the location of the stores are displayed in text next to the map. The search interface part is also preferably displayed again so that users can adjust their query easily and run a new search.
[edit] Technical Instructions and/or Source Code
Yet to be done.
[edit] Source
