GIS-based Decision Support System (DSS) for Recommending Retail Outlet Locations

Many Information Technology (IT) tools play a vital role in the business world due to their wider applicability. Extremely competitive retail environment necessitates retailers to choose new store locations strategically. GIS with its capability to manage, display and analyze business information spatially, is emerging as one of the powerful location intelligence IT tool.  The purpose of this paper is to explore the possibility of strategic retail outlet location through online Decision Support System (DSS) in Hyderabad Metropolitan city, India. The procedure makes use of data, information and software from Web-based Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to generate online analysis, mapping and visualization systems. These procedures are integrated and synchronized with appropriate data layers (multi data layer system) to arrive at better decisions.  This DSS combines different data layers through spatial methodological analysis to arrive at possible solution for ideal retail store location. Keywords: Retail store site selection; spatial data layers; open source web GIS; DSS.