Why don't businesses supply POIs of their locations?

[Chrissy]

Is this a dumb question? I was looking for a Shell station POI and it occurred to me (and probably anyone with a gps) that it would probably be in the best interest of businesses to supply poi files to consumers. I have a Shell card and try to use Shell when I can so that all of our gas expenses are in one bill. I think I should be able to go to the Shell web site and get a file like that. Do any businesses offer POI files?
Sorry if I'm not seeing the big picture. I'm a newbie.
Chris

 

[Pedro2NR]

I hope to see this in the near future. There are some business that offer POI downloads from their website! You can try contacting Shell to request this. Hopefully they can get started right away.

 

[fotophocus]

I hope it does become common in the future. I know a lot of people I work with got GPS's for Christmas, so hopefully the increased popularity will lead to this. Especially for restaurants and gas stations.

 

[Chrissy]

OKay, so it's not just me. Maybe I will write to Shell and suggest it. Thanks!

 

[Pedro2NR]

Sure thing. If you get a contact email or something, I can also help out by writing to them too.

 

[ajsasr]

I've started doing this very thing. I just contacted DSW Shoe Warehouse today.

 

[Chrissy]

Hmmm. Maybe I can come up with some sort of form letter we can all use. I'll see what I can do.

Chris

PS - I did write to Shell. I'll keep you posted.

 

[Pedro2NR]

Hmmm. Maybe I can come up with some sort of form letter we can all use. I'll see what I can do.

Chris

PS - I did write to Shell. I'll keep you posted.

Awesome! great idea.

 

[digital-flex]

Hmmm. Maybe I can come up with some sort of form letter we can all use. I'll see what I can do.

Chris

PS - I did write to Shell. I'll keep you posted.

That is definitely a good idea. The more we can bug businesses to make their locations as a downloadable POI file it just might be more common place, not to mention its better for them especially the loyal customers.

 

[Genius of Love]

A local gas store chain, Sheetz, offers POI lists of their stations: http://www.sheetz.com/main/locations/gps.cfm

 

[Chrissy]

A local gas store chain, Sheetz, offers POI lists of their stations: http://www.sheetz.com/main/locations/gps.cfm

Yeah! That's what others need to do. Good for them for thinking ahead! Maybe I'll write to them and pat them on the back. It's good to encourage stuff like that.

 

[ajsasr]

Just got a call back from Payless Shoes. They will not release this info. Most feel competitors could use it against them. They basically said if I want it for the reasons I have stated, then they don't care of I do the work via their website, but they aren't going to give up the info.

 

[digital-flex]

Well that's too bad. Don't they want customers to find them?

 

[Genius of Love]

Well that's too bad. Don't they want customers to find them?

Strange as it may seem, that mentality is a fairly common head-in-the-sand business mentality.

A former Web design client of mine sold egg decorating kits (it's a hobby similar to model car building -- empty eggshells are decorated with trims and decorations).

He didn't only wanted to list a few select kits because he was afraid of his competition copying his designs.

He didn't understand (or want to hear) my suggestions that you can't sell what your customers don't know about...

He wanted everyone to visit him at trade shows to see the full line...

 

[JimT]

I did see a cirular in a Sunday paper for a camping, hunting, and fishing retailer. Instead of an address the circular had coordinates for the store. I thought that was cool.

 

[pinballwiz]

A local gas store chain, Sheetz, offers POI lists of their stations: http://www.sheetz.com/main/locations/gps.cfm

That's great. I'm glad Sheetz took the initiative.

Does anyone have a suitable icon for Sheetz to use on the TomTom?

Rob

 

[martinp13]

Just got a call back from Payless Shoes. They will not release this info. Most feel competitors could use it against them. They basically said if I want it for the reasons I have stated, then they don't care of I do the work via their website, but they aren't going to give up the info.

That sort of mentality just makes me laugh. Ok, you have a show-stores-in-a-city mapping function like everyone else. I can hunt-and-peck and find all of your stores. So can your competitor! You've already released the data, but you're making it harder for the consumer to get at all of it. The competitor can just hire a flunky to find all the stores.

It will come... Baskin Robbins put out a POI list a couple years ago (but now I can't find it on their website).

 

[Genius of Love]

That's great. I'm glad Sheetz took the initiative.

Does anyone have a suitable icon for Sheetz to use on the TomTom?

Rob

Rob -- if you download the Sheetz POI list, the zip file includes the .bmp logo. You're all set!

It will come... Baskin Robbins put out a POI list a couple years ago (but now I can't find it on their website).

You can download the Baskin-Robbins (and Dunkin' Donuts) POIs through TomTom Home 2 directly.

 

[martinp13]

You can download the Baskin-Robbins (and Dunkin' Donuts) POIs through TomTom Home 2 directly.

Thanks, I knew I'd seen them somewhere lately.

 

[Chrissy]

Wow. That is insane! Hopefully Payless and companies with that mentality will reconsider once others start doing it.