# Placer.ai MCP > Placer.ai MCP Server gives your AI agent access to physical location intelligence. It tracks foot traffic counts, identifies visitor demographics, and performs competitive benchmarking for millions of real-world locations. Use it to understand *who* is visiting a place and *why*, directly from any connected client. ## Overview - **Category:** marketing - **Price:** Free - **Tags:** location-intelligence, foot-traffic, retail-analytics, consumer-behavior, market-research, placerai ## Description Placer.ai gives your AI agent access to physical location intelligence. You'll use this server to track foot traffic, map demographics, and benchmark locations against industry peers for millions of real-world spots. To get started, you first check the connection status using `get_api_status`, or list all properties tied to your account credentials with `list_properties`. When you need a specific location, run `search_poi` to find points of interest or brands by name and geography. Once found, pull comprehensive details on that spot using `get_poi_details`. For raw visitor counts, call `get_visits` with a location ID; it pulls the current foot traffic count. You can track how these numbers shift over time using `get_trends`, which provides historical data showing visit count changes across specific periods. If you need to compare multiple locations belonging to the same brand or chain, `get_same_store_visits` calculates and retrieves combined foot traffic metrics for all of them. To understand *who* is visiting, use `get_demographics`. This tool estimates visitor demographics, providing detailed population figures and median household income specific to your location ID. To map the boundaries of where customers actually come from, you determine the True Trade Area (TTA) coordinates using `get_trade_area`, which draws a polygon around the site's catchment zone. To know how well a spot performs, run `get_rankings`. This retrieves performance scores, letting you compare your location directly against its industry peers. You can also get full details on what spots are available by running `search_poi` to find specific locations or brands in any area. ## Tools ### get_demographics Estimates and retrieves detailed visitor demographics for a given location ID. ### get_poi_details Pulls complete, general details about a specific Point of Interest (POI). ### get_rankings Retrieves performance rankings to compare how well a location performs against its industry peers. ### get_same_store_visits Calculates and retrieves foot traffic metrics for multiple locations belonging to the same brand or chain. ### get_api_status Checks the current operational status of the Placer.ai API service. ### get_trade_area Determines the True Trade Area (TTA) coordinates, showing the geographical area where a location draws its customers from. ### get_trends Provides time-series data to track how visit counts and traffic change over specific periods. ### get_visits Retrieves the raw, current foot traffic count of visitors for a specified location ID. ### list_properties Lists all properties associated with your Placer.ai account credentials. ### search_poi Searches the database to find specific locations or brands by name and geography. ## Prompt Examples **Prompt:** ``` Get the foot traffic trends for POI ID 'poi_123' for the last month. ``` **Response:** ``` Retrieving location metrics... I've found the trends for 'Central Mall' (ID: poi_123). Visits are up 15% compared to last month, with the highest traffic occurring on Saturdays between 2 PM and 6 PM. Would you like a breakdown by day? ``` **Prompt:** ``` Search Placer.ai for 'Walmart' locations in Miami and show their IDs. ``` **Response:** ``` Searching the Placer.ai database... I found 3 Walmart locations in Miami: 1. Walmart Supercenter (ID: w_1), 2. Walmart Neighborhood Market (ID: w_2)... Which one would you like to analyze? ``` **Prompt:** ``` What is the demographic profile for the visitors of POI 'poi_abc'? ``` **Response:** ``` Fetching population estimates for 'Oak Plaza' (ID: poi_abc)... The visitor base is primarily aged 25-44 (42%), with a median household income of $75,000. Most visitors reside within a 5-mile radius. ``` ## Capabilities ### Search for Locations Finds specific points of interest or brands using the `search_poi` tool. ### Get Visitor Counts and Trends Retrieves raw foot traffic counts (`get_visits`) and tracks visitation patterns over time (`get_trends`). ### Analyze Demographics Pulls estimated visitor demographics, population data, and median household income via `get_demographics`. ### Determine Trade Area Boundaries Calculates the True Trade Area (TTA) polygon for any location to define its catchment zone (`get_trade_area`). ### Check Location Rankings Retrieves performance rankings to benchmark a POI against industry peers using `get_rankings`. ## Use Cases ### Planning a new retail location. A developer needs to know if a vacant lot is worth buying. They first use `search_poi` to find competitor locations nearby, then run `get_trade_area` on the empty lot's coordinates. Finally, they check `get_demographics` to confirm the surrounding population matches their target income bracket. ### Investigating a store underperforming. A regional manager notices Store A is doing worse than Store B. They use `get_same_store_visits` to compare foot traffic counts and then check `get_trends` for both locations over the last 12 months, pinpointing when the decline started. ### Understanding shifts in customer base. A brand needs to know if their typical customer is changing. They use `get_demographics` on a key store and then compare that data with previous reports or market assumptions, confirming if the median household income has shifted downwards. ### Analyzing annual growth for a flagship site. The analyst needs to prove year-over-year success. They use `get_visits` and then run it with historical data via `get_trends`, generating a clear, defensible graph showing the exact percentage lift in foot traffic. ## Benefits - See how your locations stack up against competitors. Using `get_rankings` lets you compare performance metrics directly, identifying exactly where you need to invest or pivot. - Know who is actually shopping at your store. The `get_demographics` tool pulls population estimates and visitor characteristics, giving you a real view of your core customer base. - Track growth over time without manual reporting. Instead of pulling monthly reports, use `get_trends` to visualize visit metrics changes instantly for any POI ID. - Define your market boundaries accurately. The `get_trade_area` tool solves the problem of defining a store's true customer base by providing its TTA polygon. - Compare chains efficiently. Don't look at one store in isolation. Use `get_same_store_visits` to run cross-location metrics for your entire brand portfolio immediately. ## How It Works The bottom line is: you tell your agent what questions you have about physical locations, and it pulls the required data from Placer.ai. 1. Subscribe to the server and get your API Key. You also need the specific POI IDs for the locations you want to track. 2. Tell your agent what data you need (e.g., 'Show me the demographics for poi_123'). 3. The agent calls the appropriate tool (`get_demographics`, `get_visits`, etc.) and returns structured, ready-to-use location metrics. ## Frequently Asked Questions **How do I find out if my store is performing well compared to others? (using get_rankings)** You use `get_rankings` by providing the specific POI IDs you want to compare. This tool pulls your location’s performance data and ranks it against industry averages or direct competitors. **What is the difference between get_visits and get_trends? (using get_visits)** `get_visits` gives you a snapshot of foot traffic for a specific day or period. `get_trends`, however, provides historical data, allowing you to see how those visits have changed month-over-month. **Can I find out the demographics of people near a potential new site? (using get_demographics)** Yes. Run `get_demographics` on the target POI ID. It returns population estimates and visitor characteristics like median income, helping you qualify the market before committing resources. **Does Placer.ai MCP Server only track shopping centers? (using search_poi)** No. You can use `search_poi` to locate specific businesses or brands across different types of locations, not just large malls. It’s designed for diverse POI identification. **How do I check which locations are linked to my account using the `list_properties` command?** You call `list_properties`. This returns a full list of all POI IDs associated with your API key. It helps you verify connection scope and ensure you're tracking the intended properties before running complex reports. **What data format does the `get_trade_area` tool return for coordinates?** The tool returns a polygon defining the True Trade Area (TTA) coordinates. You must run this command individually for each desired location, then combine the resulting geo-data points using your own analysis scripts. **How can I confirm Placer.ai's operational status before running large reports? (using `get_api_status`)** Run the `get_api_status` tool. It immediately confirms the current API health and uptime status. This lets you know if the service is available for querying, saving you time on failed data pulls. **If I want to compare a store's traffic against its local peer, how do I use `get_same_store_visits`?** The tool retrieves same-store foot traffic metrics. Supply the POI IDs for both sites you want to compare; it then calculates and returns the comparative visitation data points needed. **Can my AI automatically find the visit trends for a specific location just by its ID?** Yes! Use the `get_trends` tool with the POI ID. Your agent will return day-over-day or week-over-week visit changes for that specific location. **How do I identify the POI ID for a specific store or venue?** Use the `search_poi` tool with keywords like the brand name or address. Your agent will return a list of matching locations along with their unique Placer.ai POI IDs. **Does it support trade area analysis?** Yes! The `get_trade_area` tool retrieves the True Trade Area (TTA) for any POI, providing the geographic boundaries of where the majority of visitors originate.