Shop information and strategies

For those who want to build an efficient airport; the standard food store sizes in game, column 4 shows the minimal block sized edge of a shop (notes based on version 27.x);

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The same for shops,

Small note; I took these sizes in 27.x, so they are an estimate, when I re-contract them currently (28.x), I get some different sizes and fridge numbers, but I think it is a good general approach.

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An example grid with all shops after security check, except the two ‘1 star’ food shops (they are located near the bus/subway entrances). The stars for each shop are stamped in the floor tiles, to make it easy-er to renew contracts with the right contract type.

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What is your experience with shop sales, as I’ve seen that shop types are not part of PAX decision making yet. It looks like PAX go to the nearest food or good shop and occasionally they visit shops further away. Would be nice for a (much) later stage to have differentiation in shopping behaviour and demand.

Never did an extended shop test, but with the grid above, all incoming and outgoing PAX are forced to walk over shop area’s, that seems to trigger a “buy or not” decision on them.

One of my airports had a very lengthy shops row / gallery that forced all PAX to pass all shops before entering the pier areas, but due the distance multiplier that was created that way due to the size of the gallery, PAX were delaying flights. I considered a funnel that would have a lower multiplier effect, but came to try this first, 3 funnels, where I forced funnel 1 when not all shops were available and 3 funnels when all shops came up in the contract list.

Also, all my shops are extended, without objects, in the walking area.

I have this setup for test, on the top there is the check-in building with arriving PAX and the majority of the buying PAX come from that area/direction ending up in top left en top right shop to sell the most goods. The PAX do not really care about the other shops as they find food and goods in the top two. Only when a contract is done or ended and the shop is closed they go to the equivalent type shop.

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See my pathways, this way the PAX have to visit all shops, not just the corner shops, there is more spreading this way.

The low star shops are on the left, near the planes, so, their contracts will cycle faster, which will give you more “completed bonus” rewards. My guess is that PAX that want a higher star item, will go for that shop on their own.

On the left of security and on the right, I have “loops” for staff, mostly repairman and cleaners use them. Since they have to walk less loops that way. All new Ramp agents take the left door to the planes, without walking the loop through the shops. Administration staff has another exit near check-in desks, so, they dont have to loop over baggage pickup loop area.

Zoomed out version; on the left you can see the Staff Loop for administrative staff with their staff room and the staff room for ramp agents. On the right you see the loop where 4 baggage carousels can be located. Near the waiting area you can now also see the two 1 star food shops.

Also, on the left you see 2 “empty” shop blocks (a pink square and a blue one), there you can see which shops are up for contracts, without actually building the shops.

Have you had any success in increasing numbers of passengers buying in the shops.

I have around 8 shops - different star ratings but I only average 4 sales per day in each shop (passenger numbers usually around 2k at any one time). On the other hand I have 8 restaurants which always seen to hit contact levels.

NB - passengers are forced to walk via the shops.

I wonder what strategy is best to get people to spend their money?

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Restaurants do hit their numbers, shops I dont know, shall watch it in the future, then we will know ;).

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From my observation PAX mostly pick the nearest restaurant and shop and only go to the others if the nearest are non staffed or the contract ended, but good well be completely depended on the setup. Looks like PAX are not yet interested in stars and type of restaurant, they only care if there are products or food to buy.

As you can see in this setup, the arrival/departure terminal is on top and the restaurant/shop building is below:

PAX pathfinding seem to only detect the red arrowed shop and restaurant and basically almost ignore the lower two equivalents. If they need to go to other departure buildings or if new PAX arrive they need to go through this shopping/food building. I’ve been playing around with doors and as you can see the doors at the blue arrows is a shorter way than the green arrows, nevertheless PAX still walk the long way and use the green arrow doors. Also doesn’t matter what kind of stars are in the store, the top two are always most wanted.

@jasperwillem your setup is very interesting and I’m curious if you have an even sale over all the shops and if you see a difference in where people buy the most?

We had to start a new airport for the next release before I could do good findings :smiley:

Will keep you up to date on next setup of this idea.

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Did a small experiment today:

That doesn’t seem to be working, as no passenger is interested in going into either store on either side :frowning:
Good thing is that the store personnel, that are on the secure side counter, go through security as they should :slight_smile:
So apparently stores must be either secure or non secure side, but the game doesn’t state anything around it as a warning.

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Hang on Puma, I though you couldn’t create a shop or food room in between zones.

Indeed when you try to built a store over different zones, the game gives you an error that you cannot cross over multiple zones. But you can if you built the store area first and then create a security zone over it.

Tested a bit more and re-zoned the top store to a secure zoned shop and then PAX start to buy things, same if I de-zone the lower shop into non secure or zone it to secure. If I re-zone it to half secure PAX stay away again, so there is secure zone influence for sure but without warnings.

Edit: Filed a bug report (ACEO-7385)

That sounds like a bug. You know what to do :wink:

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What do you think this error message is there for? hehe

Though, that’s also what alpha-/beta-testing is for … finding problems caused by PEBKAC so they can be avoided in the future. Great work. :wink:

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Lets create an update;


Here I created a funnel towards check-in desks.

Most people arriving use the bottom entree to enter the terminal, and all do pass the 2 shops and are forced over the shop ground. They both “complete” daily.


Somewhat later, all PAX going to security pass a shop, which is the only one before security, it gets a very decent sales rate.

After security you can go south, to a medium wing and all small stands; they all walk through a 8 shops/food corners.

When building a terminal more north, I added a shop over there too.

The main tips for shops in ACEO is unless they are big and you have a good trafic flow, they dont really pull their weight and I personally believe that they need to be tweaked as small shops in small airport are not economical and are not worth the effort.

I have never seen contracts for Valentino, Cafe Aristocratic, Bistro Beheme and Belanger Jewellers. Are they still in the game?

Definitely yes for Cafe Aristocratic, Bistro Boheme and Belanger Jewellers as I have contracts with all three of them. Don’t know about Valentino.
But it depends on your airport rating. If you have many delays, you won’t get their offers.