Retail site selection has always been as much an art as it is a science. For a global brand like UNIQLO, the challenge is even greater. Their leadership team, based in Japan, has a clear and disciplined vision for what makes a store successful, but with their aggressive North American expansion, they’re evaluating dozens of potential locations—all from across the Pacific.
Historically, brands making real estate decisions at this scale have relied on a mix of broker reports, demographic data, and in-person site visits. But when the decision-makers are overseas, travel isn’t always an option. They need to see the sites—the foot traffic, the storefront visibility, the way people move in and out of a space.
At VidTech, we worked closely with UNIQLO’s real estate team to develop a structured, repeatable process for capturing site videos. We built custom shot lists and templates, ensuring that every video highlights key factors they care about—how customers approach a storefront, parking and access, foot traffic patterns at peak hours, and visibility from major thoroughfares..
This consistency has made decision-making easier. Now, every potential site is presented in a uniform way, allowing leadership in Japan to compare locations accurately—without setting foot on-site.
There’s something about seeing a location in motion that data alone can’t provide. Sometimes, seeing is believing.
For us, this is more than just a project. It’s an example of how retail real estate is evolving. As brands expand into new markets, the way they evaluate sites is changing. High-quality video isn’t just a convenience—it’s becoming essential to making confident, informed decisions. It’s been a privilege to work with UNIQLO’s team, and we look forward to seeing where they go next.
