Huff model explained

In spatial analysis, the Huff model is a widely used tool for predicting the probability of a consumer visiting a site, as a function of the distance of the site, its attractiveness, and the relative attractiveness of alternatives. It was formulated by David Huff in 1963.^[1] It is used in marketing, economics, retail research and urban planning,^[2] and is implemented in several commercially available GIS systems.

Its relative ease of use and applicability to a wide range of problems contribute to its enduring appeal.^[3]

The formula is given as:

P_ij=

\alpha

	-\beta
D
	ij

\sum

	\alpha
A
	k

	-\beta
D
	ik

k=1

where :

A_j

is a measure of the attractiveness of store j

D_ij

is the distance from the consumer's location, i, to store j.

\alpha

is an attractiveness parameter

\beta

is a distance decay parameter

is the total number of stores, including store j

References

Huff. David L.. 1963. A Probabilistic Analysis of Shopping Center Trade Areas. Land Economics. 39. 1. 81–90. 10.2307/3144521. 3144521 . 0023-7639.
Web site: Huff, David AAG. 2021-04-20. www.aag.org. 2021-04-22. https://web.archive.org/web/20210422182049/http://www.aag.org/cs/membership/tributes_memorials/gl/huff_david. dead.
Web site: Dramowicz. Ela. Retail Trade Area Analysis Using the Huff Model. 2021-04-20. www.directionsmag.com. 2005-07-03.