How to handle if there are too many options for one filed?

Question

I am building a business directory. Every business has their own page and users can submit business to the website.

Under any business page, pieces of information like contact details and branch locations will be displayed.

The problem is, some companies have even more than 100 branches in my country. It is not practical to ask to submit all branches. Even if asked it, it won't work.

So is there any way to solve this problem?

The only solution I think of was to tell the clients that displaying branches on this website isn't practical.

Answer 1

Here are a few options. These could be choices made when entering business information. Any combination of them could be used.

1. A business can display X number of branch locations manually. Maybe these are their largest, most popular ones, or they can use it to highlight new or upcoming locations.
2. A statistic to state how many locations they have and/or geographic regions they cover.
3. An embedded search feature integrated with something like Google Maps allowing a user to find locations near them.
4. An external link to the business's website. Often businesses with many locations will have a 'Find a Location' feature.

Answer 2

TL;DR: There’s a difference between a business (legal entity) and a branch/location. You could have the experience be to register the business (all businesses in the directory must have a unique name, no double listing), then each business could optionally list all locations (if they want to spend the time, let them); or you could build an importer; or, let them link to their own site that has all their locations listed.

In the demographics in which I work customers don’t differentiate too much between a branch and a business. Wells Fargo is Wells Fargo whether it’s in California, New York, or Canada. Apple is Apple whether it’s in Times Square or the one opening in Dubai. McDonald’s is McDonald’s. UPS. And so on. Even local chain restaurants...if they share the name and the brand, the customer (user) expectations tend to be they are the same. Before the interconnectivity we have today this wouldn’t be the case, but I don’t think most customers think in terms of Location A being completely different than Location B.