Producer Locations in the Background: Why This Design | MerterAI
On MerterAI, the locations of producers are kept in the background; what comes forward is the product, the model and the catalog data. This design does two jobs at once: the physical location and identity of the supplier is not carried on public pages, while the buyer performs a product-focused, clean comparison. Location information only gains meaning after direct contact with the supplier is established.
Why is the location in the background?
One: privacy. Many Merter producers do not want to share their showroom and workshop addresses in public directories; as the product owner, the supplier decides how their identity is shown. Two: focus. The buyer's decision is built with the product itself; address data creates noise at the discovery stage, and at the ordering stage it is learned from the supplier anyway.
This is why on the MerterAI page the product, model and category data are in the foreground; the supplier identity opens with a subscription, and the physical location is handled in the direct contact channel.
What does this change for the buyer?
The comparison is cleaner: the same model across different producers is compared with product data, not with addresses. At the first ordering stage the supplier directly gives delivery and sample details; no unnecessary layer of information forms in the process.
Frequently asked questions
Can I never see the producer's address?
It is not shown on product pages or in public directories; once direct contact with the supplier is established, the delivery and sample details are given by them.
Does this design hold for the supplier too?
Yes. The product owner decides how their identity and location are shown through the catalog; the platform carries only product data on public pages.