If your commercial zones are not getting enough customers in Cities: Skylines 2, you’re not alone. After an overwhelming tutorial where the game throws a lot at you, you might be surprised that your giant commercial districts aren’t enough to draw in civilians.
This is the result of the game not correctly communicating expectations to you as a player, but the good news is, that it also equips you with the tools to fix that. Here are some suggestions on how you can get more customers in Cities: Skylines 2!
Cities: Skylines 2 Commercial Zones Guide — How to Get More Customers
Once you’ve gotten familiar with zoning, ignore the demand indicator on the bottom-left of the Cities: Skylines 2 UI, you’ll feel pressured into overbuilding commercial spots.
These are a few tips you can take to prevent your commercial zones from cannibalizing each others’ business:
- Use the ‘Marquee’ tool (dotted line) instead of the ‘Fill’ tool (bucket) for zoning commerce
- Place small spots between residential areas. Low-density places should get smaller commercial zones to make smaller stores (2×2, 3×3)
- Pay attention to the Commercial Info (Info Views icon on the top-left, selecting the Commercial Icon)
- Using Commercial Info, build commercial zones where the terrain is within the radius of green-orange circles, meaning a higher concentration of customers
Related: How to Grow Your City Population in Cities: Skylines 2
Doing this results in a better balance of customers for your commercial zones. As your city grows, consider experimenting with higher-density zones like low-rent residential housing to draw in more prospective customers. Don’t be alarmed if the ‘not enough customers’ icon doesn’t disappear instantly, as you’ll need to complete the rezoning before things fully take effect.
How Big Should Your Commercial Zones Be?
Generally, the closer to the busy urban center you are, you’ll begin to see higher concentrations of customers in the Commercial Info view. Build larger zones (4×4, 5×5, etc) in these areas, while on the outskirts among your low-density housing, focus on smaller zones, 2×2, 3×3. The Marquee tool will be a godsend in righting the ship, and from there you can strike a healthier balance, grow your population, and make more money while keeping expenses low.
