A move of only a few metres can completely change how customers find and experience a business.
The Ordinary’s original Spitalfields shop was at 18 Lamb Street, in a smaller unit within the same building. The business later expanded into the adjoining corner premises at 115–117 Commercial Street, creating a larger store with two connected retail rooms and a prominent frontage visible from both Commercial Street and Lamb Street.
Although the shops were physically next door to one another, the move changed the official street address, the entrance, the shopfront and the interior customer journey.
360 View created a new Google Maps virtual tour to present the store as customers experience it today, from the surrounding streets and pale green corner frontage to the product displays inside both retail rooms.
Project Overview
Project: Indoor Google Street View virtual tour
Business: The Ordinary
Location: 115–117 Commercial Street, Spitalfields, London
Sector: Beauty and skincare retail
Captured: August 2026
Purpose: Present the expanded corner store accurately on Google Maps
From a Lamb Street Shop to a Prominent Corner Store
In 2017, the original virtual tour documented the smaller shop at 18 Lamb Street. The storefront carried the wider DECIEM and “The Abnormal Beauty Company” identity, DECIEM being the beauty company behind The Ordinary.
The earlier shop had a dark painted frontage and one principal retail room. Its virtual tour remains a useful visual record of how the business looked at that stage of its development.
The move into the adjoining corner unit created a noticeably different customer experience. The current shop has a pale green exterior, prominent The Ordinary signage, larger window displays and two connected rooms offering customers more space to browse and explore the product range.
The expanded premises also give the store greater visibility. Customers can approach from Commercial Street or Lamb Street and recognise the corner shop before reaching the entrance.
Before 2017: The original DECIEM shop at 18 Lamb Street, with its dark frontage and compact retail interior.
Now 2026: The expanded The Ordinary store at 115–117 Commercial Street, with its prominent corner frontage, current branding and two connected retail Spaces.
Why Was a New Virtual Tour Needed?
The previous tour was created for the original Lamb Street unit. When the business moved next door, the Google Maps listing could continue to retain useful customer history, reviews and photographs, while the older 360° imagery remained accessible.
This created an understandable difference between what customers could see online and the store they would encounter when visiting today.
The principal reason for creating a new tour was therefore not to replace a poor representation of the old shop. It was to provide an accurate and current view of a business that had moved, expanded and developed its retail environment.
A current virtual tour helps customers:
- recognise the correct pale green shopfront;
- understand that the store occupies the corner premises;
- identify the entrance before arriving;
- explore both connected retail rooms;
- become familiar with the atmosphere and layout;
- feel more confident when planning their visit.
Compare the 2017 and 2026 Virtual Tours
The two tours provide an interesting record of how The Ordinary’s presence in Spitalfields has developed.
The 2017 tour presents the original shop at 18 Lamb Street. Its photography has a darker exposure, but the distinctive interior, product displays and character of the smaller store remain clearly visible.
The new tour presents the current store at 115–117 Commercial Street. Brighter, more evenly balanced imagery helps visitors appreciate the pale finishes, white tiled walls, product shelving, window displays and details throughout both rooms.
The difference in brightness is also influenced by the direction of the shopfronts and the time of day. The 2017 tour was photographed in the evening, when the former Lamb Street frontage was in shade. We captured the current corner store in the morning, when sunlight illuminated its pale green exterior. The lighter frontage, larger windows and natural morning light all contribute to the brighter appearance of the updated tour.
Viewed together, the tours do more than demonstrate a difference in photography. They record the development of the business from a compact Lamb Street shop to a larger and more visible corner destination.
A Store Designed to Make Customers Feel Welcome
The current Spitalfields store reflects the care The Ordinary puts into making its products and retail experience approachable.
Its open displays allow customers to browse comfortably, compare products and understand the range without the space feeling overwhelming. The two room layout provides more room for discovery, while the bright interior and distinctive visual details create an environment that feels considered and welcoming.
Updating the business on Google Maps extends that care beyond the physical shop. Customers can now familiarise themselves with the location and layout before travelling, making the transition from online discovery to an in store visit simpler.
Brighter and More Consistent 360° Photography
Retail interiors can be technically challenging to photograph. Bright windows, illuminated displays, white surfaces and darker ceiling areas must all remain visible within the same panoramic image.
For the new tour, the exposure was balanced across the windows, tiled walls, shelving and ceiling. This creates a brighter and more consistent result while preserving the natural character of the store.
Camera positions and panorama spacing were also planned to keep the experience comfortable and easy to navigate. The area beneath the tripod was treated discreetly so that the photography equipment does not distract from the shop.
The objective was not to make the technology noticeable. It was to allow The Ordinary’s store, products and customer environment to remain the focus.
The Completed Google Maps Customer Journey
The new Indoor Google Street View tour creates a continuous journey:
Commercial Street or Lamb Street → pale green corner shopfront → main entrance → first retail room → second retail room
Customers can explore the experience through Google Maps, the business’s Google Business Profile or an embedded tour on a website.
The finished project accurately documents the store’s current identity, entrance and two room layout while giving customers a helpful preview before they visit.
We were delighted to create this updated virtual tour for a business that has invested in making its Spitalfields store more spacious, welcoming and easy to explore.
Has Your Business Moved or Changed?
A business does not need to relocate a long distance for its online imagery to become outdated.
Moving into a neighbouring unit, expanding into another room, repainting a shopfront, completing a refurbishment or introducing new branding can all change what customers should expect to find.
If your Google Business Profile still presents an older version of your premises, a new Google Maps virtual tour can help customers recognise the correct location, understand the current layout and arrive with greater confidence.
360 View creates professional Google Maps virtual tours for shops, showrooms and other customer facing businesses across London, the UK and Europe.
Frequently Asked Questions About Updating a Google Maps Virtual Tour
Why might a business need a new virtual tour after moving only a few metres?
The distance of the move is less important than what changed for the customer. Moving into a neighbouring unit can introduce a different street address, entrance, shopfront, interior layout or customer route. In The Ordinary’s case, the move was next door within the same building, but the address changed from 18 Lamb Street to 115–117 Commercial Street and the store expanded from one principal room to two connected retail spaces.
Should a business create a new Google Business Profile after relocating?
For a relocation involving the same business, Google currently advises updating the existing Business Profile rather than creating a duplicate profile. The business should update its official address and check that the map pin points to the correct entrance. Google may request verification again after an address change. Different guidance may apply if the business identity has changed substantially.
Will a business lose its Google reviews when it moves?
When a relocated business keeps the same name and identity, Google says its reviews will normally transfer automatically, although exceptions can apply to certain business categories and significant changes. Updating an existing profile can help preserve valuable customer history while allowing the address, photographs and virtual tour to represent the current premises.
What happens if an older virtual tour remains visible after a business moves?
Older 360° imagery may remain accessible even after the address and business information have been updated. This does not necessarily mean the old tour was unsuitable when it was created; it may simply document a previous stage of the business. Publishing a current tour gives customers a relevant view of the premises they will visit today. Incorrect or inappropriate imagery can also be reported through Google Maps, although Google controls how contributed imagery is displayed.
When should an existing Google Maps virtual tour be updated?
A business should consider a new virtual tour when customers would encounter something materially different from what the existing imagery shows. Common reasons include:
- moving to another unit or address;
- changing the main entrance;
- expanding into additional rooms or floors;
- completing a major refurbishment;
- repainting the exterior;
- introducing new branding or signage;
- changing the internal layout;
- replacing imagery that is difficult to navigate or no longer representative.
There is no fixed expiry date. The important question is whether the tour still answers: “Is this the place I will visit today?”
How can a virtual tour make a business easier to find?
A well planned Google Maps virtual tour can begin outside the premises and show the surrounding streets, shopfront, signage and entrance. This gives customers visual reference points that an address or map pin cannot always provide on its own.
For a corner business, exterior viewpoints can also explain how the premises relate to both streets. Customers can recognise the building before they arrive and enter through the correct doorway with less uncertainty.
Can exterior and interior 360° images be connected into one tour?
Yes. Exterior panoramas can connect the pavement and shop entrance with the interior customer route. Inside, additional viewpoints can guide visitors naturally between rooms, floors or departments.
The connections should follow genuine walking routes, open spaces and doorways. Customers should feel as though they are moving through the business, not jumping through windows, shelving or physical objects.
Is a virtual tour useful if the business already has professional photographs?
Professional photographs and a virtual tour perform different roles. Individual photographs highlight products, displays, people and important design details. A 360° virtual tour helps visitors understand how those features relate to one another within the space.
Using both gives customers a more complete impression: photographs communicate visual highlights, while the tour explains location, scale, layout and the journey from the street into the business.
How can a virtual tour help build customer trust?
A current virtual tour gives customers a transparent preview of the real premises before they travel. They can see the entrance, interior, atmosphere and available space rather than relying entirely on written descriptions.
A tour cannot prove the quality of customer service by itself. However, when combined with accurate business information, helpful communication and thoughtful presentation, it demonstrates that the business cares about reducing uncertainty and making visits easier to plan.
Can a virtual tour help customers feel more comfortable before visiting?
Yes. Some customers prefer to understand an unfamiliar environment before travelling. Previewing the entrance and internal layout can help first time visitors know what to expect, where to enter and how the space is arranged.
This familiarity can be particularly helpful for people visiting a busy city centre shop, attending an appointment or travelling to a business with several entrances, rooms or floors.
Does the time of day affect virtual tour photography?
Yes. The direction of the shopfront, position of the sun, window light and surrounding buildings can significantly affect exterior and interior photography.
The earlier Spitalfields tour was captured in the evening when the former Lamb Street frontage was in shade. The current tour was photographed in the morning when sunlight reached the pale green corner shopfront. Selecting an appropriate capture time helps present the premises naturally while maintaining balanced detail inside.
How often should a business review its Google Maps imagery?
Businesses should check their Google Maps photographs and Street View and 360° imagery whenever they update their address, branding or premises. An annual review is also a sensible way to identify outdated customer photographs, incorrect entrance information or old virtual tours.
The imagery does not need replacing simply because it is a certain age. It should be updated when it no longer represents the location, appearance or customer experience accurately.
