Increasingly, major brands like Vicks and Nestlé are using location-based marketing platforms to help direct consumers where to buy their products.

Here from Streetfight are five platforms for  brands a way to take advantage of location-based services technology .

1. JiWire’s Compass: Brands such as Clinique, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, and Jeep utilize real-time product availability data to point consumers toward local retailers that currently have their products in stock.

2. Point Inside: Sprint, Clear Channel, and Meijer use indoor mapping technology to identify consumers’ “micro-locations” inside stores.

3. inMarket: Coca-Cola, Levi’s, Nestlé, and Unilever has used inMarket apps CheckPoints, Extra! Extra!, and List Bliss to target geographic regions, specific retail chains, or individual stores.

4. Swirl: The Swirl mobile app lets consumers “follow” their favorite brands and notifies them when they’re close to retailers like Nordstrom, Macy’s, and Old Navy having sales.

5. Foursquare: Marketers like MTV, Bravo, and People have their own “brand pages” with content and location tips.