World of Maps
World of Maps Ltd. is a Canadian specialty retailer founded in 1994 in Ottawa selling maps, globes, atlases, flags, and educational geography products via a physical storefront and global e-commerce, supplemented by custom printing, laminating, and framing services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersOttawa, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What World of Maps does
World of Maps Ltd. is a Canadian specialty retailer of cartography and geography merchandise, founded in 1994 and headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario. The company sells maps, globes, atlases, flags, travel accessories, and educational geography products to individual consumers, educators, government agencies, and business buyers through an omnichannel model that combines a walk-in Ottawa storefront with a global e-commerce platform.
Its operations are supported by in-house production equipment including a Canon iPF825 MFP large-format printer and a GBC Titan 165 laminator, which enable custom printing, laminating, framing, and scanning services branded under the CustomMaps WorldOfMaps sub-brand. A parallel sub-brand, the World of Maps Bookstore, extends the catalog into book and educational publication retail. The e-commerce site operates under EV SSL encryption, and orders are accepted online, by phone, fax, email, and mail, with international fulfillment handled through Canada Post and UPS across North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Oceania, Africa, and the Middle East.
The business is privately held with no institutional investment, no external funding rounds, and no disclosed M&A activity. The company operates with a lean team of six employees, prices products in a $5 to ~$460 USD band, and runs a 3% loyalty store-credit program to incentivize repeat purchases. There is no evidence of AI/ML capabilities, patents, or external awards.
World of Maps firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- World of Maps
- Legal name
- World of Maps Ltd.
- Website
- https://worldofmaps.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- World of Maps Ltd. is a Canadian specialty retailer founded in 1994 in Ottawa selling maps, globes, atlases, flags, and educational geography products via a physical storefront and global e-commerce, supplemented by custom printing, laminating, and framing services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
World of Maps industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Maps and Geographic Products Retail
- NAICS
- Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912), Book, Periodical, and Newspaper Merchant Wholesalers (424920)
- SIC
- Retail-Misc General Merchandise Stores (5399), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Geocoding, Search & Place Data Platforms (BPAMANAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Backpacking & Trekking Gear Retail (CRAMAAAA)
Keywords
Where World of Maps is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ottawa
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
World of Maps business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Retail Product Sales: Sale of maps, atlases, globes, travel books, flags, and geographic/travel accessories through both physical retail store and e-commerce website. Products include wall maps, topographic maps, nautical charts, aeronautical charts, globes, travel guides, and flags of various countries and sizes.
- Custom Printing and Finishing Services: Lamination, mounting on foam core, framing, scanning, and large format printing services for custom maps and images. Additional shipping charges apply for globes and special order items.
- Special Order Items: Non-stock globes, rare maps, nautical charts of foreign areas, and other special order products ordered from suppliers upon customer request. Full payment required prior to ordering.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Wall Maps World - Range of world and regional wall maps |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Travel Maps and Atlases |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Globes - Desk, Floor, and Specialty Models |
| Other | Monthly | Loyalty Program |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels4 records
World of Maps product offering
Product offeringCore offering
World of Maps is a physical retail store and e-commerce retailer selling maps, globes, atlases, travel books, international flags, and geographic/travel accessories, supplemented by custom large-format printing, laminating, mounting, and framing services. The Ottawa-based retailer ships worldwide and carries thousands of products from publishers including National Geographic, Michelin, Lonely Planet, ITMB, Rough Guides, DK Eyewitness, and Replogle.
Product overview
World of Maps is a physical retail and online store established in 1994 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, offering a comprehensive portfolio of geographic and travel products. The core offerings include Maps & Posters (wall maps, topographic maps, nautical/aeronautical charts, travel maps, framed historical reproductions, print-on-demand), Globes (desk, floor, French, inflatable, and specialty styles), Books & Atlases, Flags of the World, Gifts & Travel Accessories, and Educational Products. The company enhances its product lineup with value-added services including Custom Map Creation, Laminating & Framing Services using GBC Titan 165 equipment, and large-format Scanning & Printing Services using Canon iPF825 MFP technology. Canadian Topographic Maps represent a specialized product category for outdoor enthusiasts.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CustomMaps WorldOfMaps: Custom map printing, mounting, and framing services
- World of Maps Bookstore
Products and services
- Maps and Posters Extensive collection of wall maps (world and regional), travel and adventure maps, folded maps, topographic maps, nautical charts, aeronautical charts, Canada fishing maps, framed historical map reproductions, and print-on-demand posters sold to individual consumers and travelers.
- Globes Wide selection of globes including desk/table-top models, floor model globes, French globes, inflatable globes, and specialty globes (puzzle format, levitating, bar globes, gemstone globes) from brands like Replogle, sold to consumers, educators, and collectors.
- Books and Atlases Travel books and atlases for all countries and regions from publishers such as Lonely Planet, Insight Guides, Rough Guides, Bradt, Fodor's, Michelin, and DK Eyewitness, targeted at individual travelers and explorers.
- Flags of the World International and Canadian flags in various formats including patches, decals, vinyl flags, polyester flags, car window flags, and flags on wooden sticks, sold to consumers and institutional buyers.
- Gifts and Travel Accessories Travel-themed accessories including mugs, water bottles, lunch boxes, puzzles, games, greeting cards, stationery, calendars, and travel-themed food/drink items, targeted at gift buyers and travel enthusiasts.
- Educational Products Educational maps and materials for home schooling and classroom use, including children's illustrated maps and specialty educational resources, targeted at schools, educators, and homeschool families.
- Canadian Topographic Maps Canadian topographic and crown land maps available in paper or plastic (waterproof) formats for outdoor and recreational use by hikers, hunters, and outdoor enthusiasts.
- Nautical and Aeronautical Charts Worldwide nautical and aeronautical maps and charts including Canadian nautical charts, aeronautical publications, and international nautical charts, targeted at sailors, pilots, and maritime professionals.
- Custom Map Creation Service allowing customers to design personalized maps, with digital file printing available for custom map files, targeted at individuals and small businesses wanting bespoke geographic artwork.
- Laminating and Framing Services Map protection and display services using GBC Titan 165 hot-roll laminating machine (up to 60 inches wide, two-sided), foam core mounting, and various frame options including vinyl, aluminum, and wood frames, offered to customers bringing in their own maps or images.
- Scanning and Large Format Printing Services Large format printing using Canon iPF825 MFP capable of scanning and printing maps up to 44 inches wide and 18 meters long at 2400 x 1200 optimized dpi resolution, printing on paper, plastic, or other materials, offered to customers needing custom or reproduction map output.
Companies that use World of Maps
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
World of Maps technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
World of Maps partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
World of Maps competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- REI Co-op: Outdoor retailer carrying topographic maps, navigation tools, and travel accessories. Overlaps with World of Maps' outdoor and recreational navigation customer segment but as part of a much broader product portfolio.
- Amazon: Mass-market e-commerce platform carrying maps, atlases, travel books, globes, and flags from many publishers World of Maps also stocks. Represents the dominant competitive headwind on price and convenience for commodity map and book SKUs.
- Barnes & Noble: Large bookstore chain carrying travel guides, atlases, and maps. Direct overlap with World of Maps' Bookstore sub-brand for travel book customers, though without the depth of specialty map inventory.
Direct peers
- National Geographic Maps: Publisher and retailer of wall maps, travel maps, topographic maps, and globes. World of Maps already carries National Geographic products, making it simultaneously a supplier and a direct competitor for map shoppers.
- Replogle Globes: Manufacturer and supplier of desktop, floor, and specialty globes. World of Maps is a retail channel for Replogle; the two companies share the end-customer for geographic and decorative globe products.
- Rand McNally: Iconic American map and atlas publisher and retailer offering road maps, atlases, and wall maps. Direct competitor in the printed map and atlas category, with comparable travel and educational customer segments.
- MyTopo: US-based custom topographic map printing service offering waterproof prints and custom framing. Directly competes with World of Maps' CustomMaps WorldOfMaps service for outdoor and recreational map customers.
- The Map Shop: Specialty map retailer in the UK offering travel maps, wall maps, and custom framing services. Closely comparable business model combining physical retail, e-commerce, custom mounting/framing, and publishing partnerships.
- Stanfords: Long-established UK-based retailer of maps, travel books, and globes with both physical stores and e-commerce. Highly comparable to World of Maps in product mix (wall maps, nautical charts, travel guides) and target customer (travelers, navigation professionals, educators).
- Peters of Hackensack: Independent US retailer specializing in maps, travel guides, and geography-related products with strong e-commerce. Similar specialty positioning, customer base, and product curation approach to World of Maps.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
World of Maps social profiles
Digital presenceWorld of Maps financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
World of Maps leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
World of Maps funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
World of Maps M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about World of Maps
What does World of Maps do?
World of Maps is a physical retail store and e-commerce retailer selling maps, globes, atlases, travel books, international flags, and geographic/travel accessories, supplemented by custom large-format printing, laminating, mounting, and framing services. The Ottawa-based retailer ships worldwide and carries thousands of products from publishers including National Geographic, Michelin, Lonely Planet, ITMB, Rough Guides, DK Eyewitness, and Replogle.
Is World of Maps a public or private company?
World of Maps is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was World of Maps founded?
World of Maps was founded in 1994. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is World of Maps based?
World of Maps is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, in the North America region.
How does World of Maps make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Retail Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are custom Printing and Finishing Services and special Order Items.
Who are World of Maps's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are REI Co-op, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Direct peers are National Geographic Maps, Replogle Globes, Rand McNally, MyTopo, The Map Shop, Stanfords and Peters of Hackensack.
Does World of Maps have an API?
No public API is recorded for World of Maps.
What industry is World of Maps in?
World of Maps's product category is Maps and Geographic Products Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMANAC, Geocoding, Search & Place Data Platforms, with a secondary code of CRAMAAAA, Backpacking & Trekking Gear Retail. Its NAICS code is 45912 and its SIC code is 5399.