Measuring Performance
The Source By Circuit City, for example, selected a traffic tracking solution to more accurately measure store performance. The retailer is using ShopperTrak's retail intelligence information, combined with its own POS data, to calculate each store's conversion rate. The Canadian retailer installed ShopperTrak's Orbit retail traffic technology devices into a selection of its stores as part of a three-month pilot program, followed by an evaluation of system-wide roll-out strategies. It's using data obtained from the system to monitor overall customer traffic, determine average sales dollars per transaction and optimize its labor force in each store, adjusting staffing for key selling hours, days and seasons.
"The technology and reporting solutions provide us with the ability to accurately monitor our key business practices, like staffing, marketing initiatives and overall store design as they relate to the bottom line," says Brian Levy, president and CEO of The Source By Circuit City. "This type of targeted, real-time reporting will allow us to maximize our efficiency and improve our overall ROI."
Test Platform
The VideoMining Test Store Platform (TSP) automates the measurement of key parameters across the store. VideoMining TSP Insights are delivered through four different report types ranging from quantitative measures to more subjective visualizations via TSP Maps and video segments. The reports and analysis are tailored to provide specific statistics, answer particular questions or address key strategic issues. Data is based on behavior engines, which measure traffic, key properties of the queue, interaction behaviors, response to marketing elements and the overall trip, and segmentation engines, which segment customers by demographics and intent.
Video-Based Intelligence
CountWise's iCount is a stand-alone, multi-zone, bi-directional pedestrian counting system that uses ceiling-mounted video processing devices. Each unit has built-in intelligence to perform, collect, store and communicate pedestrian traffic. For each device, the user can define up to five detection zones. The devices adjust to environmental changes, such as light, rain and shadows. The iCount units perform real-time pedestrian detection and store counts and directions detected per unit. The system supports open data communication via serial communication, TCP/IP, cellular and RF, to transfer traffic data to the back office and to third party applications such as POS.
Staffing Planner
The Web-based ShopperTrak Easy Staffing Planner enables store managers to schedule associates according to reliable traffic trends. The planner relies on ShopperTrak's retail traffic data to accurately predict customer traffic, then applies a retailer's payroll allocations and corporate policies to recommend staffing levels each half hour for the coming week.
Infrared Tracking
The Cuesol ShopWatch system uses ceiling-mounted infrared locations, or beacons. The second component is a tracking device attached to each cart. These devices receive location identifications from the beacons and transmit them and cart identification to the Cuesol server. The server collects the data and initiates or feeds various applications, including store operations and post-hoc analysis. The system enables the retailer to link each shopper's trip to POS data based on checkout time, and map shopping behavior to purchase behavior.
Smart Video System
Brickstream's stereovision-enabled systems, which capture 3D images, include self-contained camera units that combine the stereo image capturing mechanism with Brickstream's BehaviorIQ software. The on-board BehaviorIQ analyzes and converts the video into a data stream for real-time analysis and reporting. The units are based on open technology, are IP addressable allowing retailers to control the units with existing network management tools and have built-in monitors.