Adding FootFall to FootPath

Experian is to combine its FootFall system - which counts the numbers of people visiting retailers and shopping centres - with Path Intelligence's shopper behaviour technology, to understand the movement of shoppers as they flow through retail centres.

Path Intelligence's FootPath technology detects anonymised signals from shoppers' mobile phones as they visit a retail centre to determine what stores they visit, how long they stay there, and what route they take as they wander around.

The system can be used to improve the mix of stores and centre layout, improve public transport links and eliminate congestion within a shopping centre.

Earlier in the year, the company trialled the technology at the Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth, and it has since been taken up by four UK shopping centres.

Experian's complementary FootFall analytics solution uses overhead video cameras to count people. Using this system, the company measures more than 150 million shopper visits per month in over 200 retail centres throughout the UK. With the addition of the FootPath information, Experian will now be able to provide detailed reports of shopper movements within a centre, as well as overall footfall in a location.

Mike Roberts from Experian FootFall commented: 'FootPath provides a level of detail and insight into shopper behaviour within a centre that has been unavailable until now. For the first time we can continuously measure 'dwell time' - that is, not just how many people visit a centre, but where and how long they shop and how they respond to the retail mix on offer.'

Path Intelligence co-founder and COO Sharon Biggar says FootPath provides the modern day equivalent of a shopper survey, with the added benefits of being anonymous, unobtrusive and continuous.

Path Intelligence recently partnered with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to conduct a nine-month study at a UK shopping centre, to measure the impact of dwell time on sales. Feedback showed that for every 1% increase in the average amount of time spent shopping ('dwell time'), sales increased by 1.3% across the shopping centre.

Web sites: www.footfall.com and www.pathintelligence.com .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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