Argos partners with Ipsos Retail Performance for footfall counting solution

Ipsos Retail Performance, the global retail and footfall consultant, is working with Argos to trial a new footfall counting solution that tracks the in store movements of customers through the observation Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signals from mobile devices.

The solution comes in the form of the Ipsos Retail Performance Shopper Mobile system. Utilising the wireless signals emitted from customer and staff mobile devices through Wi-Fi, Shopper Mobile provides additional metrics on a store’s performance.

The system registers a mobile device, without storing the owner’s personal details. This allows a retailer to measure consumer loyalty, via the frequency and shopping habits of returning customers. As part of the trial in Argos, Ipsos Retail Performance will also be measuring customer flow, peel-off rate and dwell time.

“Being able to track consistent and repeated customers behaviours is a key advancement for footfall tracking technology,” said Peter Luff, president of Ipsos Retail Performance.

“Measuring loyalty on a consistent and ongoing basis is the first stage towards growing loyalty and can help enable the development of brand ambassadors which are desirable for any retailer. Being able to measure and analyse their movements will provide invaluable insight into this core customer group.

“The system works by registering data within a mobile phone’s MAC address. This allows us to analyse repeat customers without ever storing any of their personal details or information.

“The trial is being installed in the Argos store in Camden. With an increasing number of the public owning a Wi-Fi compatible smartphone, we can analyse metrics that will provide new levels of insight.”

With the data provided, managers at the Argos store will be able to not only measure customer flow around internal retail spaces, but also the number of passers-by that choose not to enter the building.

Danielle Piested, store development programme manager at Argos, said: “We are excited to have the Shopper Mobile trial up in one of our key stores. We hope that by utilising Wi-Fi technology, Ipsos Retail Performance will be able to help monitor, analyse and advise on our customer and in-store strategy.”

Source : Fiona Briggs - Retail Times
www.retailtimes.co.uk/argos-trials-wi-fi-bluetooth-based-footfall-counting-solution-ipsos-retail-performance/