Experian joins with shopper tracking firm

UK-- Experian's footfall measurement practice has teamed up with a firm that studies the movements of shoppers by tracking their mobile phones, and will market the technology to UK shopping centres.

Path Intelligence's FootPath system is already being used by four major shopping centre owners in the UK, and the firm has plans to expand to Europe.

Experian will incorporate the new data into its existing services, as well as offering it on a standalone basis. Clients can use the findings to improve centre layout and security, organise better events, improve public transport and minimise congestion.

The system works by tracking the signals phones automatically send every few minutes to let the network know where they are. It is able to anonymously locate anyone carrying a mobile phone in a shopping centre, recording what stores they visit, how long they spend there and the route they take.

The technology offers much richer information than existing systems, which are limited to counting when someone enters or leaves a shopping centre or store.

Mike Roberts of Experian FootFall said: “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.”

Following a nine-month study conducted in conjunction with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Path Intelligence identified a firm link between ‘dwell time' and sales. Co-founder and chief operating officer Sharon Biggar said the firm is encouraging clients to focus on dwell time as well as familiar metrics such as visitor numbers.

The firm is also looking at applying its technology to other kinds of locations such as airports, amusement parks, prisons and refugee camps.

Author: Robert Bain

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UK firm tracks shoppers using their mobiles