SYSTEMS AND APPARATUS TO DETERMINE SHOPPER TRAFFIC IN RETAIL ENVIRONMENTS

• US 20080294475A1
• Filed: 04/25/2008
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Dupre, William J., Piotrowski, Frank W., Zenor, Michael John
• Granted Patent: US 8,229,781 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.31
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0202 Market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0204 Market segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0205 Location or geographical consideration

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to determine shopper traffic in retail environments are disclosed herein. In a disclosed example method of generating shopper traffic data, in-person-based count data and sensor-based count data are obtained. The in-person-based count data is indicative of a first quantity of shoppers within a first zone of a monitored establishment is obtained. The sensor-based count data is indicative of a second quantity of shoppers within the first zone of the monitored establishment. The example method also involves determining a relationship value indicative of a relationship between the in-person-based count data, the sensor-based count data, and first sales data associated with the first zone of the monitored establishment.

Claims

1. A method of generating shopper traffic data, comprising:

obtaining first in-person-based count data indicative of a first quantity of shoppers within a first zone of a monitored establishment;

obtaining first sensor-based count data indicative of a second quantity of shoppers within the first zone of the monitored establishment; and

determining a relationship value indicative of a relationship between the first in-person-based count data, the first sensor-based count data, and first sales data associated with the first zone of the monitored establishment.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising determining at least one of a forecasted shopper traffic count or an estimated shopper traffic count indicative of a third quantity of shoppers within at least one of the first zone or another zone based on the relationship value.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising determining second in-person-based count data for a second zone of the monitored establishment based on the relationship value, second sensor-based count data associated with the second zone, and second sales data associated with the second zone.

4. A method as defined in claim 3, wherein in-person counts were not performed in the second zone of the monitored establishment.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the monitored establishment is at least one of a retail establishment or a commercial establishment.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein obtaining the first in-person-based count data comprises obtaining the first in-person-based count data via at least one of an auditor instructed to move through the monitored establishment while counting shoppers in a plurality of zones of the monitored establishment or a stationary human counter instructed to remain at a particular location in the monitored establishment for an extended duration while counting shoppers in at least one of the plurality of zones.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first sales data includes at least one of a plurality of sales values grouped into a plurality of product categories, each product category corresponding to a respective zone of the monitored establishment.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first sales data includes revenue data.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein obtaining the first sensor-based count data comprises detecting shoppers associated with electronic tags via stationary units located in the monitored establishment as the shoppers and their associated electronic tags move within proximity of at least some of the stationary units.

10. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first quantity of shoppers are the same shoppers as the second quantity of shoppers.

11. An apparatus to generate shopper traffic data, comprising:

a data input interface to obtain first in-person-based count data indicative of a first quantity of shoppers within a first zone of a monitored establishment and first sensor-based count data indicative of a second quantity of shoppers within the first zone of the monitored establishment; and

a traffic count calibrator to determine a relationship value indicative of a relationship between the first in-person-based count data, the first sensor-based count data, and first sales data associated with the first zone of the monitored establishment.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11, further comprising a traffic count generator to determine at least one of a forecasted shopper traffic count or an estimated shopper traffic count indicative of a third quantity of shoppers within at least one of the first zone or another zone based on the relationship value.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 11, further comprising a traffic count generator to determine second in-person-based count data for a second zone of the monitored establishment based on the relationship value, second sensor-based count data associated with the second zone, and second sales data associated with the second zone.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein in-person counts were not performed in the second zone of the monitored establishment.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein the monitored establishment is at least one of a retail establishment or a commercial establishment.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein obtaining the first in-person-based count data comprises obtaining the first in-person-based count data via at least one of an auditor instructed to move through the monitored establishment while counting shoppers in a plurality of zones of the monitored establishment or a stationary human counter instructed to remain at a particular location in the monitored establishment for an extended duration while counting shoppers in at least one of the plurality of zones.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein the first sales data includes at least one of a plurality of sales values grouped into a plurality of product categories, each product category corresponding to a respective zone of the monitored establishment.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein the first sales data includes revenue data.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein obtaining the first sensor-based count data comprises detecting shoppers associated with electronic tags via stationary units located in the monitored establishment as the shoppers and their associated electronic tags move within proximity of at least some of the stationary units.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein the first quantity of shoppers are the same shoppers as the second quantity of shoppers.

21. A machine accessible medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a machine to:

obtain first in-person-based count data indicative of a first quantity of shoppers within a first zone of a monitored establishment;

obtain first sensor-based count data indicative of a second quantity of shoppers within the first zone of the monitored establishment; and

determine a relationship value indicative of a relationship between the first in-person-based count data, the first sensor-based count data, and first sales data associated with the first zone of the monitored establishment.

22-30. -30. (canceled)