SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING OR IMPROVING PRODUCT PLACEMENT AND/OR STORE LAYOUT BY ESTIMATING CUSTOMER PATHS USING LIMITED INFORMATION
First Claim
1. A system for optimizing physical layout of and product placement in a retail store comprising:
- an electronic customer identification module configured to be arranged in a retail store to identify a customer proximate an entrance into the retail store, the identified entrance defining a first customer path data point comprising a first time stamp;
a point-of-sale (POS) system in the retail store configured to identify a purchase of at least one item by the customer in the retail store, the identified purchase defining a second customer path data point comprising a second time stamp, and the at least one item defining, respectively, at least one intermediary customer path data point; and
a customer path estimation engine communicatively coupled with the customer identification module and the POS system and configured to use the first customer path data point, the second customer path data point, and the at least one intermediary customer path data point to construct at least one time-possible path the customer took between the customer identification module and the POS system, and to use the at least one time-possible path of a plurality of customers to suggest at least one of a change of physical location of at least one item in the retail store, a physical placement of a new item in retail store, or a physical layout of a retail store, to optimize product placement in the retail store.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments relate to systems and methods for optimizing physical layout of and product placement in a retail environment. Embodiments of systems and methods discussed herein can be used in many ways, including to analyze or determine: placement of a new product; a new location of an existing product; an improved or enhanced store layout; or an original, new store layout. Embodiments use limited information related to a customer entering a retail environment and making a purchase in the retail environment to estimate one or more possible paths taken by the customer in or through the retail environment. The estimated one or more paths then can be used to determine or adjust a physical location of at least one item in the retail environment to optimize physical layout of the retail environment.
25 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A system for optimizing physical layout of and product placement in a retail store comprising:
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an electronic customer identification module configured to be arranged in a retail store to identify a customer proximate an entrance into the retail store, the identified entrance defining a first customer path data point comprising a first time stamp; a point-of-sale (POS) system in the retail store configured to identify a purchase of at least one item by the customer in the retail store, the identified purchase defining a second customer path data point comprising a second time stamp, and the at least one item defining, respectively, at least one intermediary customer path data point; and a customer path estimation engine communicatively coupled with the customer identification module and the POS system and configured to use the first customer path data point, the second customer path data point, and the at least one intermediary customer path data point to construct at least one time-possible path the customer took between the customer identification module and the POS system, and to use the at least one time-possible path of a plurality of customers to suggest at least one of a change of physical location of at least one item in the retail store, a physical placement of a new item in retail store, or a physical layout of a retail store, to optimize product placement in the retail store. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for optimizing physical layout of and product placement in a retail store comprising:
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electronically identifying an entrance of a customer into a retail store, the identified entrance defining a first customer path data point comprising a first time stamp; electronically identifying a purchase of at least one item by the customer in the retail store, the identified purchase defining a second customer path data point comprising a second time stamp, and the at least one item defining, respectively, at least one intermediary customer path data point; constructing at least one time-possible path the customer took in the store between the detected entrance and the detected purchase; and suggesting at least one of a change of physical location of at least one item in the retail store, a physical placement of a new item in retail store, or a physical layout of a retail store, to optimize product placement in the retail store, using the at least one constructed time-possible path. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification