SHOPPING TIME ALLOCATED TO PRODUCT EXPOSURE IN A SHOPPING ENVIRONMENT

• US 20190318372A1
• Filed: 04/13/2018
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shopper Scientist LLC
• Original Assignee: Shopper Scientist LLC
• Inventors: Sorensen, Herb
• Granted Patent: US 11,164,197 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0204 Market segmentation

Abstract

A method for evaluating effective product visibility in a physical shopping environment including multiple products is provided. The method includes, in a data capture phase, counting a total number of shoppers for a period of time. For a first sample of shoppers, trip length is monitored to determine an average trip length. A second sample of shoppers is audited, and a viewing vector of audited shoppers is determined at each display visited. Displays visited are assigned at least one product category. In a following product category visibility analysis phase, from a total number of shoppers and the average trip length, the total shopping time for the physical shopping environment is calculated. The total shopping time is allocated to each viewing vector of audited shoppers to determine allocated time. From allocated time and the viewing vectors, an exposure value of the product category is determined. Non-display exposure values are also determinable.

Claims

1. A method for evaluating effective product visibility in a physical shopping environment including multiple products, the method comprising:

in a data capture phase;

counting a total number of shoppers in the physical shopping environment for a period of time;

for a first sample of shoppers, monitoring trip length to determine an average trip length for the physical shopping environment;

for a second sample of shoppers, auditing the second sample of shoppers in the physical shopping environment to determine, at each display visited by an audited shopper, a viewing vector of the audited shopper; and

assigning at least one product category to each display visited by the audited shoppers;

following the data capture phase, a product category visibility analysis phase comprising;

from the total number of shoppers and the average trip length, calculating a total shopping time for the physical shopping environment;

allocating the total shopping time to each viewing vector of the audited shoppers to determine allocated time; and

from the allocated time and the viewing vectors, determining an exposure value of the product category.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determination of the exposure value of the product category includes:

determining a distance from the audited shopper to a respective display to which the product category has been assigned, a peripheral angle relative to the shopper and the respective display, and an elevation angle relative to the shopper and the respective display,

determining a rotation angle of the respective display; and

determining an area of the respective display.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determination of the exposure value of the product category includes:

determining the viewing vector from a shopper coordinate location and a shopper angular orientation for each audited shopper;

determining product category vectors for each display visited by the audited shopper, each product category vector including a product category coordinate location of the product category at the displays visited, and a product category angular orientation of the product category at the displays visited;

a distance from the audited shopper to the product category at the displays visited; and

matching the viewing vectors to the product category vectors.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring a number of times products are purchased; and

from the number of times products are purchased and the exposure value of the product category, determining an efficiency for evaluating effective product visibility.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

computing a sinusoidal function of each of the peripheral angle relative to the shopper and the respective display, the elevation angle relative to the shopper and the respective display, and the rotation angle of the respective display, to weight a field of view of each audited shopper, the viewing vector assigned a heavier weight with decreasing weight farther from the viewing vector according to the sinusoidal functions; and

parsing the exposure value into display viewing and non-display viewing for each audited shopper from the weighting of the field of view of each audited shopper.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining an estimated non-interaction time with products for shoppers from the determination and parsing of the exposure value.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising designating the shopper coordinate location of each audited shopper as a shopper center location, and orienting category lines for the product categories as originating from the shopper center locations.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising subdividing the exposure value for at least one product category into a product exposure value for at least one product within displays visited by the audited shoppers.

9. The method of claim 4, determining the efficiency for evaluating effective product visibility further comprising:

from the allocated time and an estimated time-to-purchase, determining a fraction of viewing time associated with purchases.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

correlating viewing vectors and allocated time with purchased products; and

per product category, dividing shoppers between viewing-only shoppers and viewing-to-purchase shoppers.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an impression value of the product category by multiplying the exposure value by an empirically derived shopper impact factor for the product category.

12. A system for evaluating effective product visibility in a physical shopping environment including multiple products, the system comprising:

a first sensor system configured to detect a first sample of shoppers entering and exiting the physical shopping environment, recording a total number of shoppers in the physical shopping environment for a period of time;

a second sensor system configured to record a second sample of shoppers visiting displays in the physical shopping environment; and

a computing device including a processor configured to;

determine, from data output by the first sensor system, an amount of time each shopper in the first sample of shoppers is in the physical shopping environment and an average trip length for the physical shopping environment;

determine, from the total number of shoppers and the average trip length, a total shopping time for the physical shopping environment;

using data input to the system including viewing vectors for audited shoppers in the recorded second sample of shoppers visiting displays in the physical shopping environment and product categories for displays visited by the audited shoppers, allocate the total shopping time to each viewing vector of the audited shoppers to determine allocated time; and

from the allocated time and the viewing vectors, determine an exposure value of the product category.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein data input to the system for determination of the exposure value of the product category includes:

a distance from the audited shopper to a respective display to which the product category has been assigned, a peripheral angle relative to the shopper and the respective display, and an elevation angle relative to the shopper and the respective display,

a rotation angle of the respective display; and

an area of the respective display.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein

the computing device is further configured to match the viewing vectors to product category vectors;

and

data input to the system for determination of the exposure value of the product category includes;

a shopper coordinate location and a shopper angular orientation for each audited shopper, from which the viewing vector is determined;

product category vectors for displays visited by the audited shopper, each product category vector including a product category coordinate location of the product category at the displays visited, and a product category angular orientation of the product category at the displays visited; and

a distance from the audited shopper to the product category at the displays visited.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the computing device is further configured to:

monitor a number of times products are purchased; and

from the number of times products are purchased and the exposure value of the product category, determine an efficiency for evaluating effective product visibility.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the computing device is further configured to:

compute a sinusoidal function of each of the peripheral angle relative to the shopper and the respective display, the elevation angle relative to the shopper and the respective display, and the rotation angle of the respective display;

weight a field of view of each audited shopper, the viewing vector assigned a heavier weight with decreasing weight farther from the viewing vector according to the sinusoidal functions; and

parse the exposure value into display viewing and non-display viewing for each audited shopper from the weighting of the field of view of each audited shopper.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the computing device is further configured to determine an estimated non-interaction time with products for shoppers from the determination and parsing of the exposure value.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the computing device is further configured to subdivide the exposure value for at least one product category into a product exposure value for at least one product within the displays visited by the audited shoppers.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the computing device is further configured to, when determining the efficiency for evaluating effective product visibility, from the allocated time and an estimated time-to-purchase, determine a fraction of viewing time associated with purchases.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the computing device is further configured to:

correlate viewing vectors and allocated time with purchased products; and

per product category, divide shoppers between viewing-only shoppers and viewing-to-purchase shoppers.