People-counting technology provides a different value proposition to shopping centers than it does to individual retailers. The property sector doesn’t use people counting to measure conversion, but rather to understand traffic data and analyze where visitors are going within a center. While traditional traffic counters can — and already do — do this, Re-Identification (Re-ID) technology both optimizes people counting and goes one step further with the insights it can provide.

On a basic level, shopping centers want to understand their visitor numbers. While traditional people-counting technology already does this, challenges remain. Visitors to shopping centers enter and leave all the time — perhaps to go back to their car to drop off their shopping bags, or to visit another area of the property. This means that when they reappear on a traffic-counting device, they will be counted again, which artificially inflates visitor numbers.

Fortunately, Re-ID is here to address these issues.

Re-ID’s innovative technology uses artificial intelligence to assign a unique user ID to each individual visitor. This ID is based on numerous individual characteristics — a person’s clothing, clothing patterns, colors, accessories, or logos. This ensures that if a visitor moves away from a device’s sightline, they will be recognized upon their return to view, meaning individuals are not counted multiple times as they enter and exit the property.

A unique application of Re-ID technology is its ability to provide census-level dwell time data. Its ability to track individual users across their whole journey provides valuable insights into how long visitors spend within the center. This differentiates Re-ID from Wi-Fi technology that measures dwell time by pinging customers’ mobile devices, which only represents a sample of the overall traffic.

Additionally, Re-ID can also differentiate between shoppers and those just passing through. This is particularly useful for shopping centers with many stores, since people often cut through a store or part of the facility on their way to going somewhere else. By recognizing individual shoppers, Re-ID can measure their visit duration based on entry and exit times. Visit duration parameters can then be set, so if an individual’s visit doesn’t meet certain thresholds, they can be discounted as a passer-through. This gives shopping centers a more accurate sense of who came to the center with the intention to spend and who didn’t.

One of the most powerful benefits for shopping centers, however, is Re-ID’s ability to track shopper journeys. If Re-ID enabled devices are installed in each unit of the center, they can provide visibility into visitor numbers to every area and also reveal which other retailers an individual visited. For example, Re-ID can count the percentage of shoppers who visited Apparel Retailer 1, the percentage of those who then went on to visit Apparel Retailer 2, and so on. Centers can also learn whether their anchor stores are attracting customers for the whole center, or if visitors are only shopping at specific stores before heading home.

Re-ID can also be used to discover how many visitors are there to shop, versus those who visit for leisure activities, like restaurants or movie theaters. Furthermore, it offers insights into the popularity of various retail categories—whether most visitors frequent fashion retailers or if health and beauty stores are more popular. It can even detect cross-visits between different retail categories, providing comprehensive insights into shopper behaviors.

Heatmapping is another benefit of Re-ID, allowing shopping centers to understand which zones and floors are busiest and where visitors are spending most of their time. This data is beneficial for lease negotiations. By understanding which units are the busiest, Re-ID enabled devices installed in strategic points throughout a center to provide insights into zone performance. This allows centers to better plan lease charges based on location and traffic opportunities.

Re-ID is game changing for shopping centers. By excluding passers-through, and multiple entry counts, the property sector can gain a more accurate understanding of visitor numbers. The ability to track individuals throughout a visitor’s journey in a center, identify hot spots, and measure time spent in different areas is crucial for negotiating leases and understanding traffic opportunities. Re-ID not only optimizes the way retail properties can count traffic, it also goes the extra mile in providing additional, actionable, revenue-driving insights.

Excited to hear more? Contact Sensormatic to learn more about how Re-ID can deliver value for your shopping center or mall today.