Eyesee Mannequins monitor footfall traffic

More and more brick and mortar stores are implementing the latest technologies to monitor shoppers and work out the conversion rate of shoppers into actual purchasers. However an Italian mannequin manufacturer known

as Almax has teamed up with Kee Sqaure, spin-off of Politecnico di Milano, to take things a step further. Together they have developed one of the world's first 'smart mannequins.'

Named 'Eyesee,' these mannequins have a unique camera installed inside theirs heads, with a lens fitted into one eye that analyzes the facial features of shoppers passing by the store windows using facial recognition software. This data then provides retailers with statistical information, which can be used in future marketing campaigns. The mannequins also register the number of visitors passing a window display so retailers can note what hours are the busiest and collects data which retailers can use to see whether a window display is grabbing shoppers attention.

Eyesee mannequins help retailers with forecasting

With Christmas just around the corner in the UK, consumer confidence slowly growing and unemployment rates falling, retailers who chose to combine this type of technology with their current in-store traffic intelligence solutions can build “the foundation for very sophisticated data analysis, as well as enhanced planning and forecasting accuracy,” said Sarah Herrlien, senior retail technology analyst at Planet Retail, provider of global retailing information for news, analysis and market research.

Currently there are five companies using dozens of the Eyesee mannequins, which look remarkably life like, in three European countries, as well as the US. For now these companies have chosen to remain anonymous according to a recent Traffic Intelligence report from Planet Retail.

Reportedly these retailers are already witnessing success with Eyesee mannequins, in one store, window displays were altered after data gathered from the mannequins revealed that male shoppers spent more than female shoppers in the first few days of sale and in another apparel store brought in a children's wear line after data revealed that children made up more than half of the late afternoon footfall traffic.

Herrlien notes although it will still be a while before these futuristic mannequins start dominating the window display scene, retailers who chose to take the jump and order the 4,000 euros mannequins “cannot only improve the effectiveness of their digital signage installations; they can also reduce energy costs and enhance the efficiency of their Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) solutions.”

Even though Eyesee mannequins respect shoppers privacy and do no record or transmit sensitive information, like biometric data or images, Herrlien concludes data privacy remains important with the addition of any traffic intelligence solutions. “Companies will have to ensure compliance with data privacy legislation, as well as ensuring they have customers' permission to track them in store.”

Photos: Courtesy of Almax