How footfall measurement can enhance omnichannel retail strategies
The retail landscape continues to evolve, and businesses are seeking innovative ways to bridge the gap between online and offline customer engagement. Total retail footfall in the UK increased by 1.8% in July according to the British Retail Consortium, and as the build up to Christmas begins, this is set to increase. Programmatic and data expert Crimtan is urging retailers to measure footfall so the data and insight can be used within omnichannel strategies.
Footfall measurement offers valuable insights into customer behaviour and the performance of individual campaigns in stores. This data can be used to effectively connect with customers in both physical and digital spaces.
Footfall measurement also helps businesses determine which online touchpoints drive customers to their physical stores, enabling budget reallocation and increased return on ad spend, whilst also providing valuable insights into offline customer behaviour, including store visitation patterns, visit frequency, and audience demographics.
Andy Houstoun, chief commercial Ooficer at Crimtan, said: “Footfall measurement is the compass guiding modern retail into a seamless merging of online and offline worlds, enabling businesses to not only understand where their customers come from but also to shape where they’re heading.
“It’s not merely about tracking footsteps; it’s about creating a course where businesses can proactively influence customer behaviour and create meaningful connections in an increasingly interconnected retail landscape.”
There are several critical stages when implanting footfall measurement. Initially, it is important to establish clear campaign objectives, such as maximising seasonal promotions, driving sales traffic, or enhancing customer lifetime value. Following this, businesses should begin collecting data such as online campaign tracking and in-store visit monitoring, whilst maintaining a strict adherence to legal and consent-based practices. Once data is gathered, businesses can begin to identify correlations between ad-exposed and non-exposed customer visits, before beginning to create personalised advertisements that are tailored to specific customer preferences and their respective positions in the customer journey.
Crimtan offers comprehensive footfall measurement services, helping businesses measure the impact of their digital campaigns. By conducting footfall A/B testing measurement reports and geo-fencing competitors’ stores, Crimtan provides valuable insights into customer behaviour.