The Decomposition of a Store Visit
Physical retail has one abstract ratio where online retail has six steps. An argument about why that is, and what changes when it ends.
Why Footfall Became the Wrong Hero Metric
For decades, footfall has been one of retail's most trusted numbers. But somewhere along the way, it quietly took on a role it was never designed for: explaining why a store performs the way it does.
Why a Store Needs a Loop, Not an Operating System
We used to call it the operating system for the physical store. That framing was architecturally right and commercially useless. What a store actually needs is a loop: see the floor, act on it, prove the change worked.
Gut Feeling vs Data: The Cultural Shift in Retail Decision-Making
For decades, retail success was driven by intuition. But in today's data-rich world, feeling isn't enough. The difference between good and great now lies in how intuition meets information.
How to Measure Store Efficiency Like an E-Commerce Site
Online retailers know their numbers by heart: conversion rate, time on page, cart abandonment. Ask a physical store manager for the same metrics, and you'll often get a shrug. But that's changing fast.
Privacy in Retail AI: What's Ethical, Legal, and Possible
When retailers hear AI and cameras in the same sentence, the first reaction is often the same: 'That's not legal.' But here's the truth: it actually is, if done right.
Turning Dwell Time Into Revenue: The Hidden Economics of Attention
Retailers have long measured who enters their stores. But few measure how long those visitors actually stay. Or what that time means for revenue.
How AI and Computer Vision Are Quietly Transforming Retail
For years, cameras in retail stores were seen purely as security tools. Thanks to advances in AI and computer vision, that same infrastructure is being redefined.
Foot Traffic ≠ Sales: The Blind Spot in Retail Analytics
The store feels lively. The door counter shows steady footfall. Yet the sales line stays flat. It's not a sales problem. It's a visibility problem.
What Is In-Store Intelligence (and Why Retailers Can't Ignore It)
For years, retailers have accepted that what happens inside their stores is largely invisible. They can count how many people walk in. They can see how much revenue comes out. But everything in between remains a black box.