http://storefrontbacktalk.com/securityfraud/could-software-allow-shelves-to-look-back-at-consumers/ Techniques, Tools and Tirades about Retail Technology and E-Commerce Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:02:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://storefrontbacktalk.com/securityfraud/could-software-allow-shelves-to-look-back-at-consumers/comment-page-1/#comment-49553 Evan Schuman Mon, 03 Nov 2008 12:11:54 +0000 http://www.storefrontbacktalk.com/securityfraud/could-software-allow-shelves-to-look-back-at-consumers/#comment-49553 Editor's Note: No argument with the potential for invasion of privacy IF (and, dare I say, ONLY if) the data is attached to an individual consumer. If not, it's quite innocuous aggregate data. But I did want to briefly comment on your last line: "The items that you sell more of , for example in the cereal line, must be more popular than the types/brands that don’t sell well. Duh! It’ doesn’t take expensive equipment to find that out!" Not necessarily. How can a retailer or manufacturer know WHY a particular product didn't move? Were people not at all interested? That's one situation. Or were lots of people seemingly very interested, immediately grabbing the box and about to put it in their cart when they saw something on the label and quickly changed their mind. Those two situations would both have registered "no sale" because they would merit very different reactions by the manufacturer. So there is value in that data. Editor’s Note: No argument with the potential for invasion of privacy IF (and, dare I say, ONLY if) the data is attached to an individual consumer. If not, it’s quite innocuous aggregate data.
But I did want to briefly comment on your last line: “The items that you sell more of , for example in the cereal line, must be more popular than the types/brands that don’t sell well. Duh! It’ doesn’t take expensive equipment to find that out!”
Not necessarily. How can a retailer or manufacturer know WHY a particular product didn’t move? Were people not at all interested? That’s one situation. Or were lots of people seemingly very interested, immediately grabbing the box and about to put it in their cart when they saw something on the label and quickly changed their mind.
Those two situations would both have registered “no sale” because they would merit very different reactions by the manufacturer. So there is value in that data.

]]> http://storefrontbacktalk.com/securityfraud/could-software-allow-shelves-to-look-back-at-consumers/comment-page-1/#comment-49542 J.Lee Mon, 03 Nov 2008 04:24:32 +0000 http://www.storefrontbacktalk.com/securityfraud/could-software-allow-shelves-to-look-back-at-consumers/#comment-49542 I am very much against this kind of "spying" on customers; it's a real invasion of privacy. I will strongly complain to any company and perhaps not even shop there when I feel that i am being spied upon and that's exactly what it is- spying, invasion! If I find that a product has too much salt or sugar for example, I call or write the company and tell them. I don't need someone scanning my eyes and watching me read the label. Also the items that you sell more of , for example in the cereal line, must be more popular than the types/brands that don't sell well. Duh! It' doesn't take expensive equipment to find that out! I am very much against this kind of “spying” on customers; it’s a real invasion of privacy. I will strongly complain to any company and perhaps not even shop there when I feel that i am being spied upon and that’s exactly what it is- spying, invasion!
If I find that a product has too much salt or sugar for example, I call or write the company and tell them. I don’t need someone scanning my eyes and watching me read the label. Also the items that you sell more of , for example in the cereal line, must be more popular than the types/brands that don’t sell well. Duh! It’ doesn’t take expensive equipment to find that out!

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