ReTel Technologies

ShopperTrak, now a core component of Sensormatic Solutions, operates as a global provider of location-based analytics, delivering insights into consumer behavior for the retail sector. The firm's journey began in 1993 when it was established by Bill Martin, who pioneered the use of traffic data to measure and understand retail performance. The company serves a broad client base, including retailers, shopping malls, and entertainment venues, helping them to improve profitability and operational effectiveness.

The business model is centered on providing actionable data analytics as a service. By deploying a range of technologies such as people-counting devices, video analytics, and location-based sensors (including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth), ShopperTrak captures extensive data on shopper traffic and movement. This information is processed and delivered to clients through an analytics platform, offering metrics like visitor counts, dwell times, conversion rates, and traffic patterns. This enables clients to optimize staffing levels, assess marketing effectiveness, and make informed real estate decisions.

A significant milestone in the company's evolution was the acquisition of ReTel Technologies in September 2012. ReTel specialized in using surveillance video for business intelligence, providing metrics on operations and customer experience. This acquisition enhanced ShopperTrak's capabilities in advanced video analytics, allowing for deeper insights into in-store behavior. This was part of a series of strategic acquisitions, including UK-based RCT Analytics in 2011 and European interior analytics provider RapidBlue in 2013, which collectively expanded the company's technological portfolio and market reach.

In December 2015, Tyco International announced its agreement to acquire ShopperTrak for approximately $175 million, a deal that was finalized in January 2016. At the time of the acquisition, ShopperTrak was generating annual revenues of around $75 million. This move was part of Tyco's strategy to build a comprehensive retail solutions portfolio by combining ShopperTrak's traffic analytics with its own loss prevention and inventory intelligence products. Following the merger of Johnson Controls and Tyco, ShopperTrak was integrated into the Sensormatic Solutions brand, where it continues to be a key offering for providing real-time visibility and predictive analytics to the retail industry.

Keywords: retail analytics, shopper insights, traffic counting, consumer behavior, location-based analytics, people counting, conversion rate optimization, retail data, store performance, customer journey analytics, market intelligence, footfall analysis, video analytics, Tyco, Sensormatic Solutions, Johnson Controls, Bill Martin, shopper journey, retail operations, marketing effectiveness, retail profitability, dwell time analysis, queue management, tenant mix