Footfall counter for stores and chains
The right people counter depends on the question. A 3D sensor or LiDAR unit above the door gives exact in and out counts, an AI camera does the same where standard cameras already exist, and Wi-Fi people counting measures dwell time, zones and paths across the whole store. Many sites combine types, and sales data adds conversion.
Works with Cisco, Ruckus, Aruba and other enterprise Wi-Fi, with no new hardware.
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Choose your store type
A clothing store, a grocer and a pharmacy do not have the same problems. Each page speaks to one kind of store.
Clothing stores
Footfall analytics for clothing stores: see who walks past, who comes in, who reaches the fitting rooms and who buys, per store and per hour. No cameras needed.
Learn more →Grocery stores
Footfall analytics for grocery stores: checkout queues by the hour, the customer route through the store, campaign ends that work and staffing that fits.
Learn more →DIY and hardware stores
Footfall analytics for DIY, hardware and builders' merchants: trade and consumer flows by the hour, the yard and the store together, queues at collection.
Learn more →Pharmacies
Footfall analytics for pharmacies: prescription-counter waiting time by the hour, self-care versus counter visits, opening hours on real flow, no cameras.
Learn more →Furniture stores
Footfall analytics for furniture stores: visits by hour, dwell by department, planning desk queues and spring weeks. Can start on the store's Wi-Fi.
Learn more →Consumer electronics stores
Footfall analytics for consumer electronics stores: visits by hour, dwell by department, service desk queues and peak weeks. No cameras needed.
Learn more →Sports stores
Footfall analytics for sports stores: visits week by week, dwell by department, service desk queues and event weeks. No cameras needed.
Learn more →
By how the store is run
What you get
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Pick the counter type by the question
Wi-Fi covers the whole store, a 3D sensor counts at the door, LiDAR handles outdoor entrances and an AI camera fits where standard cameras already exist. Use one type, or combine them: sensor counts at the door calibrate Wi-Fi across the floor.
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One store or a whole chain
Every store is measured the same way, so the chain's best store can serve as the model for the rest and a weak one is easy to spot.
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Connect to the till
Set visits against transactions and you get conversion, shown beside the visit figures in one dashboard.
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Start on the Wi-Fi you have
Counting usually runs on the enterprise Wi-Fi a store already has. Where exact door counts are needed, a small sensor above the entrance adds them.
What data you get
Measured anonymously per store and across the chain, from the pavement to the till:
- Visitors and passers-by, with capture rate
- Dwell time, zones and paths
- Conversion funnel with POS integration
- Store-to-store comparisons
- Peaks and trends for staffing and opening hours
- Repeat visits (with opt-in) and campaign impact
On this page
A people counter counts the people who pass a point or enter a space, usually as visits in and out at the door. Depending on the type it also measures dwell time, movement between zones and, when it is linked to your sales data, conversion. Four types are used in stores: Wi-Fi, 3D sensor, LiDAR and AI camera.
Which people counter fits a single store?
If a number at the door is all you need, a 3D sensor above the entrance gives exact in and out counts, and an AI camera does the same job where standard cameras are already installed. LiDAR suits entrances that are dark, outdoor or wide open. To see what visitors do once inside, Wi-Fi measures dwell time and paths across the whole store floor. Many stores run two types side by side, with sensors at the door and Wi-Fi inside. The table below sets the four types next to each other, and accuracy by method explains what the numbers mean. If you are weighing a plain counter against an analytics service, start with counter or analytics platform.
What does a people counter measure besides visits?
On top of visits, a door sensor records the direction of travel, so you know how many came in and how many left. Wi-Fi adds how long visitors stay, which zones they pass through, how many passers-by there were and what share of them came in. Add sales data and you get conversion. The full list is in what data you get. Repeat visits are measured only when visitors opt in.
How does a footfall counter work across a chain?
A single store gets the same picture as a chain and has the same questions: does the window pull people in, where do they linger, when should staff be on the floor. A chain can also compare its stores: when every store is measured in the same way, the best one becomes a model for the rest and a weak one is easy to spot.
Can a people counter connect to the till?
Yes. An integration brings sales data in from your own POS or retail system, and the analytics platform and API reads it alongside the footfall data. Visits set against transactions then give conversion, in the same dashboard as the visit figures.
Which people counter types use cameras, and which do not?
Wi-Fi counting uses no cameras, and LiDAR counts without a camera and captures no image. 3D sensors and AI cameras are optical. 3D sensors use video for analytics only, AI cameras do the same in counting mode, and no personal images are stored.
Can I start people counting with the hardware I already have?
Usually. Most sites can begin on the enterprise Wi-Fi they already run, and a small sensor is added above the entrance only where exact door counts are needed.
Curious what this looks like for your venue?
Choose a counter type
Wi-Fi covers the whole space and the journeys across it. Pair it with a sensor, LiDAR or camera where you need precision at one point.
| Capability | Wi-Fi | 3D sensor | LiDAR | AI camera |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole-space coverage | Yes | Partial | Partial | Partial |
| Exact in/out at a door | Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Real-time occupancy | Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Paths & flows between zones | Yes | Partial | Partial | Partial |
| Dwell time | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Uses your existing hardware | Yes | No | No | Partial |
| Built-in privacy protection | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
- Full
- Partial
- Not available
Anonymous counts, whichever type you choose
Counting with any of the four types gives anonymous statistics and no personal data. Bumbee Labs is the company behind the only footfall method in Europe approved by a data protection authority.
At Ray our motto is customer success, and we are excited about our partnership with Bumbee Labs. Complimenting the seamless Wireless provided by Ray, our customers will now be able to leverage the deep analytics provided by Bumbee Labs and take informed business decisions to aid their growth.
Frequently asked questions
How do I choose between a Wi-Fi and a sensor-based people counter?
If you only need one number at a door, a sensor covers it. Wi-Fi is for behaviour across the whole store, such as dwell time and zones, and LiDAR fits entrances that are outdoors or need precision. Many sites combine the types, and every installation is calibrated against manual control measurements.
Can our sales data sit next to the people counter figures?
Yes. You link your own POS or retail system, and the platform reads the sales data alongside the visit counts. Conversion then appears in the same dashboard.
Does a store people counter need cameras?
Not always. Wi-Fi counting needs none, and LiDAR counts without a camera or any image. 3D sensors use video for analytics only, AI cameras do the same in counting mode, and neither stores personal images.
Is a footfall counter GDPR-approved?
That depends on the method. Bumbee Labs is the company behind the footfall method that IMY, the Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection, approved. Before you choose a counter, check which authority has looked at the supplier's method.