Photo: RetailWire
New university research explores how grocers can take advantage of in-store cameras employing advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to read facial expressions — raising an eyebrow, opening eyes, smiling — to enhance store layouts.
“Emotion recognition algorithms work by employing computer vision techniques to locate the face, and identify key landmarks on the face, such as corners of the eyebrows, tip of the nose and corners of the mouth," said Dr. Kien Nguyen of Australia’s Queensland University of Technology, in a press release.
He added, “Other behaviors like staring at a product and reading the box of a product are a gold mine for marketing to understand the interest of customers in a product."
Researchers note that while use of facial recognition in the retail setting is “still controversial” due to privacy concerns, the footage data can be de-identified or made anonymous so that customers would be examined only at an aggregate level.
AI has also become widely used with in-store cameras for shoplifting prevention and increasingly used for applications such as pay-with-your-face, check-out free grocery stores, and visual and voice search, according to the study.
However, the researchers stated that currently, the conventional approach to designing store layouts is based on a “passive reaction” to customer behavior, such as basing decisions on sales data.
Along with understanding emotions through facial cues and customer characterization, layout managers could employ heatmap analytics, human trajectory tracking and customer action recognition techniques to inform their decisions.
The study states, “Importantly, the conventional design process does not reflect (1) how customers actually navigate through store aisles, (2) how much time customers actually spend in each section, and (3) what visible emotion (e.g., happiness) customers exhibit in response to a product.”
A 2012 article from Bloomberg, however, was already weighing the potential benefits to store layouts, window displays and promotions from in-store facial-recognition technologies against the legal and ethical ramifications of gathering personal data with or without consent.
Privacy concerns haven’t abated. In July, Kmart and Bunnings in Australia were forced to pause the use of facial recognition technology in their stores they claimed was being used for security purposes amid an investigation from Australia’s privacy regulator.
- Researchers encourage retailers to embrace AI to better service customers – Science Daily
- When AI meets store layout design: a review – Artificial Intelligence Review
- Mannequins collect data on shoppers via facial-recognition software – Bloomberg/The Washington Post
- Bunnings and Kmart halt use of facial recognition technology in stores as privacy watchdog investigates – The Guardian