ASDA will use its new Wi-Fi service to track the in-store behaviour of its customers, reports theregister.co.uk.
The supermarket, owned by Walmart, will allow shoppers to browse the internet free of charge through a speedy mobile service delivered by telecoms provider EE.
Details about the customer’s browsing activity will then filter through to a separate server for use in a wide range of applications.
Thegrocer.co.uk says ASDA will be able to track who’s coming into a store, how often they visit the branch and the time they spend browsing the products on offer.
This data will then be used to give shoppers personalised promotions based on their tastes and interests, which could trigger an increased take-up in certain offers.
All of the activity will be monitored by store managers at ground level, who will use tablets supplied by EE to track the activity of customers and make decisions based on the information they receive.
Graham Cove, the director of Wi-Fi at EE, says the technology will help ASDA track what its customers are up to in busy environments.
“Retailers know what customers are doing on the web and on mobile, but don’t really know what they are doing in-store,” he commented.
“This helps them better understand shopper behaviour in store.
