Basket data adds evidence of purchase to a footfall count, which measures entries rather than outcomes. Norwich (United Kingdom) monitors footfall as the number of people going into a shop or business, on the basis that not all footfall will result in purchase 1. Basket and transaction records therefore supply the part of the picture that a door count leaves open.
How the two data sets combine
- The IAB Europe in-store retail media standards recommend combining cart and basket tracking data with other sources, including purchase data, loyalty card data, hand scanners and customer feedback, to build a comprehensive understanding of shopping behaviour 2.
- Transaction data is itself listed as one of the ways store traffic or footfall data can be collected, alongside panels and technology solutions such as sensors, door counters and beacons 23.
- The MRC outcomes and data quality standards note that foot traffic or physical visitation may be established through Point of Sale (POS) data, consumer credit data, panels and offline or online surveys 4.
Why the addition matters for measurement
Footfall on its own feeds exposure-side metrics: the IAB Europe opportunity to see (OTS) calculation uses average weekly store footfall, defined as the average number of shoppers entering a store each week, with a worked example of 50,000 23. Basket data attaches purchase behaviour to those visits. It also helps with a known weakness of footfall figures, which the OECD report describes as less reliable because different providers use varied methodologies, making comparability between cities difficult 1.