How data analytics is measuring the impact of experiential retail

Andrea Duckett • March 15, 2026

Experiential retail offers a world of possibilities for both luxury brands and their customers. It also requires substantial investment.

 

Any investment in your physical retail spaces can only justified if you can evidence its impact – and the best evidence comes from data.

 

That doesn’t mean that every dollar spent on digital displays, custom audio, and interactive features must be replicated in sales. Return on investment is important but tracking and analyzing the right metrics can prove that a certain piece of content improves dwell time, a specific fragrance entices consumers towards a feature display, or interactive customization screens increase customer satisfaction.


That’s why data analytics plays an essential role in the experiential retail landscape.

 

Why does data matter?

 

In eCommerce, data drives almost every decision. It is used to inform marketing, visual merchandising, user experience, pricing, and more. Each time a customer interacts with a brand’s website, opens their emails, adds an item to their basket, or exits without browsing, the actions they take are monitored and recorded.

 

It’s not surprising that luxury brands used to that level of granularity in the online realm would want to see this replicated in-store.

 

Gut feelings, casual observations, and anecdotal opinions aren’t good enough anymore. And they certainly won’t satisfy your CFO when you ask for investment in experiential retail.

 

Data can create a compelling business case and helps to bridge the gap between creative content and conversion.

Privacy vs. personalization

 

While it’s now become commonplace, online data gathering hasn’t escaped controversy, which is one of the reasons why retail data specialists like PFM Intelligent ensure the insights they provide are anonymous.

 

That’s not to say they can’t paint you a picture of the type of people visiting your store. To accurately track and analyze footfall, the company uses a light-emitting radar, which highlights visitors and store staff as they travel around the store.

 

Each individual is represented by a colorful figure – similar to a thermal heat map – but personally identifiable details like their facial features aren’t visible. PFM also can’t listen in to conversations or find out things like the customer’s name. 

 

So, what can they see?

 

You might struggle to believe it, but the anonymous figure can be used (with 90% accuracy) to determine the customer’s:
 

  • Height
  • Gender
  • Age Group

 

In the future, they may even be able to share data on each customer’s emotional state.

 

This can complement the pen portraits and demographic data that most brands will use to target their marketing and tailor their product line.

 

While identifying who visits your store is important, when it comes to analyzing the impact of experiential retail, it’s what those customers do while they’re visiting that really matters.

 

From the street…

 

It all starts outside your store.

 

A truly multifaceted approach to analyzing footfall will start by monitoring street traffic to understand the vibrancy of a given location while simultaneously using a combination of mobile phone and Census data to provide insights into the demographics of those passers-by.

 

These insights can help you decide whether this is the right location for your brand or, if it’s an existing store, whether it’s the right space to experiment with experiential.

 

…to inside the store

 

Once someone crosses the threshold, PFM’s discreet technology will kick in. Each figure that enters will immediately be flagged as either a customer or a member of staff.

 

These figures can then be followed as they journey around the store.

 

Observing their actions can show:

 

  • Where they choose to dwell
  • When they engage with a piece of content
  • When they interact with a staff member
  • Which products they prefer

 

These actions all form part of a path that hopefully leads to a purchase, but if it doesn’t, that information is still just as valuable.

 

Gather enough data and start observing the patterns it shows and you’ll soon spot the steps that signify intent to buy and are more likely to convert.   

 

And one of the best things about this type of data gathering is that it’s always on. 24/7.

 

Improving sales and optimizing operations

 

Data analytics isn’t only useful for helping you streamline your store layout and understand which experiential solutions (displays, audio, scent, and more) are having the most impact, but it can also help you optimize your everyday operations.

 

Even the most captivating and immersive experience can be undermined by inadequate staffing levels or complicated purchase processes. 

 

By analyzing how, when, and where customers who convert tend to interact with sales associates, brands can find the golden ratio of employees to customers.

 

The 24/7 nature of this technology also means managers can quickly identify when the store is busy and when quiet times strike. They have the hard numbers they need to create predictive rotas, floorplans, and break schedules.

 

Spotlight on: Future Stores

 

Set on London’s most iconic shopping street, Future Stores on Oxford Street has tens of thousands of people passing by each day. PFM Intelligence can monitor this footfall and identify who crosses the threshold and what it was that caught their eye, whether it’s a bestselling product on display or an incredible piece of content on the big screen.

 

Despite the spectacular LED displays that span the walls and ceiling of this innovative space, PFM was able to install its monitoring devices in three corners of the store and above each entrance.

 

As different companies take over Future Stores and make the space their own, PFM can help each brand – and the retail sector at large – understand the way each visitor experiences and interacts with the content on display. Are they drawn to the visual spectacle? Are the interactive tools capturing their attention? Or is it the product that has them stopping and staring? The answers are just a few clicks away.

 

How to make the most of data analytics in your store

 

While data analytics has been widely adopted by the retail industry, to obtain the most insightful information its implementation still requires careful consideration.

 

As Mark King, Market Development Director at PFM Intelligence, explains, “The first question brands need to ask themselves is why do we need this data? While conversion might be the ultimate goal, in an experiential space, there are many other metrics to consider beside sales. It’s essential that brands take time to identify what success looks like, why it matters, and what ROI really means.”

 

What’s next? The future of retail analytics

 

Data analytics isn’t going anywhere, but it’s likely to evolve alongside the luxury retail sector in the years to come.

 

  • Click and collect
    As the boundaries between online and real-world retail continue to blur, click and collect will become an important component of bricks-and-mortar stores. These customers will impact staffing levels and expect a different experience to those browsing and shopping in-store. Data analytics can help to plot bespoke paths through the store for these customers, creating a journey centered on convenience.

 

  • A holistic view
    While luxury retailers have always understood that the in-store experience is about far more than the transaction, these softer metrics can now feed into the foundation of how a space is curated. Stats relating to brand loyalty and sentiment will continue to be just as valuable as final sales figures.

 

  • Personalized experiences
    Data can help stores provide a personalized experience based on time of day, the weather, or the demographic of the footfall outside. Using historic data to make predictions, stores can understand how a customer who visits on a sunny day is likely to act vs. one who takes shelter in a downpour and tailor the in-store experience in response.

 

Keen to learn how Mood Media can help you effectively use data analytics in experiential retail? Get in touch with our team today.

How to appeal to a new luxury customer

April 13, 2026
How to appeal to the new luxury customer Can brands appeal to the new generation of luxury customers without alienating their established base? Mood Media’s Head of Creative Barry McPhillips shares his insights into how both heritage and hypebeast brands are navigating this question and shaping their in-store experiences in response New Generation, New Expectations How do we define today’s luxury customer? The traditional customer base for heritage brands is still a powerful market segment; these shoppers value loyalty, personalised service, emotive in-store experiences, and purchases that make them feel special. But a new generation of luxury shoppers is disrupting the status quo. “Their expectations are very different. More immediacy, more theatre, more drama, more online,” explains Barry McPhillips, Head of Creative at Mood Media. Loyalty is no longer a priority. In fact, the product isn’t even necessarily the most important aspect of a luxury purchase for these customers. They’re more interested in buying into the feeling it gives them. This shift means that the luxury shopping experience has expanded beyond the boutique. It’s no longer just about curating exceptional in-store environments, the customer journey both pre and post purchase is equally important. It also presents a dilemma for brands looking to retain their loyal customers while also engaging the next generation – is it possible to evolve without alienating?

Attracting the next generation of shoppers

By Andrea Duckett • April 1, 2026
How luxury shopping is hoping to attract the next generation of shoppers As luxury retailers look to retain their existing customer base while appealing to new audiences, they are evolving their approach to both their bricks-and-mortar stores and live media experiences. But with Gen Z brand loyalty never guaranteed, will investing in attention grabbing activities be enough to secure the future of the luxury sector? The economic uncertainty of recent years has been challenging for retailers, especially those operating in the luxury space. Richemont (owner of Cartier and Montblanc) saw operating profits drop by 17% year-on-year in the first half of 2025, Gucci’s revenues fell by 25% in the same period, and LVMH group revenues were down 2% in the first nine months of 2024. While engaging existing consumers will be an important part of these brands’ survival strategy, harnessing the spending power of Gen Z will be essential if the luxury industry is to navigate this difficult period and secure future prosperity. Currently aged between 13 and 28, Gen Z is the audience luxury retailers are hoping to attract - and for good reason. Gen Z spending is projected to reach $12 trillion by 2030 and their rate of spending on luxury goods is expected to be three times faster than other generations. But perhaps one of the most interesting stats to look at when considering how luxury shopping can adapt to serve Gen Z shoppers is that in-store mass merchandise and grocery purchases account for nearly 50% of their total spending. Gen Z is truly the omnichannel generation. While digital channels will continue to be an important driver of both online and offline sales, luxury brands are increasingly re-evaluating the role their retail spaces can play in securing the attention – and loyalty – of Gen Z shoppers. Capitalising on the potential of live media – immersive, real-world experiences designed to forge connections with new and existing shoppers – can help brands find the sweet spot between strategy and spectacle.

The impact of digital content and personalised experiences

By Andrea Duckett • March 31, 2026
The impact of digital content and personalised experiences Personalisation is expected to transform physical retail in the coming years, but is anyone doing it right When it comes to adapting digital content to serve a specific audience, there’s a wide gap between ambition and expectation – and customers are more than aware of this discrepancy. In fact, only 23% of shoppers think that retailers are doing a good job when it comes to personalisation.[1] But how can brands bridge the gap? It all starts with understanding customer experience. Content for content’s sake isn’t just a waste of budget, but it also runs the risk of alienating loyal customers. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Several luxury brands are hampered in their efforts to implement digital content effectively; some haven’t built sufficient knowledge of the customer in-store experience, some don’t have buy-in from stakeholders, and some are restricted by budget. Any luxury brand considering using digital content in their retail stores – and potentially personalising that content – should start with four key questions: 1. What is the purpose of this content? 2. In what context will customers experience this content? 3. How will this content impact the customer journey? 4. Does this content complement the store environment? If you don’t have an answer to each of these questions, you’re probably not ready to maximise the opportunity digital content offers. And it is a considerable opportunity; retailers who can effectively leverage personalised digital content in-store are 48% more likely to exceed their revenue goals. So, how can you use digital content effectively?