International Business Machines Corporation
Product placement optimization using blind-spot analysis in retail environments

Abstract:

A system and method utilizing a mass user gaze fixation behavior with respect to products and product racks (using a camera-based inputs and gaze-tracking algorithms) and a financial profitability of each product/product type; generates gaze-based heat maps for indicating blind spots and eye gaze points at different positions of the racks/shelves and indicating product placement positions on the heat map; and advises product placement in the retail store for optimizing financial profitability by performing an iterative refinement of product placements over a period for the product/similar products. The system translates mass eye gaze of retail store customers into financial profitability via product placement optimization, and iteratively runs a method to optimize product placements, and generate gaze-based heat maps and perform blind spot analysis for avoiding product placements at certain locations and placing products at other locations, e.g., by running a decision module on consumer gaze pattern data.