Restaurants and the Omnichannel: Enhancing Business with Data-Driven Insights

As the lines between traditional restaurants and fast food/takeaway establishments blur, embracing an omnichannel approach has become essential for staying competitive in the F&B industry. By offering multiple channels for customer interaction—whether it’s dine-in, online ordering, or delivery—businesses can reach wider audiences and enhance customer experiences. However, success in this space requires more than just multiple touchpoints; it demands strategic decisions backed by data.

Leveraging footfall insights and demographic data, restaurants can optimize site selection, benchmark the performance of existing locations, and implement targeted marketing campaigns. Understanding when and where customers are most likely to engage with your brand also enables businesses to optimize their opening hours, ensuring maximum efficiency and profitability. With the right data-driven strategies, F&B businesses can navigate the complexities of the omnichannel landscape, driving growth and brand loyalty.

Introduction

Historically, there has always been a clear distinction between restaurants and fast food/takeaway establishments, with two separate business models targeting different audiences and requirements. Restaurants typically offer a dine-in experience, catering to customers who want to enjoy a food experience, socialise, and receive great service. Fast food/takeaway brands, have traditionally focused on quick service and convenience, often catering to customers who prioritise speed over the dining experience.

Over the past two decades, the lines between these models have blurred. Fast food/takeaways have become even faster and more convenient through order and pay apps available on all major smart devices, with many now offering on-site dining options, such as McDonald’s and Greggs. Similarly, restaurants have recognised the value of extending their cuisine beyond the dine-in experience, leveraging third-party delivery platforms like Just Eat, Deliveroo, and UberEats to compete in the fast food/takeaway market. This shift highlights the growing importance of offering a seamless and consistent omnichannel experience to meet evolving consumer expectations.

What is Omnichannel?

In the food and beverage (F&B) industry, omnichannel offers customers multiple channels to interact with and purchase from a brand, whether it’s through in-person dining, online ordering, or delivery services. In today’s fast-paced world, customers expect to be able to make near-instant purchases whenever and wherever they want or need.

Reaching Untapped Business

Embracing the omnichannel approach is not only essential for F&B businesses to stay competitive but also to expand their reach into previously untapped markets. The omnichannel strategy operates on a simple principle: the more channels you offer, the larger your reach and the greater the potential for business growth. However, the success of this strategy is closely tied to understanding the geographic and demographic layout of each location to ensure your brand is within delivery range of your target audience.

Physical locations remain crucial, but additional channels like Just Eat, Deliveroo and UberEats provide new revenue streams without the upfront cost of opening a new site. The revenue generated from these channels can then be reinvested into opening new locations, further expanding the business’s reach and creating a positive feedback loop of growth.

Leveraging Footfall Data for Strategic Decisions

Understanding footfall patterns is vital for optimising restaurant performance and making informed decisions about new site locations. Footfall data provides insights into how many people are passing by or entering a location at different times, which can be instrumental in site selection, marketing and operational strategies.

Leveraging location insights that help identify high-traffic areas is fundamental to ensuring the success of your new sites. By analysing footfall data, businesses can benchmark the performance of their existing restaurants against location, allowing them to make data-driven decisions to improve operations and customer engagement. By understanding peak footfall times, businesses can optimise their opening hours to match customer demand, reducing overhead costs and maximising revenue.

Enhancing Customer Experience

Customers associate F&B brands with value characteristics, whether it’s the speed of service or quality of ingredients. An omnichannel approach is not just about providing multiple payment methods; it’s about ensuring a unified, seamless and positive customer experience across all channels, which in turn fosters brand loyalty. By aligning all channels to consistently reflect the brand’s core values, businesses can reinforce their desired brand image and encourage repeat business.

Personalised Marketing Through Data

With access to diverse data points such as in-app purchases, third-party fulfilment, and on-site transactions, F&B businesses can gain a deeper understanding of customer spending habits. By utilising geographic and demographic data, marketing efforts can be more precisely targeted to the clientele most likely to engage with the brand.

For example, Huq’s location data can help restaurants identify key demographic segments within a specific area, enabling them to tailor their marketing messages accordingly. Social media can further amplify these efforts, allowing restaurants to reach customers with personalised, targeted marketing campaigns that highlight their closest locations or special offers. In fact, 45% of people have tried a new restaurant based on recommendations they’ve encountered on social media, underscoring the impact of targeted marketing in the F&B industry.

Omnichannel Cross-Over

So what does this all mean for the customer? Ultimately, the omnichannel approach puts the customer in control of their journey, allowing them to choose how they want to interact with the brand based on their preferences. Whether ordering from a person on-site, online for collection, online for delivery, or directly to their table via an app, customers now have more options than ever before.

Restaurants and bars such as All Bar One, Bar Soho, Greene King, Nando’s, and Wetherspoon have embraced this trend by implementing “Order and Pay” apps. These apps allow customers to input their table number, order directly from their smart device, and pay the bill without needing to visit the bar. Similarly, fast food/takeaway businesses have long benefited from the convenience of online ordering, which helps manage in-store queues while still handling a high volume of orders.

Even traditionally on-site F&B providers, like cafes, have embraced the omnichannel approach. For example, Costa Coffee has launched an app that allows customers to order and pay for their takeaways ahead of time, reducing queue times and catering to the “grab & go” market. Additionally, Costa Coffee’s automated dispensing machines offer customers the convenience of purchasing their drinks via card in locations where staffed premises may not be commercially viable.

Conclusion

Whether ordering from a physical site, online for collection, ordering to a table via an app, online for delivery, or from an automated dispenser, maintaining a unified brand experience across all channels is critical to omnichannel success.

F&B businesses must be aware of the spending behaviour and demographic makeup of the area when opening a new physical location. However, the omnichannel approach means that it’s equally important to consider the demographic and spending data within the surrounding area, as this will determine the suitability of the pricing model and provide insights into brand popularity based on customer analytics. For “grab & go” businesses, ensuring that the site is conveniently located for the target clientele, such as en route to public transport or within a commercial district, is essential.

Even for automated machines, which are not staffed on a full-time basis, the associated costs of maintaining and restocking the units, as well as fees to landlords for operating on their premises, must be carefully considered. As such, it’s crucial to place these machines in locations where they will have the most significant impact.

With the support of location insights and footfall data, businesses can make informed decisions to enhance their omnichannel strategy, optimise operations, and drive growth. The omnichannel approach allows F&B businesses to promote their brand in ways that would be impossible through single channels alone, offering a cost-effective means of expansion and sustained success.

by Emily Riley

5 Proven Regeneration Strategies for Retail Centres

In today’s competitive retail landscape, the regeneration of retail centres has become a crucial focus for local governments and councils. This strategic approach not only revitalises local economies but also enhances community well-being. By implementing a series of targeted strategies—ranging from aesthetic improvements to inclusive business offerings—retail centres can transform into vibrant destinations where people want to spend more time. Based on data and insights from our local government and councils, we’ve identified key areas that significantly impact how long visitors stay in retail centres. Let’s explore these strategies in detail.

1. How to Boost the Night-Time Economy

A thriving night-time economy can significantly enhance the cultural and economic vitality of an area. By offering diverse entertainment and dining options, an area can attract a wide range of visitors, from local residents to tourists, fostering a lively and inclusive atmosphere. This section describes strategies that have stimulated the night-time economy and examines how these initiatives have been reflected in Huq data.

Proven strategies

Extended Business Hours

Encouraging businesses to stay open later can provide more options for evening entertainment and
shopping, catering to night-time visitors.

Special Events and Activities

Organising events such as night markets, festivals, and live performances can draw crowds and stimulate spending.

Improved Night Transport Options

Providing reliable and accessible late-night transport options ensures visitors can safely and conveniently travel home, encouraging them to stay out longer.

Diverse Venue Offerings

Promoting a mix of venues, from casual eateries to high-end restaurants and entertainment spots, caters to a wide range of preferences and budgets.

Marketing and Promotions

Leveraging social media and local advertising to promote night-time events and offerings can attract more visitors and create a vibrant atmosphere.

Changes in Data

Increased Night-Time Foofall

Successful night-time initiatives can lead to higher footfall during evening and night hours, as more people are attracted to the area and spend more.

Increased Evening Revenue

With extended hours and diverse entertainment options, businesses can expect increased revenue from evening and late-night customers, as reflected in transaction data.

Expanded Customer Demographics

A thriving night-time economy can draw a diverse range of customers, from young adults to families, contributing to varied spending patterns.

Improved Customer Loyalty

Positive night-time experiences can encourage repeat visitsÏ as tracked by and customer catchment footfall analysis.

Enhanced Reputation

A vibrant night-time economy can enhance the area's reputation as a lively and safe destination, appealing to both locals and tourists.

2. Attracting a Diverse Range of Businesses

Attracting a diverse mix of businesses to a retail centre is essential for creating a vibrant and sustainable economic environment. A variety of businesses can cater to different customer demographics, encourage longer visits, and stimulate spending across different sectors. Here are several strategies a council can employ to attract a diverse mix of businesses to their retail centre:

1. Market Analysis and Planning

Conduct Market Research: Understand the current business landscape, consumer demographics, and spending patterns in the area. Identify gaps in the market and the types of businesses that
could fulfil these unmet needs.

Create a Business Attraction Plan: Develop a comprehensive plan outlining the types of businesses desired, target areas for development, and incentives available. This plan should also consider the desired mix of retail, dining, entertainment, and services.

2. Incentives and Support Programs

Financial Incentives: Offer financial incentives such as tax breaks, grants, or low-interest loans to attract new businesses. These incentives can help offset the initial setup costs for businesses.

Reduced Rent or Lease Subsidies: Work with property owners to offer reduced rents or lease subsidies to attract businesses, especially during the initial months of operation.

Facade Improvement Programs: Provide funding or assistance for businesses to improve their storefronts, enhancing the overall aesthetic appeal of the retail centre.

Facade Improvement Programs: Provide funding or assistance for businesses to improve their storefronts, enhancing the overall aesthetic appeal of the retail centre.

3. Business Support and Development

Business Development Services: Offer workshops, training, and advisory services to help businesses succeed. Topics could include marketing, customer service, financial management, and digital
literacy.

Networking Opportunities: Facilitate networking events and business forums where potential and existing business owners can share ideas and explore partnership opportunities.

Streamlined Permitting and Licensing: Simplify the process for obtaining necessary permits and licences, reducing bureaucratic hurdles and making it easier for new businesses to start operating.

4. Targeted Recruitment and Marketing

Proactive Outreach: Actively recruit businesses that match the desired profile, using a mix of direct outreach, trade shows, and networking events

Highlight Unique Selling Points: Promote the unique advantages of the retail centre, such as foot traffic data, customer demographics, local economic conditions, and community support.

Collaboration with Real Estate Agents: Partner with local real estate agents to identify and attract businesses that align with the community’s needs and preferences.

5. Community Engagement and Public Relations

Engage the Community: Involve local residents and businesses in planning and decision-making processes. This helps ensure the mix of businesses reflects community desires and can increase local support for new businesses.

Promotional Campaigns: Run promotional campaigns to raise awareness of the retail centre’s offerings and attract visitors. This can include events, social media marketing, and partnerships with local influencers.

Events and Activities: Host events, markets, and festivals to draw visitors to the area and showcase the diversity of businesses. These events can also serve as a platform for businesses to engage with the community.

6. Create a Vibrant and Safe Environment

Enhanced Infrastructure: Invest in infrastructure improvements such as better lighting, signage, and pedestrian-friendly walkways to make the retail centre more accessible and attractive.

Public Amenities: Ensure the availability of public amenities such as seating areas, restrooms, and parking facilities, enhancing the visitor experience and encouraging longer stays.

Increasing footfall on the high street

"Huq's insights help us to make smarter, evidence-based decisions. Now I can load insights from the Huq monthly and quarterly reports straight onto our website and monthly newsletter."

— Lilla Bathurst, Ripon BID Manager

3. Improving Shop Fronts and Local Environments

The visual appeal of a retail centre plays a critical role in attracting and retaining visitors. An inviting and aesthetically pleasing environment encourages people to linger, explore, and spend more time and money. Enhancing shop fronts and the surrounding environment is a key strategy in achieving this, as it directly influences the overall ambiance of the area.

Strategies for Enhancing Shop Fronts and Local Environments

Revamping Shop Fronts

Updating the exteriors of shops with fresh paint, modern signage, and clean windows can significantly improve the area’s visual appeal. Unique and creative storefront designs can draw attention and make the shopping experience more enjoyable.

Planting Greenery

Introducing plants and flowers along sidewalks, in planters, and in public spaces can create a more inviting atmosphere. Greenery not only enhances the aesthetic appeal but also contributes to a pleasant and calming environment.

Regular Cleaning Services

Maintaining cleanliness is crucial for creating a welcoming environment. Regular cleaning services, including litter removal, graffiti cleaning, and maintaining clean public facilities, can significantly improve the overall perception of the area.

Street Furniture and Amenities

Installing benches, bike racks, and other street furniture can make the area more user-friendly and comfortable for visitors. Amenities such as public restrooms and drinking fountains can also enhance the shopping experience.

Public Art and Murals

Incorporating public art, such as murals and sculptures, can add character and cultural significance to the area. This can attract art enthusiasts and tourists, providing additional foot traffic and media attention.

Seasonal Decorations and Events

Decorating the area for different seasons and holidays can create a festive atmosphere and encourage people to visit more frequently. Events such as street fairs, markets, and performances can also draw crowds and boost local business.

Expected Changes in Data Metrics

Implementing these aesthetic and environmental enhancements can lead to noticeable changes in various data metrics:

Increased Footfall

A more appealing environment is likely to attract more visitors. This increase in foot traffic can be tracked through footfall counts and time-of-day splits.

Extended Dwell Time

As the area becomes more enticing, visitors are likely to spend more time exploring shops and dining. This extended dwell time can lead to increased spending.

Higher Spend Data

By improving aesthetics and amenities, visitors will spend more, both in terms of time and money. This can be reflected in spend data and an increase in transactions.

Enhanced Visitor Experience

Increased footfall counts and dwell time data can provide insight into how these improvements have positively impacted visitor experience.

Increased Business Participation

As foot traffic and spending increase, more businesses may be attracted to the area, leading to higher occupancy rates and a more vibrant retail mix.

Improved Community Engagement

Public art, seasonal decorations and events enhance community engagement & participation which is reflected through time-of-day footfall counts & catchment data.

By focusing on enhancing shop fronts and the local environment, retail centres can create a more attractive and welcoming atmosphere that encourages people to visit, stay longer, and spend more. This holistic approach not only benefits local businesses but also contributes to the overall well-being and vibrancy of the community.

4. Improving Security

Making people feel safe is paramount in keeping them in the area longer, especially at night. When visitors feel secure, they’re more likely to explore different venues, whether it’s shops, restaurants, or entertainment options, boosting the local economy and creating a vibrant nighttime scene. However, if an area is plagued by safety concerns, such as pickpockets or muggings, as has been reported in certain parts of Soho, London for example, it can deter people from venturing beyond their meeting destination. This limits the area’s economic potential, reduces overall foot traffic and in some cases the collapse of an area.

To address these concerns, local councils and retail centre managers can use data analytics tools to monitor and analyse daypart footfall data—tracking the flow of people throughout the day—and Mastercard spend data to understand where and when people are spending money. These metrics provide valuable insights into visitor behaviour, identifying peak times and popular locations that may require enhanced security measures.

Implementing Targeted Security Measures

Increased Lighting

Well-lit areas can deter criminal activities and make people feel safer. Strategic placement of lights in dimly lit areas, particularly in alleys and pathways, can significantly improve safety perceptions.

Visible Police Presence

A visible law enforcement presence, whether through regular patrols or strategically located police stations, can act as a deterrent to criminal behaviour. Community policing initiatives that encourage interaction between officers and the public can also help build trust and foster a sense of safety.

Surveillance Systems

Installing CCTV cameras in strategic locations can help monitor and record activities, providing both a deterrent to potential criminals and evidence for law enforcement if incidents occur.

Public Awareness Campaigns

Informing the public about safety measures, emergency contacts, and the presence of security personnel can reassure visitors and encourage them to stay longer in the area.

Night-Time Economy Support

Promoting a thriving night-time economy involves more than just ensuring safety; it also requires creating a welcoming atmosphere. This includes extending business hours, hosting events, and providing amenities like late-night transport options.

How the Data Changes Over Time

After implementing these security measures, you can expect several positive changes in both daypart footfall data and spend data:

Increased Evening and Night-Time Footfall

A more welcoming environment should lead to an increase in foot traffic during evening and night-time hours, resulting in a resurgence, attracting a wider demographic of people, including families and tourists.

Extended Duration of Visits

As visitors feel safer, they are likely to extend their stays in the area, exploring multiple venues rather than sticking to a single destination. This increased dwell time translates into more opportunities for spending.

Higher Spend Data in Evening Hours

Creating an environment where people want to stay out later will lead to an uptick in spending at restaurants, bars and entertainment venues. Footfall and spend data will highlight the distribution of transactions.

Diverse Spending Patterns

A vibrant night-time economy can attract a more diverse group of visitors with different spending capacities, spreading revenue across low and high cost dining and entertainment entities.

Repeat Visits and Loyalty

Improved safety and a pleasant environment encourage visitors to return, potentially increasing customer loyalty. This can be tracked through catchment area maps and an increase in visitor density and frequency.

Positive Public Perception

A thriving night-time economy can improve public perception of an area, making it a preferred destination for shopping, dining and entertainment. Footfall counts & time-of-day splits will highlight the impact of your initiatives.

By implementing these security measures, councils can transform retail centres into welcoming environments where people feel safe and encouraged to explore, even after dark. This not only increases dwell time but also enhances the overall appeal of the area, making it a destination of choice for both locals and tourists.

5. Creating a High Street for Everyone

Creating a high street that caters to everyone in the community is essential for the success and sustainability of retail centres. This inclusivity ensures that the area attracts a diverse range of visitors, from local residents to tourists, and meets the needs of various demographic groups. A well-rounded retail environment not only fosters economic growth but also builds a strong sense of community.

To achieve this, retail centres should offer a diverse mix of businesses, catering to different customer types, including low, mid, and high spenders. This range can include everything from budget-friendly retail stores and local markets to mid-range restaurants and luxury boutiques. Inclusivity in business offerings and marketing materials helps maintain the area’s appeal to both locals and visitors.

Strategies for Creating an Inclusive High Street

Diverse Business Mix

Ensuring that the high street has a variety of shops, restaurants, and services that cater to different tastes and budgets is crucial. This includes offering affordable dining options, luxury retail, and unique local businesses that reflect the community’s character.

Cultural and Community Representation

Supporting businesses that represent the local culture and community demographics can help maintain the area’s unique identity. This might include ethnic grocery stores, specialty food outlets, and cultural boutiques that offer traditional goods.

Community Engagement

Engaging with the community to understand their needs and preferences can help in curating a high street that serves everyone. This can be done through surveys, town hall meetings, and local partnerships.

Inclusive Marketing

Marketing materials should be inclusive and representative of the community’s diversity. This includes using diverse imagery in advertisements and promoting events and activities that cater to various cultural and age groups.

Accessible Design

Ensuring that the high street and its businesses are accessible to all, including those with disabilities, is essential. This includes features like ramps, wide doorways, and accessible restrooms.

Public Spaces and Events

Creating public spaces for community events, farmers’ markets, and cultural festivals can attract a diverse crowd and foster a sense of belonging. These events can be used to celebrate the community’s cultural diversity and attract visitors from outside the area.

Expected Changes in Data Metrics

Implementing these inclusive strategies can lead to significant changes in various data metrics:

Broader Demographic Reach

An inclusive high street can attract a more diverse range of visitors, which will be reflected in the footfall. Diversity helps to foster a vibrant community.

Increased Footfall

A varied mix of tenants combined with targeted marketing strategies can lead to a more widespread increase in footfall. This is especially true during community events and festivals.

Higher Customer Retention

When people feel that their needs are being met, they are more likely to return. This can be tracked through repeat visit data and customer loyalty programs.

Diverse Spending Patterns

Offering a range of price points can cater to different income levels, which should be reflected in spend data. This diversity in spending can stabilise the local economy by attracting a wide customer base.

Positive Community Feedback

Surveys and feedback from the community can provide qualitative data on the success of inclusivity strategies. Positive feedback can also enhance the area’s reputation, attracting more visitors.

Extended Stay Duration

When visitors find a variety of activities and shopping options that appeal to them, they are likely to stay longer. This extended dwell time can be tracked through location footfall data and spending metrics.

By focusing on inclusivity and community representation, retail centres can create a welcoming environment that appeals to a broad audience. This not only enhances the economic viability of the area but also strengthens the social fabric of the community, making the high street a true hub of local life.

Using Data to Track Strategies as Proof of Work or Investment

Utilising data is essential for tracking the effectiveness of implemented strategies. Tools like Huq location signals can provide valuable insights into foot traffic patterns and visitor behaviour. Local council case studies can serve as benchmarks, illustrating successful interventions and guiding future investments.

For example, by analysing Huq location signals, councils can see which areas of a retail centre are most popular and which need improvement. These insights can guide decisions on where to allocate resources for maximum impact.

If you need better visibility into one of our areas, talk to our sales team at Huq. They can provide you with detailed insights and data-driven solutions to enhance your retail centre’s performance and appeal. Contact us today to learn more about how Huq can help you make informed decisions and drive successful outcomes.

Conclusion

Increasing dwell time in retail centres involves a multifaceted approach. By improving shop fronts and the local environment, enhancing security, and creating an inclusive atmosphere, retail centres can become more appealing and encourage visitors to stay longer. Leveraging data to track the success of these strategies ensures that investments are effective and beneficial to the community.

Implementing these strategies based on our local government and council data can transform retail centres into vibrant, bustling hubs of activity. By focusing on these key areas, we can create spaces that people love to visit and spend time in, ultimately boosting the local economy and community well-being.

by Emily Riley

blurred images of people walking

Why physical stores are still essential

A core reason for favouring online shopping instead of in-store is the convenience of ordering a product straight to your front door. However, is online shopping truly as convenient as we’ve perceived? With uncertain or inconvenient delivery times, pricey delivery costs for lower value items and impractical return policies, do the pros of online shopping actually outweigh the cons?

Introduction

In an era where our groceries can be delivered within hours of placing the order, we can book hotels, transport and museum tickets all within Booking.com’s one handy app and everything else can be easily ordered through Amazon, it’s easy to question the necessity of physical stores. Even our favourite high street retailers like M&S, H&M and Boots offer a seamless online shopping experience and, thanks to Deliveroo and Just Eat, you can even have a piping hot Costa in your hands within minutes of ordering. So, why do we still need physical stores?

The challenge: Finding the right location

Maximising revenue and return on investment while mitigating risk is a priority for any retailer. Choosing the right location is crucial for ensuring enough foot traffic and attracting loyal and new customers. A poorly chosen location can lead to low footfall, poor sales performance and the eventual closure of stores.
Retailers need to understand local market dynamics to position their stores effectively. This involves analysing footfall, demographic and dwell time data with spending insights to identify areas with high potential. Knowing where consumers go, their purchasing power and the density of the catchment area can help strategists make informed decisions.

Creating a memorable in-store experience

In the online world, we often speak about “user experience” and “customer journeys” to measure how quickly, easily and smoothly a customer can go from visiting a website, to viewing the product list, adding an item to their basket and paying at checkout. Creating a seamless online experience not only boosts sales but creates brand affinity. A mantra that successful brands replicate in their physical stores.
Physical shops allow retailers unique and engaging in-store experiences that can’t be replicated online. Take Selfridges. The fashion institution has gained worldwide fame for their lavish window displays. During the festive season, their Christmas windows attract 160,000+ visitors a day. Which is of course, photographed, hashtagged and shared across social media (Reference: British Heritage) This strategy utilises a physical location to not only lure in passers-by, enabling Selfridges to capitalise on the increase in footfall, but also to enhance their own online presence, creating a seamless omnichannel experience.

Building customer loyalty

Shopping in-store gives customers access to knowledgeable advisors and salespeople. By enhancing the in-store experience, sales teams can influence purchasing decisions and build a sense of trust and community. It’s this familiarity and comfort that is key to returning business. According to Google, 45% of shoppers who purchased in shops did so because it’s where they always buy. (Reference: Think with Google) Human interaction offers a significant advantage of physical stores.
Understanding the demographic profile of your locations, including age and purchasing power, enables brands to personalise the in-store experience to the preferences of their primary customer segments. Baby Boomers for example may prioritise customer service while Gen Z value experiential shopping. Primark for example, whose target audience falls within the 17-24 age bracket, offers far more than shopping in its regional flagship stores. With in-store beauty bars, charging points, a barbers and cafes, Primark has built a successful model aligned to its customers’ demographic preferences.

Benefits of in-store shopping

  • Certainty and convenience: shoppers are more likely to purchase products in-store where they can see and feel the item.
  • Reduced Return Rates: Only 9% of in-store purchases are returned compared to 30% of online purchases. (Reference: CBRE
  • Immediate Collection: 80% of shoppers prefer to buy in-store when they need an item immediately. (Reference: Think with Google)

Conclusion

Ecommerce has undoubtedly transformed retail, but physical stores remain crucial for providing a comprehensive shopping experience. A whopping 73% of customers said that physical stores are part of their main method for purchasing goods, and 61% said they would rather shop at brands with a physical location, over brands that are online only. (Reference: Think with Google)

by Emily Riley

Huq Industries now ranking #329 n Deloitte's Fast 500 across EMEA

Huq Industries Celebrates New Ranking in Deloitte EMEA Fast 500 List

Emily Riley

5 June 2024In News

We are thrilled to announce that Huq Industries has made Deloitte’s prestigious EMEA Fast 500 list, now ranking at #329 of the fastest-growing tech companies across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. This marks a significant milestone as we work towards becoming a market leader in location insights across EMEA. With Huq’s leading location data and innovative tools helping to drive growth and success, more and more organisations across the region are working with Huq to power their location strategies.

Our Journey to the Fast 500

Our mission has always been to empower businesses with actionable location and consumer insights. By integrating sophisticated data sources, such as our recent partnership with Mastercard, organisations are empowered to make smarter decisions, optimise their location strategies and maximise their portfolio performance.

This milestone signifies the meaningful impact we’re making in the industry and is testament of the dedication and hard work of our incredible team as we continue to unlock potential for our customers.

Innovation and Growth Across EMEA

The Deloitte EMEA Fast 500 programme is an industry ranking that identifies and celebrates the fastest-growing technology companies in EMEA. This recognition spotlights the pioneering work of start-ups and high-growth companies driving the economy forward, disrupting traditional industries and addressing some of the most pressing challenges of our time.

A Message from Our CEO, Conrad Poulson

“I’m thrilled that Huq is now ranking at #329 in Deloitte’s Fast 500 list of fastest-growing tech companies in EMEA. This milestone isn’t just about growth numbers, it’s about the impact we’re making across the region. Our mission has always been to help businesses make smarter decisions and stay ahead of the curve with actionable location and consumer insights. It’s great to see the team’s hard work paying off as we grow and expand into new markets across EMEA.

A huge thank you to our clients, partners, and the entire Huq team for their hard work. Here’s to continued growth and success!”

Looking Ahead

It’s an exciting time for us all at Huq. We’ve got a host of exciting new products and features coming as we continue to empower businesses to uncover the true performance of their location. We look forward to continuing our journey, achieving new milestones, and making an even greater impact in the years to come. Stay tuned for more updates and insights from Huq Industries.

by Emily Riley

Emerging retail trends 2024 Report

Mid-January of a new year may be slightly premature to look too far ahead at what 2024 holds in store, but – already in the first few days – we’ve seen some global issues such as conflict in Yemen – that could hit UK retail and consumer pockets.

2024 is expected to pose some continuing challenges (sorry), with cautious consumers, economic uncertainties, and specific issues like rising business rates, and disruptions to shipments (i.e., from the Far East via the Red Sea) influencing the retail landscape. The food and grocery sector, however, does appear more resilient with encouraging performance despite some month-on-month variations.

At Huq, we like to be realistic and positive, so reflecting on our 2023 insights, and looking at early assessments and observations from industry leaders, we’re going to outline some ways Q1 (and onwards) could play out – and how to optimise your own performance throughout.

Retail strategy

At Huq, our unrivalled location intelligence aids retail and real estate leaders to make sound strategic business decisions – and we’re pleased to note that retailers have re-engineered supply chains for cost-effectiveness, allowing for sustained discounting. This trend is likely to persist given the current economic environment.

We also witnessed higher promotional activity in retail at the end of last year, because of the extended and deeper special offers, sales, and product pushes during the festive season. We wouldn’t be surprised to see supermarkets continuing this trend in particular – for example, we’re already seeing adverts for Aldi on our screens, outlining persistent reductions in-stores, outrivalling competitors over price.

In addition, Tesco and dunnhumby have just published their own insights – boiling down five major themes that, they suggest, are going to play a significant role in retail strategies and tactics over the course of the year ahead. Three predictions we’re excited about – that can be identified and supported by location data intelligence such as ours – are what Tesco/dunnhumby term:

• The connected store
• continuous commerce and
• blended shopping

Their report details all three at length, but let’s look at how Huq could influence what your business does to adopt and adapt to these three concepts.

Connectedness and location data

A connected store essentially refers the smart use of a variety of in-store environments, devices and technologies to seamlessly tell a story to customers to connect them from entry to purchase. But first you have to know who your customers are, where they come from and how they shop. Huq’s footfall, dwell, and catchment intelligence will provide greater insights as to what story your store needs to tell based on demographic intel, and how long shoppers spend in a location or area. How long should your story be, where do you want the story to end, and what’s the content of that story? Well, the detail is in the data.

Continuous commerce and customer trends

Tesco and dunnhumby spell it out themselves here, “Through data science, brands can generate powerful insights, helping them find their most relevant audiences and focus investments strategically. Even the smallest nudge can deliver big returns when it’s both well-placed and well-timed.” As above, by possessing the insights related to the broad economic power of customers, the distance travelled to store, which area they’ve come from to get to you, and how long they stay, can determine touchpoints for retailers to nudge, promote and repeat product appeals. It could also help support store design, colleague deployment, and supply itinerary.

Blended channels: URL meets IRL

Stacy Gratz, Media Managing Director at Tesco Media & Insight Platform suggests, “the boundary between in-store and digital shopping has been getting thinner for some time now, but with many customers now buying across both channels, brands need to look again at how they engage shoppers as they shift between the two”. So aligned with what we’ve discussed above – understanding the footfall, catchment and dwell of consumers can feed into blending in-store offers with online promotion, and the push and pull between the two. Once you can establish location and demographic data, you can inform marketing strategies that harness the power of both URL and IRL for your business.

There are clearly some really positive and proactive steps that retail leaders can capitalise on geospatial knowledge to maximise marketing, promotions, procurement, and customer journeys.

Consumers

If we take a glimpse at what industry experts are saying about consumer behaviour in the year ahead, we can see caution is still being adopted – and shoppers are expected to continue tightening spending in the opening months of this year due to economic challenges faced over the past two years. Risks like high costs and economic uncertainty are going to persist. We’re advised that consumers may start loosening purse strings later in the year if economic conditions keep improving slowly and confidence edges up. Retailers will therefore need to keep managing costs and promotions carefully to stimulate demand.

For our money – and we’ve outlined some of this above – what retailers can be doing right now is information gathering. Huq provides data in the context of a vertically integrated organisation which sources, cleans, protects, analyses and benchmarks an incredible array of location intelligence – which over 300 current clients across the globe trust and use to trailblaze and grow.

3400

Stores

38

Countries

$12.5Bn

Annual sales

Huq’s catchment insights allows JD to more accurately assess the impact of the wider retail catchment on the sales potential of new store opportunities

Alastair Browne, JD Group Head of Site Research & Strategic Insight

JD sports logo

by Emily Riley

blurred images of people walking

Consumer Behaviour Insights Report 2023

In this 2023 Consumer Insights blog, you’ll discover an overview and key insights on footfall, consumer behaviour and tourist activity – and the opportunities for retail and real estate leaders.

Download the full 2023 Consumer Insights Report to learn:

  • The biggest growth and decline centres year-over-year according to footfall.
  • The types of centres with significant footfall increases and decreases.
  • An understanding of consumer behavioural shifts in 2023.
  • Days/weeks with the largest average footfall increases and decreases over the year
  • How to pinpoint peak and low traffic periods, that can benefit your business.

Hybrid working impacts commuter patterns

Thursdays are the new Fridays. And the biggest commuter day. Thursday commutes are up 29% on last year, with a 9% increase on other weekdays. The biggest commuter cities? Unsurprisingly London, but also Liverpool and Bristol.

Using catchment data, hospitality and pop-up retailers can redistribute staff to commuter areas, reducing staffing costs and personalise marketing with targeted product lines.

Coffee makes the commute

As a nation of coffee drinkers, grabbing a coffee-to-go has become an essential step in the morning routine. So what’s the big trend in the ubiquitous and resilient coffee shop market? Of the major coffee shop chains, Pret a Manger and Costa share more than 50% of all activity across the UK. Real estate investors and portfolio managers take note – where there is coffee, there are people, and so seeking out the most popular coffee brand locations could be fruitful.

Record breaking weather

2023 was a record year for weather. Following the driest February in 30 years, March beat the record for the wettest in 40 years. The weather yo-yo throughout the year inevitably impacted football with poor weather accounting for fewer shoppers hitting the towns, high streets, and retail parks. With the hottest June on record, the good weather and drop in food prices gave retail sales a welcome boost as consumers flocked to buy summer essentials. A wet July saw in–store sales dip as consumers switched to online shopping (27.4% of retail sales took place online), resulting in the biggest decline in footfall (30 July 2023). September was the worst overall month for shopping, preceded by the year’s best, in August. In September, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) reported that sales of non-food items were in decline year-on-year, and had decreased 1.2% on a total basis over the three-months leading in.

The heat wave that hit the UK in early September saw people fleeing to coastal towns to escape the heat, resulting in autumn sales taking a hit. Knitwear, autumnal clothing and coat sales failed to materialise at their usual point in the retail calendar. And, of course, the cost of living crisis was forever bearing down on households, with furniture and electricals down against typical performance at this time of year. Storm Babet and flash flooding caused the wettest October since 1838, hitting footfall hard. Helen Dickinson, CEO of the BRC said it was “brollies up, footfall down.”

By November things started looking up with the biggest average increase in footfall on the first of the month. Retailers reportedly invested heavily in their Christmas offerings – despite increases in utilities and supply chain costs – in an attempt to drive consumers back to the high street by enticing the festival footfall earlier.

The volatility of the economic climate combined with unexpected weather conditions caused uncertainty within the retail and real estate sectors. Brands looking to capitalise on consumer spend must prioritise personalised special offers and targeted marketing based on visit time, demographic insights and catchment data.

Summary

We’ve looked at how the year fared in terms of the impact that weather, the confidence of the household purse, and industry variance, had on the physical footfall, density, catchment and dwell data of 2023. What this could mean for retail leaders and real estate investors is in how you now use the intelligence within our full year-end report – including region specific recaps – to set up 2024 for success.

by Emily Riley

university of nottingham campus

Ripon BID Case Study

Public sector case study

Elevating Ripon BID's Success with Huq Reports

Transforming Ripon into a tourist destination with 64% increase in footfall

“Now I can load insights from the Huq monthly and quarterly reports straight onto our website and monthly newsletter.”

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Lilla Bathurst, as the Ripon BID Manager, oversees marketing efforts to elevate Ripon’s visibility and economic growth. Ripon BID focuses on promoting tourism, marketing local businesses, and enhancing the city’s appeal.

Ripon BID functions with a small but mighty team of two, engaging directors and collaborators to drive various projects and initiatives supporting local businesses.

The challenge

Ripon faced the challenge of positioning itself as more than just a day trip destination, striving to highlight its diverse attractions, heritage, and local businesses to attract tourists and shoppers. Lilla had no way to track or convey the lofty impact of the different efforts her team made without physical surveys. 

Traditional marketing efforts were primarily online-focused, lacking comprehensive data to measure the impact of campaigns and understand visitor behaviour.

Before Huq Reports, Ripon BID relied on online analytics and post-event surveys, which had limitations in accurately capturing visitor data and behaviour.

The goals:

  1. Increase footfall and tourist visits in Ripon.
  2. Elevate Ripon’s reputation as a desirable tourist destination.
  3. Support local businesses and foster a thriving local economy.

“Previously, I couldn’t share comprehensive data because I had to craft reports mostly on my own. I lack the expertise of a data analyst and simply don’t have the time or resources for it… Also, the only way of tracking where people are coming from is literally asking them.”

The solution

Huq Reports provided comprehensive insights into footfall data, visitor patterns, and hotspot locations in Ripon, enabling a deeper understanding of visitor behaviour and preferences.

Huq’s impact:

Huq Reports streamlined data collection, offering accurate, real-time insights that facilitated informed decision-making for Ripon BID’s marketing strategies and initiatives.

“Now I can load insights from the Huq monthly and quarterly reports straight onto our website and monthly newsletter.”

Benefits:

  • Data-Driven Marketing: Huq Reports enabled informed decisions based on accurate visitor behaviour insights, optimising marketing strategies.
  • Time and Resource Efficiency: The platform saved significant time (generally approx. 5 weeks in data gathering) that would otherwise be spent manually collecting and analysing data.
  • Enhanced Board Communication: Huq Reports empowered Ripon BID to share comprehensive reports with their board and stakeholders, fostering greater trust and understanding.

Takeaways:

  • Board Engagement: Lilla emphasised the importance of an engaged board, actively involved in projects, alleviating workload pressure.
  • Networking & Collaboration: Collaborations with other bid managers and participation in industry events fostered idea exchange and learning from diverse experiences.
  • Continual Improvement: Utilising data insights from Huq Reports, Ripon BID plans to further enhance safety measures, expand initiatives, and continue successful projects like the theatre festival.

Results:

  • Increased Footfall: Reports showed healthy footfall trends, indicating a more vibrant atmosphere and increased business activities in Ripon.
  • Enhanced Visitor Experience: Marketing efforts focused on heritage, outdoors, and local businesses resulted in an 87% spending rate among families attending events.
  • Work Validation: Lilla can now swiftly demonstrate the value of her team’s projects to her stakeholders, resulting in heightened recognition from the press.

In conclusion, Lilla Bathurst’s comprehensive overview emphasised the strategic approach, encountered challenges, implemented effective solutions, and underscored the pivotal role of Huq Reports in highlighting Ripon BID’s remarkable success story. Leveraging the insights from Huq reports, Lilla’s team is poised to vividly demonstrate how data-driven insights can continue to revolutionise Ripon’s market and visitor experiences, serving as catalysts for economic growth and significantly augmenting the city’s overall appeal.

164%

year-on-year footfall growth

40%

increase in customer range

41%

increase in footfall growth compared to the Yorkshire region

5

weeks saved

“I’m eager to witness the ongoing progression with Huq. It’s crucial to convey to Levy players the insights from the physical report in a comprehensible manner, rather than overwhelming them with excessive data. Integrating [Huq’s reports] into our monthly reports would be fantastically useful.”

Lilla Bathurst, Ripon BID Manager

Join the world's fastest growing organisations

by Emily Riley

blurred images of people walking

Location Intelligence 101: A Guide for Retail

Don’t make decisions without the data. We break down the reasons why location intelligence is essential for retailers looking to super-charge their strategy. 

Location Intelligence 101: A Guide for Retailers

The last three years have not been kind to retail. A constant tide of circumstances beyond – for the most part – the direct control of the retail industry, has influenced footfall traffic, business rates, right through to the spend of consumers once they hit the high streets, retail parks and shopping centres. The tides are, however, receding – and by grasping the opportunities available in location data, retail leaders can make informed decisions that win them market advantage. As a leader in the location-based insights space, Huq is here to empower retail industry organisations with the strategic intelligence to create environments that attract more returning customers, and ultimately uptick sales. Think of us as your personal solution-based advisor. We tailor our approach to your business to drive improved sales results.

Let’s get into it. 

In November 2023, the UK’s British Retail Consortium (BRC) – informed by destination data – observed that consumers are moving away from shopping around; less seduced by the lowest prices, and instead focus-purchasing and paying more to “buy less”. Consumers are adjusting to the inflation-driven cost of living crisis and are making strategic decisions when purchasing. Industry leaders, the BRC concluded, could do well to concentrate efforts on customer loyalty and reaching consumers earlier, to earn customer loyalty and get customers returning more frequently to spend more.

Understanding this shift in consumer behaviour wouldn’t be possible without consumer, location-based data. And this is where Huq comes in. We are the leading provider of rich and real-time geospatial data that can help leading retail strategists stay ahead of the curve, and even predict consumer behaviour to achieve a  competitive advantage. 

Our cutting-edge platform harnesses unrivalled, first hand and third-party global sources to deliver unrivalled insights to our clients. Our unique research data sets, summarised below, ensure you are capturing the right store performance metrics will inform site selection and store KPI evaluation. All delivered with up-to-date accuracy, in real-time. 

Let’s dive in.

Footfall

Our footfall traffic insights can be tailored within our user-friendly, dashboard to provide hourly, daily, weekly, monthly and annual footfall data – right down to a specific location. We have historic location data going back over 5 years – enabling you to look at the curve of behaviour and determine trends. Learn how your local area is being visited and unlock how to best deploy location-based marketing, most accurate sales forecasting, and surface the potential for the best stores.

Density

Pinpoint the busiest regions in a nominated space. Understanding density of visitors highlights the underutilised areas of your space and opportunities for improved utilisation.This localised intelligence can be used to inform retail expansion strategies and geo-targeting the most optimum consumers.

Dwell

Once more, beyond footfall, it’s vital to understand how long individuals are spending in a given place and space. The propensity to shop and spend after all relies on consumers sticking around, and understanding dwell time-to-conversion presents a major advantage. Our dwell time data could be used to inspire retail spatial analysis strategies, as well as leading to customer behaviour and competitor location analysis – and even collaboration.

Catchment

By connecting visitors to geographic movement and – anonymised – demographic detail, retailers can better hone demographic segmentation for products and services. Here’s how you can distinguish which consumer demographics are attracted to some spaces more than others. The combined quantitative and qualitative scope of this data set will empower your operational, financial and marketing teams to create strategies for success.

Don’t take our word for it, we work with some of the market’s largest retailers and hospitality merchants who use our proprietary data insights to make informed strategic decisions that support better business. One such client is JD Sports, who utilised our Catchment Areas insights to measure the size and fit of consumer opportunity. This drives decisions when assessing new store locations – taking into account competitive influence intelligence and the potential impact on nearby outlets – so as not to cannibalise existing customer segments.

This is a significant step-change for JD Sports when comparing data to, say, more generalised drive-time catchment information. As Alastair Browne, Group Head of Site Research and Strategic Insight at JD Sports puts it, “Huq’s Catchment Insights allows JD to more accurately assess the impact of the wider retail catchment area of the sales potential of new store opportunities.”. With 900 store locations, and annual revenue of £10.12bn, Huq’s core products for retail are a staple, and invaluable, tool for JD Sports to remain competitively advantageous. 

Regis Schultz, JD Sports’ CEO, sums it up even more simply, “I don’t approve new stores unless they are planned after consulting Huq’s data.”

How we work with you

Our customer success team works directly with you to ensure alignment with your aims and business objectives, providing a solid environment to create strong strategies and make game-changing decisions. We will support you to create compelling data-driven narratives that support your initiatives for stakeholders including Board, C-suite, internal, external partners and colleagues.

Huq is trusted by over 300 partners, including major retailers, news institutions, the top 5 real estate brands, over 100 Government organisations, and internationally esteemed university research teams. Our experience demonstrates you’re in safe hands when it comes to leveraging crucial cutting-edge technologies – made straightforward by our experienced and personable team.

For Store Planners and Franchisees

Imagine a world where uncertainty fades away, and every decision you make is backed by precision. Huq steps in as your partner, meticulously confirming the potential of new locations through both quantitative and qualitative success criteria. No longer will a location’s performance remain a mystery; Huq unravels the truth through side-by-side ranking with direct sales-informing metrics. Analysing trends across diverse timelines empowers you to discern correlations and take decisive actions with confidence. With a centralised view of all your locations, delve deeper into demographics and competitor capture rates, enabling unparalleled insights for your strategic planning.

For Market Planners and Strategy Leaders

In the realm of market expansion, Huq emerges as your indispensable ally, elevating your strategy with real-time insights to identify and monitor potential locations for exponential revenue growth. Gain an unparalleled advantage by being the pioneer in discovering burgeoning areas before your competitors, supported by Huq’s cutting-edge data. With precision, Huq crafts a curated list of high-quality expansion sites grounded in real-time data insights, ensuring every decision is underpinned by accuracy and trust. Benchmarking crucial KPIs becomes effortless, guiding your vital decisions with a firm foundation of reliable data. Huq isn’t just about expansion; it’s about understanding consumer behaviour intricacies, refining development projects through in-depth consumer movement analysis. Huq empowers you to boost sales predictions, seize lucrative opportunities, and sculpt an expansion strategy that leads the market.

For Optimisation and Portfolio Managers

Huq presents the gateway to unlocking the full potential of your existing portfolio, transcending traditional strategies to meticulously optimise and maximise your investments. Seamlessly identifying gaps and circumventing cannibalization, Huq’s data is built to help you ensure peak performance across your entire estate. It’s not just about identification; Huq delves deep into customer behaviours, distinguishing between successful and unsuccessful patterns to guide your decision-making. Picture a comprehensive ranking of potential locations, empowered by sales-informing metrics that validate your strategies against a myriad of metrics, guaranteeing confidence in every move. Huq doesn’t just stop at identification—it captures your target audience precisely where they are, enabling swift and assured action driven by real-time data. Don’t let opportunities slip away; Huq illuminates the metrics underlying store triumphs or setbacks, giving you the power to optimise and elevate your portfolio to unprecedented heights of success.

For Impact

Retailers must be increasingly demonstrative of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) commitments, and transparent to an ever-demanding consumer and colleague base. New and existing customers smell, see, and sense any deviation from authenticity. And they let retailers know their disapproval through their purchase power, spending with social conscience. 

So, our advice? Make the high-level business decisions easier with the right location, footfall, dwell and density, and catchment intelligence. Leaving you more time to concentrate on product, people, and planet. 

Consider us a colleague and cheerleader – keen to see you put your best foot forward and stride on armed with the toolkit to take on the rest.

We would love to work with you – today – on your retail strategy, informing your leadership team with the insights that mean you can do what you do best. We’ll help you optimise and grow your customer base, and you can ensure colleagues are supported and driven by your company’s success. So, make the right decisions with data as unique as your offering. Visit Retail – Huq Industries to book a demo, call us with your questions, and we look forward to meeting you.

by Emily Riley

blurred images of people walking

Unlocking Strategic Insights: The Power of Integrating Location Data in Retail

How do most of us make decisions? Ideally, our choices are rooted in experience, evidence, and recommendation. Gut feeling and intuition have roles to play, but when it comes to our business, colleagues and customers, strategic decisions should be informed by two things: evidence and data.

If we settle on data models that are too general, potentially inaccurate, or historic, it can be disastrous for businesses and their consumers. Inaccurate data means a lack of credibility and unreliable metrics, and in the case of a data provider partner – it won’t aid the ability to provide ongoing support (something Huq takes pride in). In data, reliability is paramount.

Understanding consumer movement trends, habits and behaviour is essential for any business, whether that’s in retail or real estate. When it comes to commercial planning, store site management or investing, knowing where your customers are and where they’re going is crucial – and we get this from verified, real time data, and consumer behaviour insights.

Perhaps the most frustrating recent high street loss for consumers and staff alike was the demise of the UK brand, Wilko.

Wilko worked because customers entered with an idea of what they wanted, but it was essentially a browse-and-buy destination. In the end, as accurate location insights go some way to evidence, many store locations didn’t lend themselves to this pace of shopping – residing in areas that were not generating the density or passing footfall traffic to make this approach sustainable across the Wilko estate.

Interestingly, Austin Cooke, managing director of the Poundland franchise which has opened 64 shops on former Wilko sites claims of “amazing” trade and has spoken of the “positivity on the high street”. So how might this be?

Arguably, Poundland has a different purpose on the high street, with more ‘destination’ shoppers going instore for the cheaper brand options on everyday household items (from self-care, to core cleaning, to food and confectionary – but all at more competitive price points than leading supermarkets). This is where harnessing location data such as footfall, catchment and density trends, might have made a difference to site selection and management – matched by carefully observing real-time consumer behaviour insights.

Where one business falters, another has the potential to fight on – but it has to be informed by reliable location-based intelligence.

Huq’s model: vertical integration in data solutions

There are four elements which prop up our vertical integration model. To paraphrase Daft Punk, we make things easier, faster, smarter, and well… better.

Easier – our data granularity and accuracy mean more detailed and reliable datasets, taking the complex and making it available as standard. We make thing simple on the front end (doing the heavy lifting behind the scenes).

Faster – near real-time data processing and delivery lets you make decisions based on what’s happening now, not yesterday.

Smarter – We like to contrast how data differs across regions and locations through our global coverage for benchmarking. We collect, process, and deliver across international markets so you can see what’s happening where you are. By taking a this approach, we can take a clear-eyed view of how the local is performing – and offer unique, informed, and smarter insights.

Better – we use first party, verified data, and are transparent and fully accountable in terms of where we get this. For us, trust is essential, after all our customers rely on this information to make better decisions.

For example, using Huq data, JD Sports has revolutionised their site location strategy, enabling them to expand and increase profits following a downturn in 2022 as they grappled with post-covid recovery. “I don’t approve new stores unless they are planned after consulting Huq’s data”. Regis Schultz, JD Sports’ CEO.

Huq provides universal data

Huq operates globally across 28 countries – providing coverage beneficial for companies operating internationally, and those seeking to expand their operations. We are absolutely committed to complying with data privacy regulations wherever we operate in the world.

There is universality in how we collect, process and present data, irrespective of where we operate. This ‘universal data’ makes it easier to use across multiple locations and is always consistent and reliable.

First-party data collection benefits

We exclusively collect first-party data – principally from smart phone data. Alongside benefits including greater accuracy and higher density, first party data collection allows us to ensure absolute compliance with privacy legislation, wherever we operate – especially in the EU.

Meanwhile, our direct relationships with app publishers allows Huq to maintain influence over the individual consent processes within their apps. The verified data collected is limited to device information. We do not collect any personally identifiable information – and never will.

These app partnerships also involve requirements – at our request – that strict privacy measures are in place, and that are subject to regular privacy audits. At a minimum we require provision of clear, intelligible disclosures and consent requests to app users. This effort is aided by strict Google Play and Apple App Store regulation.

A fresh start for some

A new year always brings new promise and possibilities – especially as we have one eye on the next financial year. 2024 could be the time for investing in the right approach to lift up the proverbial bonnet, kick the tyres, and harness the power of Huq’s cutting-edge data technology into your business to drive decision making. Believe us, it’s better than relying on your gut – particularly immediately after the festive season.

3400

Stores

38

Countries

$12.5Bn

Annual sales

Huq’s catchment insights allows JD to more accurately assess the impact of the wider retail catchment on the sales potential of new store opportunities

Alastair Browne, JD Group Head of Site Research & Strategic Insight

JD sports logo

by Emily Riley

blurred images of people walking

AI in Retail: Unlock New Opportunities with Huq and AI Analysis

Welcome to AI meets Location and Movement Data. Here is where the powerful combination of Huq’s data and generative AI unlocks valuable insights rooted in superfast analysis and informed recommendations. This doesn’t replace human insight and decision making – but it will aid thinking and resource time. Let’s jump into how AI can level-up location intelligence.

As we’ve talked about in our 101 Guide for Retailers, Huq’s unrivalled location-data product suite empowers our clients with the agency to make strategic decisions – rooted in real-time intelligence. Sometimes, it helps to harness more insights – driven by AI – to add dimension, sharp analysis and recommendations to drive even more impact.

Combining the twin technologies of our Huq data analysis, and fast-growing generative AI tool ChatGPT, can power up your AI-powered retail insights; and could help retail strategists shape and improve customer targeting, giving you competitive advantage.

Let Huq take the expense away from consultancies and bring this in-house – cheaper and faster!

Here are just some examples as to how together, AI and Huq can identify blind spots, analyse swathes of data in seconds, and even give recommendations as to how your organisation might employ the findings to grow your data-driven retail strategies.

Footfall analysis

Huq data can provide information on footfall traffic – and therefore – patterns around retail environments. When combined with AI, this data might be analysed to forecast peak shopping times and customer flow around, and within, stores. Retailers can use this to inform colleague deployment, in-store layouts, and design better, data driven marketing strategies.

Combined with density and catchment data, retailers can make informed decisions in identifying new store locations, understand the variants and seasonality of footfall and consumer behaviour, and figure out what audiences they are failing to capture. See below.

Customer behaviour insights

By integrating our data with AI-powered analytics, retailers can better understand, predict, and influence consumer behaviour. Insights such as dwell times, frequently visited areas within stores and even preferred shopping routes, can help retail strategists determine where to place product, and optimise sales. Generative AI algorithms can help identify patterns in this data to personalise shopping experiences and drive stronger and more strategic marketing.

Supply Chain Optimisation

Better understanding behaviour and product popularity, gives retailers a strong hand to forecast demand, and therefore more accurately optimise supply – minimising stockouts and reducing overstock accordingly. Location data, and AI analysis can even help identify the busiest times and routes for last-mile delivery services. We imagine (for example) florists, and restaurants would benefit from this knowledge. This is the kind of intelligence that drives Amazon – but it’s yours at a fraction of the expense and hassle!

Competitor Analysis

Huq global data also helps retailers identify footfall, dwell and density around competitors’ stores. Applying AI algorithms can mean identifying areas with higher customer overlap, and help retailers make informed decisions around market positioning and develop competitive advantage.

Why Huq? Expertise speaks, AI aligns

AI and its myriad of – seemingly unlimited – iterations and innovations of new tools and uses, comes of course with caution; principally when it comes to the ethics around AI use, and the security of data. Our advice here is twofold: use good data, and ask the right questions.

By using informed and concise AI engineer prompts (and – yes – Huq has the expertise here to help you hone your questions for best case responses), we can quickly and confidently produce more precise, rich, and real-time intersectional data.

Data is only as good as its accuracy, and at Huq we have you covered. Our game-changing granular primary and third-party data sources– deep and detailed as they are – are anonymised and adhere to strict GDPR controls. It’s not possible to determine individuals beyond grouped socioeconomic, geographic, ethnicity, and age banding.

In turn then, when exploring consumer behaviour insights to hyper-personalised marketing we’ll help you generate accurate, informed, real-time trends, using our As a vertical data solution, with the highest data accuracy and consistency, we are among the only being leveraged by international research organisations.

Huq is trusted by over 300 partners, including major retailers, news institutions, the top 5 real estate brands, over 100 Government organisations, and international university research teams. With Huq, you’re in safe hands and globally acknowledged expertise.

Get in touch

To summarise, in this blog we’ve looked at how Huq and AI can work hand in hand to understand and optimise footfall; to forecast demand and grip supply and logistics like never before; drive efficiency when it comes to colleague deployment as well as product ranges, seasonality, and nudge purchasing; and how Huq helps retail leaders get a handle on the true demographics of its store locations and those of their competitors. Finally, we’ve identified how proactive retail decision-making can determine where new stores are placed.

Huq and AI disrupts and innovates retail – and we can’t wait to help you get the edge. Revisit our Huq and Retail 101 Guide, for breakdowns and examples of how we can work wonders for franchisee and store planners, portfolio and real estate managers, marketing leaders – not to mention impact on your ESG delivery.

We would love to work with you on your retail strategy, informing your leadership team with the insights that mean you can thrive – and not just survive in (what can be) a challenging retail environment.

Let data be your destination. Visit Retail – Huq Industries to book a demo, call us with your questions, and we look forward to meeting you.

3400

Stores

38

Countries

$12.5Bn

Annual sales

Huq’s catchment insights allows JD to more accurately assess the impact of the wider retail catchment on the sales potential of new store opportunities

Alastair Browne, JD Group Head of Site Research & Strategic Insight

JD sports logo

by Emily Riley