Process Mining to Discover Shoppers’ Pathways at a Fashion Retail Store Using a WiFi-Base Indoor Positioning System

Abstract

We present a preliminary report of a customer pathway analysis in an off-line store. Smart phone WiFi-based positioning technology is used to identify each customer's pathway behavior. The log data containing the space-time information are analyzed using process mining, a tool that provides a comprehensive view of an entire process. The main benefit of process mining is that it provides the topological structure of the processes. We installed a WiFi signal-capturing device in a retail store of a fashion brand in South Korea and collected data over a two-month period. Halfway through the experimental period, we swapped a set of mannequins displayed at the entrance to the store with an item stand. We then compared the customers' pathway behavior before and after the change. Through an analysis based on process mining, we observed a change in the topological structure of the pathway behavior following the change in the display setting. This paper demonstrates the possibilities of analyzing customer behavior using WiFi-based technology and the process mining technique.