What problem does it solve?
Stores know how much they sell but not how many people walk in and leave empty-handed. As a result, the impact of window displays, campaigns or staffing changes cannot be measured. Staff planning is based on guesswork; there are too few staff at peak hours and too many during quiet hours. Mall management cannot provide tenants and investors with real traffic data by floor and corridor. Manual counting or simple sensors are both unreliable and impossible to report on. Consequently, one of retail's most fundamental performance indicators stays in the dark.
Target customers
- Retail store chains
- Mall and shopping arcade management
- Independent boutiques and concept stores
- Showrooms and dealer sales points
- Trade fairs, museums and event venues
How the product works
Connected at the store entrance or to the field of view of an existing security camera, the system processes the video on site and anonymously counts people entering and leaving. Video is not stored; only count and time data is sent to the cloud. The dashboard shows hourly, daily and weekly visitor counts, peak hours and location comparisons. When POS data is connected, the visitor-to-sale conversion rate is calculated. Mall management sees a traffic map by floor, corridor and entrance. When a set threshold is exceeded, an occupancy alert and an automatic weekly report are sent.
What the first version (MVP) needs
- Anonymous counting: on-site calculation of people entering and leaving from the camera
- No video storage: only count data sent to the cloud
- Occupancy dashboard: hourly, daily and weekly visitor charts
- Location comparison: comparison by store, floor and entrance
- Sales conversion: visitor-to-sale ratio using POS data
- Alerts: notification when the occupancy threshold is exceeded
- Automatic reports: periodic email reports to managers
Revenue model
- Monthly subscription per location or camera
- Hardware supply and installation service
- Advanced conversion reports with POS and ERP integration
- Tenant-level reporting package for mall management
Why now?
As competition in retail grows, stores must look not only at revenue but at their success in converting visitors into sales. AI models being able to run on small devices has made on-site counting without sending video off-premises both cheaper and safer for privacy. The density of malls and chain stores in Turkey, together with strict data protection expectations in Europe, offers a clear opportunity for an anonymous counting service designed for KVKK (Turkish data protection law) and GDPR compliance.
A faster start on a ready platform
Hakan's Forbest AVM Pro infrastructure, which performs store and mall visitor counting and traffic analysis with cameras and AI, is the ready foundation of this idea. It can be turned directly into a service with subscription packages and a setup focused on anonymous counting.
End-to-end roadmap
- Validate the idea (1 week): Interviews with target customers, competitor and pricing research; we sharpen the idea together in a free pre-analysis.
- Scope and design (1–2 weeks): MVP feature list, screen designs and technical architecture; written scope and quote.
- Build the MVP (6–10 weeks): Staged development with weekly demos and a test environment; the source code belongs to you.
- Pilot (2–4 weeks): Real use with the first customers, feedback and fixes.
- Launch and grow (ongoing): App Store and Google Play release, website and SEO, payments and subscriptions, new modules.
Timelines are estimates; they are fixed in a written quote once the scope is clear.
Risks and how to handle them
- KVKK (Turkish data protection law) and GDPR: count anonymously without storing personal data, do not use facial recognition, process and delete video on the device, display notice signs in the camera area, and obtain a legal opinion.
- Counting accuracy: prepare an installation guide for camera angle and lighting conditions, and calibrate with manual counting in the first week.
- Hardware and maintenance costs: use existing security cameras where possible and detect faults early with remote monitoring.
Technologies
Frequently asked questions
Does a visitor counting system collect personal data?
With proper setup, no. Video is processed on the device and not stored, no facial recognition is performed, and only anonymous count data is sent; still, the KVKK (Turkish data protection law) notice obligation and a legal opinion are required.
Can my existing security cameras be used?
Yes, if the camera angle and image quality are suitable; if not, a separate counting camera at the entrance is recommended.
How is the sales conversion rate calculated?
POS or ERP data is connected to the system, and the number of receipts in the same time period is divided by the number of visitors.
Can I monitor multiple stores from one dashboard?
Yes. All locations can be compared in one dashboard and reported individually.