ColumnistsJun 13, 2023
Squirrel Spotting: Own Your Customer Experience ColumnistsJun 20, 2023
Squirrel Spotting: Not Head-Counting Is a Head Scratcher
Peter Smith can’t understand why retailers don’t want to know when people are coming into their store and if they are buying.
Peter Smith is an industry consultant, speaker, sales trainer, and author. He can be reached via email at TheRetailSmiths@gmail.com.
One of the great advantages of not being young is I realize how little I know, and I’m all for it.
There’s rarely a day that passes when I don’t find myself contemplating the greatest wonders of the world, like retail.
I wonder about the practice of trying to be all things to all people, or about the ninth wonder of the world, otherwise known as hiring salespeople.
I wonder why any retailer on any planet, known or unknown, would ever not reorder their bestsellers. Yes, I mean the very products that bring us to our own little promised land of sales and profitability.
And since I first arrived in this complex and wonderous world many decades ago, I’ve wondered why any retailer, again on any planet, would not install visitor traffic counters in their stores.
What could retailers not like about having the data on how many people visit their stores on a given day?
What’s not to love about knowing the time patterns of store traffic to better manage staff schedules and to hire appropriately?
Or, are you still hiring everyone to work every hour you are open? Hmm …
Related stories will be right here …
There’s rarely a day that passes when I don’t find myself contemplating the greatest wonders of the world, like retail.
I wonder about the practice of trying to be all things to all people, or about the ninth wonder of the world, otherwise known as hiring salespeople.
I wonder why any retailer on any planet, known or unknown, would ever not reorder their bestsellers. Yes, I mean the very products that bring us to our own little promised land of sales and profitability.
And since I first arrived in this complex and wonderous world many decades ago, I’ve wondered why any retailer, again on any planet, would not install visitor traffic counters in their stores.
What could retailers not like about having the data on how many people visit their stores on a given day?
What’s not to love about knowing the time patterns of store traffic to better manage staff schedules and to hire appropriately?
Or, are you still hiring everyone to work every hour you are open? Hmm …
Where is the lack of appeal in knowing what your conversion rate is, meaning the number of sales you convert from your total visitors on a daily, weekly, monthly, and annual basis?
Is there simply no value in knowing how your conversion rates compared to the same period the previous year?
Perhaps you’ve concluded that knowing such information is not relevant because your staff, the UPS driver, and the FedEx guy all use the front door and skew the visitor counts. Did they use a different door last year?
Perhaps it’s just prohibitively expensive, and having that crazy good information just isn’t worth the cost?
I called my friend, Mark Ryski, CEO of HeadCount, and you just might be surprised at how very affordable the camera and installation costs are.
And the monthly costs to operate thereafter? It wouldn’t keep you in Starbucks for two weeks.
In “Remarkable Retail,” Steven Dennis wrote, “Historically, many retailers have been intuition-rich and data-poor. Or even if a decent amount of data was compiled, it was hard to work with or was ignored. For the merchant princes, more times than not, their mantra was ‘In gut we trust.’”
So, why is it that retailers aren’t rushing to install visitor traffic counters immediately?
Dang if I know. I’m not young enough!
Happy retailing, and always great to hear from you at TheRetailSmiths@gmail.com.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Columnists
The Latest
AuctionsSep 14, 2026
22 Carats of ‘Sunshine’ Are Up for AuctionThe 22.09-carat fancy yellow “Pragnell Kimberley Sunshine Diamond” is part of the fall jewelry sale at Heritage Auctions.
IndependentsSep 14, 2026
Greenwich St. Jewelers to Unveil Photography Exhibition“Adornos: Jewelry, Memory & What We Pass Down” honors the jewelry’s importance to New York City’s Latine communities.
SourcingSep 14, 2026
Gemfields Sells All Lots at First Emerald Auction in 9 MonthsThe company’s managing director of sales said the results demonstrate “continued strong demand for commercial-quality emeralds.”
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
SourcingSep 14, 2026
Diamonds Do Good Pledges Support for Eye Care ProgramThe nonprofit awarded a grant to the Gift of Sight initiative spearheaded by South African musician Black Coffee.
Weekly QuizSep 10, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CollectionsSep 11, 2026
A Sapphire ‘Stardust’ Ring From Greenwich St. Jewelers The Latine-owned New York jeweler is marking two milestones this year: its 50th anniversary and the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
MajorsSep 11, 2026
The Wishing Place by JTV OpensThe jewelry retail broadcast network has sponsored a new space for Make-A-Wish East Tennessee on its campus in Knoxville.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
Events & AwardsSep 11, 2026
The Edge Awards Scholarships to 2 Young Jewelry ProfessionalsThe recipients were recognized at the 24 Karat Club of the Southeastern United States’ annual banquet.
MajorsSep 10, 2026
Lagos Founder Steven Lagos Steps Down as CEO Keith Rolfe, CFO and COO of Lagos, is now at the jewelry brand’s helm while Steven takes on the role of executive chairman.
CrimeSep 10, 2026
FBI Offers $50K Reward for ‘Most Wanted’ Fugitive in $1M Jewelry HeistAlberto Perez-Elias is one of four men charged in the armed robbery of a Cape Coral, Florida, jewelry store and remains at large.
AuctionsSep 10, 2026
Massive Matched Pair of Paraíba Tourmalines Head to Sotheby’sThe “Kat Florence Luminas” will be offered together as one lot and could fetch up to $637,000.
SourcingSep 10, 2026
AGTA Announces 4 Newly Elected DirectorsFour directors were elected to the AGTA board and will serve three-year terms beginning in February.
AuctionsSep 10, 2026
Former Sotheby’s, Christie’s Exec Appointed CEO of Julien’s Auctions Ken Citron joins the celebrity memorabilia-focused auction house ahead of its first week-long series of events in Abu Dhabi.
FinancialsSep 09, 2026
Signet Jewelers to ‘Double Down’ on Blue Nile Amid Strong SalesThe jewelry retailer said it sees opportunity at higher price points, particularly in natural diamonds for bridal and fashion.
IndependentsSep 09, 2026
Sarah Leonard Fine Jewelers Closes After Nearly 80 YearsThe Los Angeles-based, family-owned jeweler was founded by Lenny and Sunny Friedman in 1946.
SourcingSep 09, 2026
Fura Gems Notes ‘Remarkable’ Interest in Larger Rubies at Latest SaleThe auction, held in Bangkok, was 96 percent sold by lot, with nearly 411,000 carats of Mozambiquan rubies sold.
MajorsSep 09, 2026
Stuller’s Latest Catalog Includes Its New Demi-Fine CollectionFine Jewelry 2027-2028 has more than 900 new styles, including silver, gold-filled, gold-plated sterling silver, and vermeil jewelry.
Policies & IssuesSep 09, 2026
8 Key Changes the FTC Made to the Jewelry Guides: A Refresher Learn more about the new terms for lab-grown diamonds and composite gemstones, and the major changes in store for precious metals jewelry.
IndependentsSep 08, 2026
Ricky Bromberg, Longtime President of Bromberg & Co., Dies at 67 Bromberg is remembered as a Southern gentleman who always wore a suit and tie and treated others with kindness.
TrendsSep 08, 2026
Amanda’s Style File: A Hot Take on September’s Birthstone With high durability and a wide range of colors to choose from, sapphires may be the ultimate birthstone, Gizzi claims.
MajorsSep 08, 2026
Former Tiffany & Co. Exec Joins Exemplar Luxury GroupGretchen Koback Pursel is the new chief people officer at the company formerly known as Saks Global.
IndependentsSep 04, 2026
Orloff Jewelers Will Soon Unveil a Bigger, Better LocationThe California jeweler is renovating its store in Fresno, with plans to show off the new space in December.
CollectionsSep 04, 2026
Chelsea Gabrielle Transforms Pilates Reformer Springs Into Ring A lifelong practitioner of Pilates, Gabrielle looked to the springs’ tension and suspension when creating this ring, our Piece of the Week.
Events & AwardsSep 04, 2026
JCK Industry Fund Accepting 2027 ApplicationsThe deadline to apply is Nov. 13.
AuctionsSep 04, 2026
Christie's Names New Global Head of WatchesThe auction house has promoted Remi Guillemin, formerly its head of watches for the Americas and EMEA, to the role.
EditorsSep 03, 2026
Q&A: Simon G.’s CEO on Why He Won’t Use AI for Jewelry DesignZaven Ghanimian discussed the value of human craftsmanship and where the implementation of artificial intelligence does work.
