Overview

Independent retailers often focus heavily on attracting new visitors, yet the greatest potential for growth lies in returning customers who already know and trust the brand. A California-based athletic footwear retailer wanted to understand how often shoppers came back and which audiences truly drove their in-store revenue.

Using CountR’s visitor-counting and demographic-analysis features, the company gained clear visibility into not just how many people visited but who they were and how frequently they returned. This new level of insight helped the retailer map loyalty patterns, refine marketing campaigns, and target audiences with the highest repeat-purchase potential.

Their Story

The retailer operated five stores across Los Angeles and San Diego, attracting around 12 000 visitors per month. While traffic levels were steady, management couldn’t tell whether they were seeing new faces or loyal regulars. Their loyalty program had just 8 percent participation, and marketing campaigns were built on assumptions rather than data.

After installing CountR’s in-store analytics system, the team began tracking return-visitor frequency alongside demographic profiles. In the first month, 33 percent of all visitors were identified as returning customers. After six months, that share grew modestly but meaningfully to 39 percent, translating to about 700 additional repeat visitors each month.

Demographic insights revealed a surprising trend. Women aged 25–44 accounted for 37 percent of returning visitors and nearly 40 percent of total in-store purchases, even though most ads had targeted men aged 18–24, who represented 25 percent of foot traffic but only 15 percent of purchases. Meanwhile, customers aged 45–64, though just 18 percent of total visitors, generated 27 percent of store revenue through higher-value purchases.

These insights led to clear action steps. The marketing team redirected campaign budgets toward women 25–44, introduced premium-product promotions for the 45–64 group, and created a “Come Back in 45 Days” offer to encourage repeat visits and shorter return intervals.

Results & Conclusion

Within six months, the retailer achieved a 12 percent increase in repeat-purchase rate, a 9 percent rise in average transaction value, and a 15 percent improvement in marketing ROI. The share of total revenue from returning visitors grew from 43 to 49 percent, confirming that better-targeted loyalty efforts drive tangible performance gains.

By combining return-visitor tracking with demographic insights, the retailer gained a clear view of who their customers were, how often they returned, and which segments drove the most value. CountR’s analytics turned raw foot-traffic data into actionable marketing intelligence, helping the brand strengthen loyalty and boost long-term profitability.