Interesting study tracks Lowes Foods customers while shopping

Lowes Foods shoppers in 10 stores are part of an interesting new study tracking their shopping habits in real time. According to an article in the Winston-Salem Journal, two of the stores are located in Forsyth County, but they are not disclosing the specific locations of any of the stores. 

The study involves a partnership between Wake Forest University, Lowes Foods and RockTenn (a display manufacturing company in Winston-Salem). Their goal is to offer the grocery store and manufacturer more information about customer shopping habits including what displays attract them and whether they actually buy products after lingering at displays. The article also mentions that at some point, customers will be able to score coupons via an app while they are in the store.

What I find fascinating about this study is that shoppers will be tracked in the store by their smartphone signal (that does not identify the customer) and then their purchases will be tracked through their Lowes loyalty cards. Hmmm...I wonder if they will be watching me drool over the cinnamon buns on sale BOGO at the Lowes Foods bakery this week.

Read more about the study in the Winston-Salem Journal article link above.