Retail stores track consumers' smartphones through Wi-Fi

Many US retailers use a variety of sales-boosting strategies, including tracking shoppers in stores. Retailers can track individuals’ movements throughout the store, sensors collecting information from smartphones as they connect to Wi-Fi, NYT reports.

The sensors can monitor which departments the shoppers’ visit and how much time they spend there.

Today many retailers use the tracking system to have proper sales, The New York Times reports. Companies can recognize returning shoppers by their smartphone identification codes and even gather data about the mood and behavior of the clients. When a customer downloads a retailer’s app or provides an email address while using an in-store WiFi, the service shows his full profile with the number of recent visits, preferences and purchase history.

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