New MI9 Visual Space Analytics solution debuting at NRF 2012 injects actionable business intelligence into space planning and merchandising processes.

Toronto, Canada – Space is one of the retailer’s most important assets. Many apparel retailers, faced with the current economic challenges, decide to drive growth by remodeling existing stores rather than by opening new stores. The question facing them then becomes: How can I best leverage the space and fixtures available to optimize store performance after the remodel while simultaneously meeting customer demands?

MI9 responded to this need by creating MI9 Visual Space Analytics which integrates MI9’s visual analytical engine with the 3D visualization and space statistical modeling of their partner, Visual Retailing LLC. Visual Retailing’s software already leads the industry in providing innovative tools for visual merchandisers and store planners. It enables easy “point and click” and “drag and drop” re-creation of 3D virtual stores. The sales floor area can be easily sub-divided into “departments” (e.g. Men’s Women’s, Kid’s) and fixtures can be dragged and dropped into position either freehand or in accordance with a CAD floor plan provided by the retailer’s Store Design department. MI9’s analytical engine then acquires the new fixture, floor area and total store space statistics and capacities for analysis and comparison. The results provide both performance metrics as well as insight into customer preferences.

Before MI9 Visual Space Analytics, store remodels and appropriate allocation of space may have been completed in organizational silos with little or no communication between, for example, store planning and visual merchandising. MI9’s new approach enables interactive collaboration across the organization, empowering planners to collaborate with marketing, buying, merchandising, store operations, etc.

“MI9 Visual Space Analytics offers unprecedented insight into a remodel’s performance,” says Mike Burge, CEO of MI9. “The solution blends numeric, statistical requirements with creative, visual requirements and enables the retailer to create multiple ‘what if’ scenarios. These will result in a more customer focused design that ensures superior performance and greater customer satisfaction. Once the remodel plan has been agreed to, the solution assists the retailer in creating the necessary collateral to ensure that the new plan is executed accurately at store level. In addition the solution provides dynamic feedback on how successfully the new plan has addressed customer preferences.”

Retailers can get a first-hand view of MI9 Visual Space Analytics at NRF Retail’s Big Show, January 16-17, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. It will be available as a software as a service solution through MI9’s IT services partner, CGI, and will therefore be available for demonstration at both MI9’s booth # 2265 and CGI’s booth # 2819.