Description

Mark Ryski is the Founder and CEO of HeadCount, a pioneering company in store traffic and conversion analytics since 1994. He is the author of two influential books on the subject: When Retail Customers Count, the first written on the topic, and CONVERSION: The Last Great Retail Metric, which has become the industry’s definitive guide. As the leading expert in the field, Mark’s insights have been featured in Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, Retail Dive, Chain Store Age, Retail Insider, CBC, and The Globe & Mail. He is also a featured BrainTrust contributor on RetailWire – retailing’s premier online discussion forum. Today, HeadCount operates in 24 countries, helping retailers improve their in-store conversion rates and extract valuable business insights from traffic data. His vision is to enhance retail performance for shareholders, employees, and shoppers, establishing him as one of the most recognized experts in retail traffic.

In this episode, Wendi and Mark discuss:

• The origin story of HeadCount and why Mark built his first traffic counter from Radio Shack parts
• Why tracking store traffic and conversion is essential—and still underutilized
• The myth that more foot traffic automatically equals more sales
• How traffic and conversion data impact labor optimization and the in-store customer experience
• What the pandemic revealed about the true value of in-person retail visits

Key Takeaways:

• Store traffic is likened to a non-renewable resource—every visit is a finite opportunity that demands attention and respect.
• Relying solely on sales data without tracking traffic or conversion is equated to navigating retail in total darkness.
• Foundational metrics—traffic, conversion, and average ticket—are positioned as the true drivers behind retail success, beyond just sales figures.
• Conversion rates expose hidden inefficiencies, such as lost sales caused by poor service or misaligned staffing patterns.
• Over 80% of purchases still happen in-store, challenging the myth that online retail has made brick-and-mortar obsolete.

“Store traffic is a precious, non-renewable resource.” - Mark Ryski

Connect with Mark Ryski:

Website: https://headcount.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-ryski-8826601/ 

Mark’s Book: https://www.amazon.com/Store-Traffic-Gift-Retailers-Converting/dp/B0F1XG8QC5 

https://www.amazon.com/When-Retail-Customers-Count-Ryski/dp/1420824759https://www.amazon.com/Conversion-Last-Great-Retail-Metric/dp/1463414226

Connect with Wendi Swanson:

Website: etymongroup.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/wendiswanson

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557265653368 

Email: wswanson@etymongroup.com

Show notes by Podcastologist: Angelo Paul Tagama

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.