The following questions are designed to help determine the best traffic counting solution based on the unique needs of your business:
If you have an open entrance, horizontal counting can generally be less accurate because multiple people can block each other from being counted by the horizontal digital door counters. Also, horizontal counting requires that the door only swings out, since in-swinging doors will block the beam from detection.
The wider the entrance, or the more foot traffic you have, the less accurate horizontal counting will be. What is your ceiling height and ceiling construction? If you are looking at horizontal counters, they will work at up to about 15 feet of entrance width — and are only recommended at this width if you don’t have much group traffic. If you are considering an overhead sensor, you will need one sensor for every 11 feet of entrance width, depending on your ceiling height. And, with overhead digital door counters, you will need network connections to the sensor in the ceiling at the entrance.
If you need foot traffic counts in the per-hour range, consider using one of the bi-directional counters (which includes all of the overhead counters and the horizontal OmniCounter). Since the sensor captures ins and outs, your hourly traffic counting results will match up closer to the actual traffic trends throughout the day.
If they do, an overhead video people counting sensor is suggested because it can handle detection even when people are standing still.
This will be essential if you want to use the wired capability of the Z-Series horizontal sensors or the Overhead Wireless Thermal Sensor.
