Metrics
Dwell time
Dwell time is how long shoppers stay in a zone, category or bay, measured from the moment they enter it until the moment they leave.
Formula
Dwell time = exit timestamp − entry timestamp (per trip, per zone)Definition
For each trip and each zone, Shoppermotion records when the trolley or basket entered and left. The difference is the dwell time of that visit. Reports show the median and the distribution, because averages are easily distorted by a few very long visits.
Why it matters
Dwell time is a proxy for attention. A category where dwell grows while conversion falls is often suffering from choice overload or missing references. A category where dwell drops after a relayout may be easier to shop, or may have lost interest: always read it next to the conversion funnel.
Good practice
Compare dwell time only between zones of similar size and function, and always segment by shopping mission: a stock-up trip naturally spends longer in every aisle than an urgent-item trip.