Definition of scanner data

retail purchase information (such as price, brand, product size, amount purchased) gathered at the point of purchase by an electronic device that reads a coded ticket on the product through the use of an electronic reader over which the product passes. This information can be used for a variety of marketing decisions such as allocation of advertising dollars, placement of advertising, inventory control, amount of shelf space, pricing, placement of orders, and timeliness of product delivery. Because scanner data is instantly available, it is also used very effectively to determine the results of special end-of-aisle displays, in-store product placement or shelf position, and other in-store sales promotions.