Abstract: In a system for planning, visualizing, tracking and analyzing physical objects such as merchandise in a retail space, a transponder is attached to each object and the transponders are interrogated periodically by a transmitter. Receivers receive the transponder signals and direct the received signals to a location processor which determines the location of each object. The locations of the objects can be displayed in various formats on a two or three dimensional map of the space. When objects are moved, they are interrogated more frequently so that traffic patterns in the space can be displayed.