Retailers must alleviate shoppers’ data concerns

UK consumers are most uncomfortable with sharing their personal data on messaging platforms and least uncomfortable with doing so on fitness trackers. That’s according to research by OnBuy.com, based on findings from Mindshare, who surveyed more than 6,000 people.

Reward points (54%) is the incentive that consumers would be most willing to share their personal data for. It was followed by financial incentives/cash rewards (53%). Personalised rewards or recommendations (16%) is the incentive that consumers would be least enthusiastic about. Interestingly, with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) on the horizon (25th May), 61% believe they will inevitably give data to more companies for the foreseeable future.

Cas Paton, Managing Director of OnBuy.com, comments: “With multiple organisations suffering from high-profile breaches, data now more than ever is a major consideration for consumers. As consumers comprehend what their data can reveal about them, organisations have a key role in alleviating any concerns they may have. All organisations should store consumer data safely and use it only when they truly feel it will improve the experience as well as the interaction with their brand. This research certainly shows that there are certain incentives which will entice UK consumers more than others to share their personal data but when organisations use incentives – they must do so responsibly and with a clear purpose.”