Americans are ready to hand over their data for a supermarket voucher - would Poles do the same?

Privacy concerns are still growing, and one might think that consumers have doubts about sharing their data. However, as research by RIS News shows, that is not necessarily true - especially if they gain some benefit from it. More than half of the surveyed Americans said they would give up some of their data in exchange for special bonuses, offers and personalized experiences.

More than half of those surveyed (56%) in RIS News' holiday study - 2019 Shopper Megatrends - maintain that they are able to share their data in exchange for adequate benefits. According to the report's authors, such a result is somewhat surprising, given the numerous voices claiming that users are reluctant to share their data for fear of privacy and anonymity.

Price works wonders

So how much can the RIS News benefits mentioned in the report be valued at? To find out, one simply needs to ask consumers. That is what Blis, a company specializing in advanced location services, did. The results are surprising - 60% of consumers admit they would reveal their data to advertisers in exchange for a coupon worth around £8. What kind of information are we talking about? Things such as age, education or marital status.

"When it comes to data and online tracking - research shows that customer awareness is increasing. According to Blis - compared with the previous year, two out of three consumers are more aware of how their data is currently being used. Furthermore, 83% say they know that companies actively track data about their location" - says Piotr Prajsnar, CEO of Cloud Technologies, which owns one of the world's largest wholesalers of anonymous data about internet users.

According to the aforementioned RSI study, the largest group of consumers consists of those ready to share their birthday (39%), favorite drinks (35%) or information about their favorite pastime (31%), of course if what they receive in return is attractive enough. However, there is also information that customers would rather keep to themselves. This includes income data (35%), contact details (such as email or phone number) (29%) or links to social media profiles (27%) - regardless of the counter-offer.

Customer-centricity, or building experiences

RIS News reports that 87% of consumers shop online via a computer, including a laptop - and in doing so they leave behind a huge amount of traces. By analyzing this data, companies can guarantee far better experiences both at the stage of interacting with the product and already when searching for it online. How to use knowledge sourced from data and build an advantage both in the online world and in traditional sales was shown by the American company Amazon.

"Consumers themselves admit that what they expect is better-matched products - such a declaration was made by 34% of those surveyed by RIS News. To this end, businesses use Big Data and put advanced systems and analytical tools to work." - says the expert from Cloud Technologies, then adds: - "Data from website traffic alone may, however, prove insufficient. That is why many companies rely on information coming from other sources, which will serve as material to fill in the empty points of contact between the customer and the product - let us call these places gaps that prevent us from creating a full picture of the customer. It is like a puzzle with a few missing pieces." - hints Piotr Prajsnar, an expert at Cloud Technologies.

In today's increasingly competitive market, delivering personalized experiences at multiple stages of the customer's interaction with a brand is no longer merely "welcome" - it is outright expected. Modern personalization drives engagement and builds relationships that are the foundation of lasting and stable success. - "We sell experiences, not products." - Steve Jobs, founder of the Apple brand, used to say. According to Forbes research, on the day of his death, the Cupertino company was the strongest brand in the world.