ATLANTA–Consumers want personalized experiences in-store and online, and are willing to give up data for it – but critical areas of personalization, such as user experience, are lagging and should be addressed by retailers, according to a recent Stibo Systems survey.
The survey shows consumers are willing to trade data for better personalization, but more than half of retailers are either minimally or not investing in initiatives such as improved user experience
Stibo Systems surveyed consumers and retailers in November 2019. Respondents to the survey included 510 consumers and 516 director/manager level-employees at retail/wholesale trade companies.
Two-thirds of consumers believe personalized experiences equal more positive relationships with retailers. However, 33% of retailers say they routinely struggle with personalization initiatives, while 54% report their company is either minimally investing in user experience initiatives or not at all. Another 41% said they face challenges achieving real-time customer engagement.
The survey showed that retailers are leaving potential treasure troves of data untapped. Loyalty programs, for instance – a chance to better understand specific customer buying habits and preferences. Half of consumers say they’re willing to give up personal data for additional loyalty points, but half of consumers also say retailers should take measures to improve their loyalty programs.
Retailers struggle
“Consumer demand for personalization is outpacing many retailers’ capabilities to deliver such experiences, and leveraging customer data seems to be one of the most significant stumbling blocks,” said Prashant Bhatia, chief product and marketing officer at Stibo Systems.
“Our survey found one in four retailers struggle with achieving a single view of all customer/product data. Reaching this level of data transparency can help retailers offer superior, tailored in-store and online customer experiences – meeting the demand for greater personalization.”
In other findings, 42% of consumers say they shop online for the convenience of purchasing items without the hassle of lines – but personalization may be the way to draw them back in-store. Forty-seven percent said personalized coupons sent through email were the most effective incentive for brick-and-mortar trips. The finding aligns with retailers; 51% say they’ve found personalized coupons through email as their most effective strategy to drive in-store sales.
Other incentives, according to customers:
40%: personalized coupons through mobile/app
30%: sales staff equipped with greater knowledge of your problems/wants
26%: AI in-store
21%: Greater implementation of self-check-out kiosk
Stibo Systems surveyed consumers and retailers in November 2019. Respondents to the survey included 510 consumers and 516 director/manager level-employees at retail/wholesale trade companies.
