Shoppers Know

Shoppers Know Brands Are Watching Them

Retailers are becoming more savvy in their collection and use of data to better target consumers, but shoppers aren’t clueless about how brands are tracking them.

A recent global survey of 10,000 people, conducted by ad firm McCann, found that 84% of respondents said they’re aware that companies track the websites they visit to suggest products they might like.

Seventy-one percent of respondents in the survey, including 58% in the U.S., worry about the amount online stores know about them.

McCann surveyed consumers in eleven countries including the U.S., U.K., China and Brazil. The report found that shoppers in more developed markets, such as the U.S. and U.K., were more likely to express caution about data and privacy.  

However, 65% of shoppers are willing to share data so long as they understand the benefits for them.

Some retailers pitch products in multiple places to the same web users. For example, a consumer who once glanced at a pair of shoes at Zappos.com might see ads for them or for Zappos on other sites.

As retailers exploit the data they collect, they also risk taking the magic and fun out of shopping, the study found. According to McCann’s study, 52% of respondents said shopping is too impersonal these days and said they are concerned about how much retailers rely on data and algorithms.

Moreover, 57% of those polled said they worry that they will not be able to discover new things if companies always show them things that they have expressed interest in previously.

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