YouGov findings have emerged detailing how 75% of those polled resent a brand after receiving a barrage of their newsletters. Unsolicited messages also fuelled ill feeling amongst 71% of the surveyed. The research was undertaken on behalf of EmailVision.
Rather unexpectedly, 40% declared that they would not share any of the personal details listed with a brand in exchange for improved targeting of offers. The figure increased to 49% in those over 55, emphasising a demand among consumers for better personalisation.
Emailvision’s findings revealed that a mere 28% of adults online would willingly share their name, 37% of consumers would give their age and 38% would be content giving gender information to a brand. Clearly consumers aren’t yet sold on the idea of sharing personal details.
Oversharing does exist
Interestingly there were a small number of people who appear completely at ease with oversharing facts about themselves. Close to a tenth (8%) said they’d share their underwear size in exchange for the superior targeting of offers.
Consumers seem particularly affronted if, having provided personal information, it’s then listed incorrectly. Of those polled, 50% said they’d be unhappy if a brand failed to display their name properly and 40% would be annoyed if the same happened regarding their gender.
Emailvision Director, Neil Hamilton, explained how the mountains of data available to companies could be their own undoing. He stressed the importance of still referring to a dataset as a customer, whatever its numerical value.
“It’s imperative that a customer never becomes ‘just a number’ even in a database of millions,” he said. “Technology enables all businesses to treat their customers to a personalised experience across multiple sales channels.”