Few consumers feel rewarded for providing personal data to marketers

Most consumers are happy to share personal data with brands, but very few are seeing 'special benefits' from providing this information, according to new research from marketing and loyalty analytics firm Aimia.

by Helen Leggatt

Aimia's survey of more than 20,000 people across 11 countries found that they are aware their personal information is valuable (68%), and 31% went so far as to say it was "highly valuable". And most (80%) were willing to share their personal information, such as name, email address and nationality, with brands.

However very few, just 8%, claimed to have received any special benefits from having done so. Furthermore, despite knowing that their data is being used by brands to provide relevant messaging, just 23% said the communications they receive from marketers are 'highly relevant'.

"With that awareness and with the march of technology, consumers' expectations of what businesses are going to do with that data is rising," said David Johnston, group COO at Aimia. "They think if I'm going to give you my data, and I'm going to tell you stuff about myself, at least have the intelligence and the courtesy to do something useful with it."

Aimia's survey found that younger consumers are much more tolerant about letting marketers use their data, with the youngest (Generation Z) the most receptive.

The countries in which consumers are most comfortable sharing their personal data are the UAE, India and Brazil. In India, 90% of consumers are happy to share their email address, 89% happy to share their name and 68% are comfortable sharing their physical mailing address.