Advertising Age reports on a new Pew Research Center study saying that "less than half of those surveyed said it was acceptable for companies to share their shopping data with third parties. Indeed, while 47% said it is acceptable for a grocery store to track shopping habits and sell that data to third parties in exchange for providing people with discounts, 32% said it was not. Twenty percent said 'it depends'."
The study suggests that older people and people of greater financial means are less tolerant of the practice than young people and those who have less money, and that "some people just want more information before deciding."
The study suggests that older people and people of greater financial means are less tolerant of the practice than young people and those who have less money, and that "some people just want more information before deciding."
- KC's View:
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To me, this always has been easy. Or should be. Just ask consumers for permission, and be transparent about how information is being shared and what the consumer benefit is. (If you tell me that you are going to share my purchase info in a way that makes sure I never get cat-oriented coupons and only get dog-oriented offers, I'm in.)
It is when companies are not transparent and don't allow consumers to opt in that they create the potential for trouble ... but they only have themselves to blame.
