Dubai: Global online consumers, at least the savvy ones among them, are getting their own back on the portals.

An estimated 30 per cent of these consumers reckon they know how to exchange their details for rewards... this is based on responses to a trends report by Microsoft Advertising, the ad arm of the tech giant.

“Forty-eight per cent of global online consumers are aware that their data is valuable to brands and marketers,” the report says. “This figure increases for younger consumers which suggests that the greater their digital experience is, the higher the awareness of the trend.”

And as many as 45 per cent of global online consumers say that they would be willing to sell all of their digital data to the right brand at the right price”.

The findings are part of Microsoft Advertising’s ‘Digital Trends’ report that will be put out at the Dubai Lynx event this week. They assume significance because the overwhelming impression had been that consumers were at the mercy of the portals when it comes to how their details could be shared and with whom.

“As more and more ads and targeted communications fill people’s screens, consumers are becoming increasingly aware that what they do online is worth a lot to brands and marketers,” the report says. “We’re at a crucial point where consumers are considering the value of their data and seeking more ways to control where it goes.

“Having been left out of the conversation so far, consumers now know that their information is valuable. So if brands want to keep learning more about their audiences, they will have to be clear about how the data will be used and start offering valuable rewards in exchange for using it.”

So, how can portals enter a win-win with their users on data? According to Microsoft Advertising, “The ‘value me’ trend is especially important for any industry seeking to improve their customer service: retail, finance, technology, automotive, and utility brands, for example. In the short term, brands can build effective loyalty schemes, take the lead in educating customers about the value of their data, and contribute to conversations about how data should be used.

“In the longer term, brands can align themselves with tech companies that handle data responsibly and collaborate with them to give consumers new ways to store and exchange their data. They should build data brokerage into online products and services as soon as possible, to be ready for these changes.”