DUBAI
ICLP, a marketing agency focused on brand loyalty, released a report on Sunday showing that more than two thirds (68 per cent) of UAE shoppers do not feel that they get anything in return for sharing their personal information with brands.
According to a statement from ICLP, this presents a major challenge for retailers as they try to build stronger relationships with their customers and encourage them to join a growing number of loyalty programmes.
ICLP surveyed UAE consumers to understand how they felt about the risks and rewards of sharing their personal data with brands, and found that just 41 per cent trusted brands to treat their personal data with respect and use it in their best interests.
The results also varied between some of the UAE’s top brands. According to the statement, 46 per cent of Splash shoppers, and 39 per cent of Carrefour shoppers said that their data was treated with respect and in their best interests. Even lower was apparel retailer H&M, with only 32 per cent of customers happy with how their data was used.
Sanjit Gill, General Manager at ICLP, said in a statement: “Brands are increasingly aware of the need to know their customers better so that they can deliver more interesting and personalised experiences. Only by doing this can they hope to keep encouraging shoppers to visit on their trips to the mall and avoid becoming old and stale. This is particularly the case as they are now compared against more technologically advanced online-only retailers.”
“However, our research shows that brands across the UAE are failing to deliver on this promise. Shoppers need to be able to trust that their personal data will be kept safe and used in interesting ways that will ultimately benefit them. Otherwise, shoppers will simply opt to remain strangers,” she added.
