Although retail marketers are constantly seeking ways to deliver messages to consumers that are highly relevant to their shopping needs, it appears that their efforts have not yet matched up to rising consumer expectations.
In fact, half of consumers say that they regularly see emails with irrelevant information, even though 71% of retailers believe they send tailored messages to shoppers either always or often, according to a survey from Retail TouchPoints and marketing software provider Magnetic.
In partnership with Magnetic, RTP has released a study revealing the disparities between consumers’ marketing expectations and retailers’ existing strategies. To compile data for the report, titled: Closing The Gap Between People’s Expectations & Retail Realities, RTP surveyed 200 consumers and 100 retail executives from the U.S. and Canada.
“Retailers recognize the need to keep customers at the core of their marketing decisions, but there are barriers to delivering the level of personalized experiences that consumers expect across channels and devices,” said Alicia Fiorletta, Content Strategist at Retail TouchPoints. “Having the right data continues to be among their key challenges.”
These retailer execs use a variety of channels to reach the consumer, but it appears that they need more targeted content to meet shopper expectations. Only 55% of retailers send emails featuring relevant information such as reviews, recommendations, sales or trends; while even fewer (37%) deliver online ads based on consumer interests. Less than half (41%) send a follow-up email about a product after the shopper has abandoned the shopping cart.
Ultimately, this lack of communication can frustrate consumers: Half of surveyed consumers either find it “frustrating” or “extremely frustrating” that online ads are irrelevant to their personal tastes and preferences. Nearly as many (49%) are frustrated that ads are irrelevant to products they’re interested in buying.
The survey concludes that retailers must prioritize their data and information to better understand shopper desires and to successfully reach new people, keep current customers and bring back past shoppers.
“Creating personal experiences across the channels people use and the devices they engage can significantly improve their buying process,” said James Green, CEO of Magnetic. “When it comes to shopping, the most important factors relate to efficiency, ease of use and the ability to make informed decisions. Digital experiences give retailers a unique opportunity to empower shoppers to buy, and prompt them to buy more frequently.”
