Are you willing to share data over in-store WiFi to receive offers?

Seventy-four percent of shoppers are ready to share basic personal data over in-store WiFi if it means they will receive discounts on products they are interested in, new research by Hughes Europe reveals. 

Eighty five percent said they were most likely to share details on the kind of products they like, while 55% would share details on stores where they prefer to shop.

However, the survey of consumer attitudes to in-store data-sharing also found that nearly nine out of ten (89%) said they fear being bombarded by unwanted messages when they log on to retailers’ WiFi networks. A further 63% were concerned about their personal details being stolen when they share data in exchange for network access.

“Consumers, especially millennials, are now very savvy about data and personalisation and are willing to share their data with retailers if there are rewards on top of free WiFi access, such as targeted offers and discounts based on their preferences,” said Dan Thornton, Head of Solution Development at Hughes Europe. “To capitalise on this growing trend and get closer to customers, retailers must be transparent about data-security and user policies, as well as ensuring messages are relevant to each individual. If consumers are bombarded with spam, they will log off for good.”

The survey found that the details respondents are most willing to share with retailers are their name (86%), gender (83%) and email address (69%) but few are prepared to share more specific details such as their monthly expenditure (10%), address (11%) or salary band (15%).

“With shoppers willing to share personal data in exchange for offers, it is incumbent on retailers to handle their data correctly on in-store systems that are secure, fast and agile. At Hughes Europe we work with retailers to provide a managed service which will match the best solutions to the individual requirements of each business”, added Chris O’Dell, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Hughes Europe.