80% of consumers believe data privacy no longer exists, says study

The study of around 2,000 20-40 year olds was conducted by Coleman Parkes on behalf of Accenture Interactive in March and April of this year. Key findings were as follows:

• 80% believe total data privacy is a thing of the past
• 87% believe adequate safeguards are not in place to protect their personal information
• 64% are concerned about websites tracking their buying behaviour

However:

• 49% would not object to having buying behaviour tracked if it would result in relevant offers
• 64% would welcome targeted in-store text messaging

“Businesses should align their marketing strategies using advanced analytics to drive real-time recommendations with the needs and interests of today’s consumers who demand a seamless omni-channel experience whether they choose to shop online or in a store,” said Glen Hartman, global managing director of Digital Transformation for Accenture Interactive.

“When pursuing that seamless customer experience, businesses must balance the need for security and data privacy with the desire to provide an exceptional customer experience.”

Further findings from the study can be found here.