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Capturing user data is a key priority for retail brands. But once they have the data, are they using it effectively?

        It seems not. New research by Engage Hub has revealed that 90% of UK consumers have unsubscribed from retailers’ communications in the past 12 months, with 46% saying this was due to an onslaught of messages from brands. In a survey of over 1,500 consumers, one third said they were unhappy with the frequency of offers or updates they received, and 24% stated they received something at least once a day, while 15% received even more. Alongside the frequency of communication, irrelevance was also a problem, with 24% having unsubscribed because messages did not apply to them.

This raises a key question: What’s the point in capturing consumer data unless you’re using it effectively?

As with most digital channels, the channel is the medium - not the message. In an era where big data is going to change how brands and consumers interact with one another, it’s crucial that brands are using collected data in the most savvy and effective way possible. This means segmenting data – making sure consumers are divided based on criteria like sex, age, location and - importantly for retail - purchasing behaviours.  Brands need to focus on their CRM (customer relationship management) strategy, which needs to include email marketing but not solely rely on it.

Every channel within the CRM strategy should have an individual objective, which needs to be based around the audience within that channel. Brands in the retail space should have the easiest and most advantageous job to do here, because they should have the most consumer data. This means they can segment customer data based on tangible criteria - and use data to send relevant communications to the right people at the right time. If they don’t, customers will continue to unsubscribe – especially in a time when they’re inundated with messages.

Our specialists know how to unlock the power of data to give your brand commercial bite. Call us now on 0800 612 9890 to discover what we can do for you