Two in Three Consumers Choose Email To Share Personal Data

by Stratton Craig

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E-mail is the top choice for consumers when it comes to channels for sharing personal data with brands, and young Britons feel more comfortable with providing personal details than their more mature counterparts, a new survey from Experian Marketing Services reveals.

In fact, more than four in five consumers would willingly share with businesses their personal information like date of birth and address via at least one channel. In contrast, 18% state that they would not provide such data with brands on any channel, Marketing Magazine reports.

When asked about which channel they would choose to share their information, 69% go for email, whereas other channels remain far behind in terms of customer preference. Some 27% choose post, while Facebook and Twitter score 8% and 4% respectively. A modest 6% say they would share personal data on mobile and text, the poll finds.

There is a notable gap between different age groups and their readiness to share data with brands which interact with them on social media. Almost a quarter of 18 to 24-year-old consumers do not mind doing so, but the proportion falls to 13% in the 35 to 44 age bracket,  4% among those aged 45- to 54 and 3% among consumers aged 55 and over.

More generally, two in three consumers share the view that brands use their personal data for targeted marketing and to offer relevant products but nearly half of those polled believe businesses give third parties access to personal data as well.

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