IT systems need to be capable of transitioning customers as they become more comfortable sharing data.
Fresh Relevance announced on 8 December 2021 that data privacy, protection, and personalisation should be central and high on the agenda for eCommerce marketers in 2022. The advice follows the publication of an eBook by Fresh Relevance, in which industry leaders share the top 10 trends and technologies to look out for in 2022.
Data privacy and protection remains a vital consideration for eCommerce marketers, however the landscape has changed since the introduction of the GDPR in 2018. There is variation between the EU and the UK, as well as newer legislative frameworks such as ePR and ePrivacy (EU), and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).
CEO of Fresh Relevance, Mike Austin, states, “The protection of consumer data and allowing consumers to control and restrict their data is an important issue for anybody doing business with consumers online.” He adds, “Systems must be able to cope with consumers initially withholding their identity and permission to use data about them. However, those same systems must also be able to make a smooth transition, as consumers become comfortable with sharing more data with the organization.”
Austin also points to the use of personification to improve how customers are treated when they are online, including anonymous identity and making best guesses about how they might want to be treated (sometimes classed as segmentation). Austin adds, “Whilst it may not be possible or even legal to determine the identity of the customer, it is possible to recognize patterns of behaviour from a single device or computer. The organizations that are able to make the best use of these anonymous streams of data will be the winners in online business in 2022 and beyond.”
The Fresh Relevance eCommerce marketing trend predictions for 2022 considers issues, opportunities, and challenges for the forthcoming year including the shift towards omnichannel, customer loyalty, email automation and the use of SMS, the importance of push notifications, and the use of first-party data to counter the impact of Google’s announcement on the use of third-party cookies. The free to download report provides insights from leaders including BigCommerce, Dotdigital, Enchant, Fresh Relevance, JH, Leadfamly, LoyaltyLion, Upland CXM, Velstar and Yotpo. It is available from Fresh Relevance now.