Commentary

75% Would Skip Stores that Use Facial Recognition for Marketing

There may be a million or so beacons in the marketplace but that doesn’t mean consumers have any idea about what they are or what they do.

Almost three quarters (70%) of consumers don’t know what a beacon is, according to a new survey.

The study comprised an online survey of 1,100 U.S. consumers by First Insight.

What surprises me is that 30% know what a beacon is.

The reality is that consumers knowing about beacons misses the point, since shoppers are hardly out and about in search of the latest in shopping technology.

Another IoT trend is facial recognition, and that fares even worse than beacons.

Three quarters (75%) of consumers said they would not shop in a store that used facial recognition technology for marketing purposes.

And as was mentioned numerous times at the recent MediaPost IoT: Shopping conference, IoT is about providing customer value, well beyond location-based, push ads.

One of the key values consumers have long recognized is getting a deal. We see this in study after study.

Interestingly, if consumers were offered a discount, that 75% number drops to 55% if that benefit was associated with facial recognition.

Much of the Internet of Things is unchartered territory for all involved.

Whether using beacons, facial recognition or any of the multitude of new IoT gadgetry, marketers should be intently focused on what kinds of messages and messaging will ride along the IoT wave.

 

3 comments about "75% Would Skip Stores that Use Facial Recognition for Marketing".
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  1. Nicholas Schiavone from Nicholas P. Schiavone, LLC, August 12, 2015 at 4:53 p.m.

    FacialRecognition in stores is a Faustain Shopping Bargain.

    It's not BAD, WORSE or WORST.

    It's EVIL.

    No debate.  Discussion over before it starts.

  2. Paula Lynn from Who Else Unlimited, August 12, 2015 at 9:05 p.m.

    Stalking

  3. Chuck Martin from Chuck Martin, August 13, 2015 at 10:09 a.m.

    But it is what the consumers in the survey said, Nicholas. This is not new tech, it has been in some store screen displays for some time.

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