• by Ray Schultz , January 31, 2022

Privacy fears are mounting, but 90% of consumers will share their email address for the right value exchange, and 30% will reveal it with no incentive at all, judging by “Consumers Want Privacy. Marketers Can Deliver,” a study recently released by Boston Consulting Group. (BCG) in partnership with Google.

But the value varies by cohort, according to a post by BCG. Zoomers (those in Gen Z) will share their email for $5-$10 in value, while Young Urban Professionals will do so for $15-$20, New Parents for $10-$15, the Wealthy and Retired for $25+ and Value Shoppers for $0-$5.

In general, consumers are comfortable sharing these details with brands:  

• Gender — 49% 
• ZIP code — 40% 
• Email address — 28% 
• Age/Date of Birth — 27%
• Affinity and interests — 23%
• Previous purchases — 23%
• Activity on the consumer’s website — 20%
• Home address — 13%
• Activity on other websites — 12%
• Income — 11% 
• Phone number — 11%
• Location in real-time — 11%
• Social media activity — 10%
• Email activity — 9% 
• Social media profile details — 9%

But again, it depends on the demographic. For instance, Zoomers are 57% more likely to share their email activity, and 52% less willing to release their activity on other websites.  

Young Urban Professionals are 113% more willing to share their social media activity, and 36% less so to share their gender.  

New Parents are 70% more likely to share income, and 43% less agreeable to sharing their activity on the company’s website.  

The Wealthy and Retired are 34% more willing to disclose their activity on the company’s website, and 53% less likely to share their income. And Value Shoppers are 18% more relaxed about their income, and 14% less willing to share their social media details.  

Trust also varies by industry, with the most regulated sectors typically earning high or very high trust: 

• Healthcare — 48%
• Finance — 50%
• Public sector and government — 43%
• Pharmaceuticals — 36% 
• Logistics — 33% 
• Online retail — 33%
• Telecommunications — 33% 
• Traditional retail — 31% 
• Technology — 29%
• Consumer packaged goods — 24%
• Media and entertainment — 24%
• Travel and transport — 23% 

But consumers seem to desire personalization — 65% are turned off when they receive an ad that does not interest them, and 62% when the content is not engaging.  

Overall, 75% do not feel incentivized by email newsletters: straightforward discounts are more than twice as effective. And improved convenience is “the most compelling nonmonetary value exchange,” the study says.  

Still, 45% are uncomfortable sharing personal data to create personalized ads, while 31% are comfortable with it and 25% are neutral.  

Consumers do not quite understand what brands are doing with their data, but they are cynical about it: 57%  believe companies are selling their data, “21% more than any other form of data use,” the study says. 

Google and Boston Consulting Group surveyed over 1,000 consumers in the U.S. and Canada in August 2021. It also interviewed almost 36 marketers at major companies.