• by Ray Schultz , March 18, 2022

Here is some input for brands seeking to do business in Europe. European consumers demand personalization. And their favorite channel is email, according to a study by customer engagement platform MoEngage. 

Consumers prefer to use these communication channels for engagement with a brand: 

There are exceptions. For one, C-suite males in Germany like communications via websites. But male board members in Germany prefer email, as do 37% of UK shoppers overall.  

Meanwhile, 28% of European consumers are put off by irrelevant content or products, and 27% by inconsistent messaging across channels.  

German women in the Gen Z age group are particularly annoyed by inconsistent messaging — 49% say so. In contrast, only 22% of women age 54 and up cite that as an issue. 

But 25% of those in that cohort are irritated when brands fail to remember preferences based on previous purchase history, as are 35% of those aged 35-44. 

In general, consumers prefer these kinds of messages: 

• Promotional offers and coupons — 29% 
• Upcoming sales or campaigns — 22% 
• New merchandise, products, or services — 19% 
• Company updates and news — 13%
• New content, newsletters, resources, or media — 9% 
• Information about social justice, charity work, or eco-sustainability — 7% 

In addition, Euro consumers desire limited messaging frequency: 

• Daily — 18%
• Weekly — 41%
• Monthly — 24%
• Quarterly — 4%
• Frequency doesn’t matter as long as the information is relevant to me — 12%

Females aged 54 and above would like to receive daily messages.  

Here are the types of personalization consumers expect:

• Based on my previous purchase history — 25%
• Based on my interests — 22%
• Recognize my name — 18%
• Based on my preferences — 12%
• Based on the products I engage with — 11%
• Based on my location — 11%

The study also lists these general findings:

• 38% have shifted to online shopping in the light of COVID-19.
• 36% would embrace a mix of online and in-person shopping once life goes back to pre-COVID. 
• 32% expect order confirmation, shipping notice and delivery confirmation. 

MoEngaged surveyed 500 consumers, 250 each from the United Kingdom and Germany.