• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, September 19, 2022

Consumers worldwide willing to share their email address in return for personalized shopping benefits — more than any other detail.  

But it varies by age and other factors, according to Global Consumer Report Current and Future Shopping Trends, a study by Big Commerce.  And the question remains: Once you have the email address, then what?

Overall, 37% of consumers are willing to share data for personalized experience—depending on what information. Another 36% will share based on the brand.  

But 28% are not willing.. And only 19% will share for personalized shopping and 12% for personalized advertising. 

Gen Z is most agreeable — 41% will share, depending on the information requested. In addition, 36% will do so based on the brand and 24% in return for personalized shopping. Only 15% will trade for personalized advertising, which presumably includes email.  

Of millennials, 43% will provide data depending on what it is, and 33% based on the brand. Only 20% will share for personalized shopping and 14% for personalized advertising. 

Baby boomers are the most stingy — 47% are not at all willing to surrender data.  

Looking at the raw numbers, global consumers will share: 

• Email — 1,222
• Gender — 974 
• Name — 863 
• Purchase — 597
• Phone — 435
• Address — 417
• Social media — 287 

Of the consumers polled, 55% shop online at least once a week. And a Google-BCG study shows that 80% of new and 64% of existing customers have engaged with a digital touchpoint during their shopping journey. 

What should email teams be offering as incentives? The incentives most likely to drive purchases are:

1. Free shipping 
2. Sales or clearance items 
3. Discount codes at checkout
4. Free returns 
5. Rewards or loyalty programs 
6. Free gift with purchase 
7. Try before you buy

In another finding, only 26% of consumers have a strong understanding of the metaverse, while 25% say they have a mild understanding and a weak grasp and the remainder in 32% say they have no understanding or don’t even know what the metaverse is.  

However, 52% are unwilling to shop on the metaverse, while 46% are likely to do so.  

What drives consumers to shop online? 

One motivator is Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL). This is most popular in the U.S., where 36% have tried it. In contrast, 30% have used it in Australia 26% in the UK, 5% in Italy and 3% in France. 

In general, only 28% say BNPL does not impact their willingness to purchase a product. 

Consumers are also interested in sustainability: 32% consider it very important, 52% somewhat so and 17% are indifferent. 

Perhaps unsurprisingly, 92% of Gen Zers deem sustainability important, 41% very much so. In contrast, 73% of boomers view it as an imperative, with 24% seeing it as very critical. But 27% are indifferent.  

Big Commerce surveyed 4,224 consumers in March 2022, divided between the United States (1,698), United Kingdom (685), Italy (687), France (627) and Australia (527). In addition, BigCommerce partnered with Google to contribute additional search trends and data.