Consumers find personalization intrusive in new survey

A survey of more than 4,800 consumers in the U.S. and U.K. conducted by Thoughtspot reveals that 91% of respondents find at least one form of personalization intrusive. The most common grievances include tracking behavior across different websites or apps, frequent product recommendations, and the use of real-time location data. Additionally, 75% of consumers believe retailers collect excessive amounts of data.

To mitigate concerns regarding “creepy” data practices, analysts suggest that brands move toward active data collection—such as through polls or quizzes—rather than passive methods like cookies. This approach can foster transparency and trust. One-third of consumers indicated that being informed about how their data is used for recommendations would help build that trust.