Personalization Or Invasion Of Privacy?

By Matt Pillar, Editor In Chief, Integrated Solutions For Retailers magazine

Much of the discussion around retail personalization has revolved around promotions and special offers. But, retailers seeking to establish personal relationships with their consumers shouldn't get hung up on sale events and special promotions. Personalization should permeate and drive every interaction; it should extend far beyond a coupon or a loyalty card.

That said, some retailers are hesitant to get too personal for fear of toeing the line of the privacy issue. I think the privacy issue is overstated, and I think it's quickly becoming more acceptable for brick-and-mortar retailers to aggressively seek out personal relationships with their consumers now that Internet retailers have set the precedent for personalization.