Retail survey: 51% of shoppers want digital coupons; 67% find facial recognition creepy

According to a recent survey looking at consumers’ attitudes toward retail technology, omnichannel personalization solution RichRevelance found shoppers are still not comfortable with all technology has to offer the retail industry.

Polling more than 1,000 consumers, the “Creepy or Cool: 2016 Consumer Survey” offered insight into the types of retail technology that appeals to consumers and what turns them off.

Sixty-seven percent of the survey participants labeled facial recognition technology as creepy when asked about it being used by retailers to direct salespersons toward high-value shoppers. (An even higher percentage of Millennials — 71 percent — said they found it creepy.)

Facial recognition technology identifies you as a high-value shopper and relays this information to a salesperson.

A large majority of the survey participants confirmed they shop on mobile devices, but only 23 percent said they use their phones either always or often to help them shop while in a store.

Which devices do you use to shop?

Sixty-four percent of the survey participants did not want a mobile app that would signal a salesperson to greet them by name on the store floor; and, 46 percent were turned off by the idea of a salesperson making suggestions based on what the consumer previously browsed or bought from the retailer.

A large majority — 78 percent — said they were cool with the ability to scan a product with their phone to see product reviews and get recommendations for other products.

Fifty-one percent said they were cool with getting digital coupons after leaving a store for the products they browsed but didn’t purchase. However, only 40 percent were okay with location technology that would trigger personalized product information, recommendations and discounts sent to their mobile device while in the store.

Your location in the store triggers personalized product information, content, recommendations & discounts to pop up on your mobile device as you walk through the aisles.

From the survey’s findings, it appears most shoppers want the benefit of personalized recommendations and discounts but are uncomfortable with any technology that makes them feel as if they are being watched.

RichRevelance’s full survey can be downloaded on its site at: Creepy or Cool: 2016 Consumer Survey.

About The Author

Amy Gesenhues

Amy Gesenhues is Third Door Media’s General Assignment Reporter, covering the latest news and updates for Marketing Land and Search Engine Land. From 2009 to 2012, she was an award-winning syndicated columnist for a number of daily newspapers from New York to Texas. With more than ten years of marketing management experience, she has contributed to a variety of traditional and online publications, including MarketingProfs.com, SoftwareCEO.com, and Sales and Marketing Management Magazine. Read more of Amy’s articles.