90% of Brits don’t know how companies use their data

As Black Friday approaches on November 24, millions of Brits are gearing up for the annual shopping sales event of the year, eager to snag the best deals.

However, amid the frenzy of discounts and promotions, Forbes Advisor, the price comparison and financial guidance platform, is reminding consumers to be vigilant about how companies handle their personal data.

A recent study from technology experts reveals that almost nine in ten (88%) Brits are concerned about how...

22 November 2023 | Big Data

Digital marketing skills show positive growth but sector demands outpace professional development 

Core digital skills marketers rely on have improved but that the growing demands of new and evolving technologies are contributing to a skills gap across the majority of industries. 

This is according to research published by the training body Target Internet, in association with the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM).

This year’s report analyses data from more than 10,000 marketing professionals, gathered between 2018 to 2023 and highlights key short and...

24 October 2023 | Advertising

UK shoppers desire AI-driven retail experiences but are wary of its use

Less than half (41%) of UK shoppers believe that AI is having a positive impact on their retail experiences. Despite this, more than two-thirds (70%) prefer brands that offer personalised recommendations – a common use case for AI in retail.

These findings come from a new study by SAP Emarsys, which surveyed over 2,000 UK shoppers. The research suggests a clear conflict between consumer concerns about AI and their desire to reap the...

24 August 2023 | Commerce

Tesco Media and Insight Platform launches media partnership with Pinterest

Tesco Media and Insight Platform, powered by dunnhumby, has launched an offsite media partnership with Pinterest, the world’s largest visual discovery engine.

This partnership will allow the UK’s leading CPG brands to connect with Tesco customers who are looking for inspiration on Pinterest, using Tesco Clubcard data and dunnhumby’s analytical expertise to deliver highly relevant and personalised ads.

The power of Pinterest

The UK is one of Pinterest’s...

13 June 2023 | Commerce

Just 1% of consumers do not utilise subscription shopping services

Despite cost of living pressures, 86% of UK shoppers have increased, or at least maintained, their spending on subscriptions over the last year, while 78% intend to ringfence or increase their subscription spending in the months ahead.

Only 1% in the UK and across all markets surveyed now do not consider themselves to be subscribers in any form.

These are some of the findings of a study into subscription shopping trends to date by OnePoll and online travel firm eDreams...

16 May 2023 | Commerce

21% of consumers never want to hear from retailers

A gnome holding a sign that says 'go away'

Just 16% of UK consumers think that retailers react to their feedback, despite 69% of businesses claiming to do so.

This is according to new data released by Emarsys, an SAP company. The company's research, which surveyed both consumers and retailers across the UK, highlights the struggle to keep up with customers and identifies a number of disconnects between the two. It found that 28% of UK consumers believe their feedback is being used purely for marketing purposes rather than...

19 January 2023 | Advertising

Shoppers prefer to purchase via mobile phone after visiting stores

Entering the 2022 holiday season, consumers are increasingly embracing a hybrid shopping experience that couples in-store visits with digital tools that optimise the buying process.

This is according to a global survey of nearly 3,000 customers commissioned by cloud communications platform Sinch. 

Shoppers prefer retailers that super-charge the in-person experience by layering on a level of automation and efficiency before they even enter the store. For example, a...

16 November 2022 | M-Commerce

One in three Brits prefer to reach customer service via WhatsApp

Someone using WhatsApp on their phone.

One in three Brits would prefer to contact customer service via SMS or WhatsApp, new research shows, highlighting the need for businesses to employ a fully omnichannel presence. 

Despite call centres being a traditional means of communication between brands and their customers, this is now the preference for under half of the UK population (43%), according to a survey of 1,000 Brits by telecoms provider Esendex. 

In a similar vein, 79% of consumers would...

27 September 2022 | Customer Experience

Faltering consumer confidence sees expectations around spending plummet

A pile of £20 notes.

Almost a quarter (24%) of consumers plan to spend less across six key sectors: travel, luxury, retail, automotive, technology and financial services.

This is according to new research from RAPP and Code (part of Omnicom Precision Marketing Group). Two years of a global pandemic, economic uncertainty and now macro-level global events have unsurprisingly caused consumer behaviour to constantly shift, making it hard for brands to keep up. Now as confidence hits rock bottom, brands...

14 April 2022 | Commerce

TGI Fridays owner targets Gen Z with investment in digital experience

TGI Fridays Manchester.

Food tech platform C3 (Creating Culinary Communities) has been given a $10 million boost from TriArtisan Capital Advisors and its investors, the portfolio of which includes TGI Fridays, PF Chang's and Hooters. 

TriArtisan's investment is part of an $80 million in Series B funding that C3 secured this past month and co-led by Brookfield Asset Management Inc. and REEF Technology with participation from Egon Durban and Greg Mondre, managing partners and co-CEOs of Silver Lake...

23 August 2021 | Branding