The meaning of the word ‘consume’ is undergoing a transformation. One that appears irreversible and is driven by various trends. Who ultimately has the power to steer (online) brands: is it the providers themselves, or rather the consumers, who are becoming increasingly reluctant to be influenced?
Gradually, one can speak of a power struggle. Thanks to the many options for digitalisation and data tracking, brands have taken significant steps to approach and influence consumers. Virtually every step can be made visible. And if, as a website visitor, you’re not interested after all and walk away, you’ll still be approached and triggered in numerous ways. This is even becoming possible in physical spaces: interactive billboards and advertisements are becoming more personalised and increasingly tailored. Let’s just say that AI has opened a few doors here too.
For a long time, consumers could do little about this. It was simply the way it was: you want certain privileges, and in return you offer up your data and movements. However — the number of adverts in daily life has grown enormously. The stimuli keep increasing, and the functionalities of apps, amongst other things, are slowly being taken over by adverts and influence. And now that the world is changing, the consumer is taking action. Without looking back.
What is becoming apparent
What we are now seeing is the critical eye of the online shopper. Far more online shops are being visited and bookmarked. A brand that might be of interest is viewed briefly and kept under observation: is the retailer reliable, is it user-friendly, and are there any good offers? Over time, a shortlist of brands emerges for further consideration — but this is precisely where the danger lies for the retailer. In future, the consumer wants far more influence over the ‘push’ directed at them. This fits with another trend: fine-tuning the online algorithm.
And fine-tuning can also mean, where possible, visiting the physical shop. Digital tracking is much less prevalent there. But progress must be made there too: it is precisely the act of signing up as a member or customer that is under pressure. People no longer want to be recorded in every system and often fail to see the point of it. In the past, a consumer bought from far fewer brands; now that choice is many times greater. Consumers are now and certainly will be in the future setting strict requirements to ensure that the provider understands where the boundaries lie. Consumers still provide information about their wishes. But no more than that.
From signal to meaning
This is precisely the kind of shift that EVE, our AI algorithm, picks up on: a pre-trend emerging from hundreds of thousands of signals from government, the market and society, often months before the market recognises it as such. But a signal in itself doesn’t change anything. The question that matters is: what does this mean for your organisation, and what can you do with it right now?
That’s where we make the translation. Because the shift described above demands something concrete from providers, both online and offline.
Shift from pushing to facilitating. The consumer wants control. The more you try to steer them, the quicker they’ll drop you from their shortlist. The providers who succeed aren’t those who push the hardest, but those who put the customer in the driver’s seat whilst remaining relevant themselves. Think of preferences the customer sets themselves, and a ‘push’ that only comes when they ask for it.
Work towards a single transparent data agreement. The direction this is heading: a single data stream managed by the consumer themselves, where they decide which brands get access and to what. The providers who are already anticipating this with honesty, reliability and a clear quid pro quo are building the trust that will soon make all the difference.
The coming years
What does this mean for the coming years? Online, we need to work hard to ensure reliability and to build relationships with people who, above all, do not want to be tracked. In physical shops, too, customer retention will need to take a step forward. Perhaps, eventually, a single data stream will emerge where consumers themselves decide what they share and which brands are granted access to it.
