UK consumers are being put off by poor targeting and lack of personalisation from brands with only six per cent believing that product or service offers they receive are relevant to them.

According to an Emarsys survey of 2,002 consumers, carried out by Opinion Matters, 41 per cent of consumers say they won’t purchase from a brand again if marketing materials aren’t up to the right standard, while 60 per cent want offers to be tailored to them precisely and 66 per cent would ignore all future marketing from a brand if its offers didn’t always hit the personalisation mark.

“Personalisation is the Holy Grail of good marketing, but what’s clear from this research is that marketers’ current, human-driven approach simply doesn’t scale, leading to irrevocably damaged relationships with customers and ultimately churn,” said Grant Coleman, VP and market director for the UK and Nordics and Emarsys.

Though the findings may sound negative for brands, it highlights what they have to do to ensure loyalty from their customers. 57 per cent of respondents said they would be more likely to repeat purchase if they received more loyalty-based discounts from a retailer, while 41 per cent are more likely to buy from a brand again if they received personalised offers.

In order to receive the personalisation they desire, many are comfortable with the use of AI. 82 per cent of people are now aware of the use of AI in the shopping experience, and 47 per cent are happy for brands to use the technology to help offer them bespoke experiences with 43 per cent also being happy for AI being used to determine the discounts they receive.

“Brands that can make full and fast use of the data and technologies available to them will not only provide consumers with far more individual customer experiences, but also ensure they as marketers reap the full benefits of the systems they have invested in,” said Rajan Balasundaram, VP of solutions and strategic services and Emarsys. “As this study shows, consumers aren’t fussed about what’s feeding the machine – they just want a shopping experience which works for them and provides value to their individual needs.”