A stunning 78% of consumers value their privacy over customized marketing, according to a study by enterprise customer data platform Treasure Data. 

Yet, 66% are buying online more than they did prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and 73% prefer email for marketing communications. Moreover, 82% use their primary personal email address when creating accounts with retailers, the study notes. 

Second among channel choices is text (45%), followed by social media (33%) and push notifications (24%). 

Of the consumers polled, 47% will combine in-store and online shopping during the holiday season. But 39% plan skip brick-and-mortar altogether in favor of ecommerce.  

That said, over 80% have utilized “buy online, pick-up in store” options and this remains the shopping method of choice for 32%. But 68% still prefer home delivery for online purchases.

Meanwhile, direct-to-consumer has a place, for 67% of consumers recently purchased directly from the brand instead of at a big-box retailer. 

In the automotive sector, 30% have purchased a vehicle online and 75% rely on online research before visiting a dealership. 

In the food sector, 60% of consumers prefer buying groceries in-person, but 58% still use online delivery services like Instacart, Amazon Fresh and DoorDash. 

“To meet customers across their favorite channels this holiday season, retailers need a data foundation that can easily integrate with online and offline data sources for enriched customer intelligence and a more seamless customer experience,” states Tom Treanor, CMO of Treasure Data.