Customers Don’t Trust How Companies Use Their Data

Do you trust eBay, Amazon, Etsy, Facebook, and other ecommerce companies in how they use your data? A new report says there’s a perception gap in how top corporate leaders view such concerns from their customers.

Three quarters (75%) of US senior executives believe that their customers trust them with their personal data, according to Treasure Data, a service that helps companies use customer data.

But half of US consumers (49%) deliberately try to withhold their personal data from brands, and 41% would prefer to remain entirely anonymous to brands altogether.

Treasure Data surveyed 500 C-suite decision-makers in B2C companies, and another survey of 6,000 consumers, located in the US and Europe. It didn’t break down which companies it surveyed or whether any executives were from ecommerce firms – the focus of the research was on brand relationships. Nevertheless, it’s an interesting issue.

It’s especially relevant for small sellers who must provide excruciatingly sensitive personal information, including their social security numbers and bank account information – and for sellers who are required to hand over information about their suppliers and other proprietary data.

Do you trust how companies in the ecommerce space are using your data as a buyer and as a seller?

Ina Steiner

Ina Steiner is co-founder and Editor of EcommerceBytes and has been reporting on ecommerce since 1999. She's a widely cited authority on marketplace selling and is author of "Turn eBay Data Into Dollars" (McGraw-Hill 2006). Her blog was featured in the book, "Blogging Heroes" (Wiley 2008). She is a member of the Online News Association (Sep 2005 - present) and Investigative Reporters and Editors (Mar 2006 - present). Follow her on Twitter at @ecommercebytes and send news tips to ina@ecommercebytes.com. See disclosure at EcommerceBytes.com/disclosure/.