Over 60% of Consumers Find Retail Communications Irrelevant

As shoppers face overwhelming choices, retailers must move beyond broad labels to truly understand their customers’ unique needs. New study finds retail brands can no longer rely on demographics to inform communication strategies, highlighting the urgent need for personalisation.

Retailers are missing the mark when it comes to connecting with customers. As competition intensifies and digital noise grows, a bold, personalised approach is no longer optional. It’s the new standard for capturing attention and loyalty. 

This gap is highlighted by research from cloud communications platform Infobip and economic research consultancy Retail Economics, led by Richard Lim. 

The study finds that 61% of UK consumers deem brand communications irrelevant, with over half (56%) feeling these messages lack personalisation, highlighting the urgent need for retailers to rethink their engagement strategies.

Rethinking Engagement: Moving Beyond Demographics

The study, of 2,000 UK consumers across the UK, provides fresh insights into what shoppers are looking for from customer experience (CX). The findings make it clear: retailers must move beyond simple demographic segmentation, such as age and income, and look deeper to engage effectively. 

Personalisation and a unified, omnichannel approach are now essential for retailers aiming to increase customer acquisition, satisfaction, and retention.

With consumers being spoiled for choice in today’s retail landscape, any friction in the customer journey can cause them to abandon their carts. This reinforces the importance of retailers to understand shopping personas and use this insight to drive tailored marketing, sales, and engagement strategies.

The Four Shopper Personas: What Customers Really Want

The study also reveals four distinct UK shopper personas, outlining their communication preferences and pain points:

• Exacting Shoppers (12% of Consumers): Highly engaged and loyal, but the most demanding. They expect service excellence and prefer online shopping for convenience, and value digital propositions and personalised recommendations.
• Busy Shoppers (29% of Consumers): Always on the go, these shoppers switch between retailers based on their immediate needs. While more tolerant of customer experience (CX) shortcomings, they prioritise digital channels and seek hassle-free experiences.
• Social Shoppers (44% of Consumers): Social shoppers balance online and in-store shopping. They value personal connections, are also most likely to be concerned with data protection and ethical practices and appreciate secure, seamless, omnichannel experiences.
• Laid-back Shoppers (15% of Consumers): Favouring in-store experiences, these shoppers show loyalty with minimal digital engagement. They’re forgiving of mistakes but appreciate good communication.

“This study challenges common assumptions about shopper traits based on income and age, demonstrating the need to dig deeper into consumer preferences to engage effectively,” said Kim Johal, UK&I Retail Lead at Infobip.

“We increasingly see consumers move seamlessly between channels, whether in-store, on eCommerce platforms, via messaging services or social media.”

The Takeaway

To truly connect with customers, retailers must go beyond simple demographic categories and focus on individual personalisation. Understanding shopper personas allows brands to tailor their communications in ways that genuinely resonate, shaping purchasing decisions and building lasting loyalty.

“The landscape is complex, and the brands excelling in customer satisfaction and retention are those embracing cross-platform availability, delivering consistent experiences at every touchpoint,” added Kim Johal.

The report highlights that true personalisation, built on a deep understanding of individual behaviour and preferences, is essential for reducing friction, boosting engagement, and turning casual shoppers into loyal customers.

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