Data Privacy in Retail

Unprecedented, exponential growth in the amount of consumer data collected by retailers across various customer touchpoints has made safeguarding data privacy a key priority. Data privacy in retail contexts requires convergence among three key stakeholders—consumer, retailer, and regulatory—each of which has unique roles and viewpoints. With a global perspective and a multimethod data collection approach, combining in-depth expert interviews, a large-scale consumer survey across four countries, and global case studies, this research identifies three emergent themes for understanding the convergence of these three stakeholders’ interests: (1) big data as a driver of customer relationship performance, (2) profound impacts of regulation, and (3) privacy protection as a proactive retail strategy. These themes underscore the complex interrelations among consumers, retailers, and regulatory forces. The delineated research opportunities in turn may foster deeper understanding of these stakeholders, their perspectives, and their convergence.