De-evolution: Is the coupling of data and technology making us evolve backwards?
How has the increase of data and brand intelligence influenced the development of the human race?
Every human is a product of their environment, and ‘their environment’ is currently drowning in online platforms. As we spend more and more time online our behaviours and habits adjust, almost like modern day evolution. Consumers are creating a cultural shift which sees us becoming more accustomed to our digital life than our physical one. The introduction of the Amazon Alexa device is a prime example of how consumer’s enthusiasm to be active deteriorates as technology gets more intelligent.
The most significant behaviour transformation we have seen is the way we buy and sell products. Consumers no longer feel the need to go to brick and mortar stores because everything we could want is a single click away. Amazon is a giant in the e-commerce sector and having revolutionised the industry with their around the clock availability, they have managed to maintain their success for years. One factor largely contributing to Amazon’s success must be their data. With around 244 million active users on Amazon and 44% of web shoppers going directly to Amazon when they want to buy, there is no wonder they are a data giant. Amazon has accumulated so much data over the years that their wealth of audience knowledge makes it almost impossible for others to compete. As we know, data is information and information, is power.
Take Amazon Alexa, a machine that is essentially a robotic personal assistant. This new device is practically human, it’s super intelligent and can answer pretty much any question you have. Alexa does anything from adding to your shopping list to booking appointments at the dentist. This may sound wonderful but it is an illustration of why I think we are getting lazier. We are perfectly capable of doing everything Alexa does, ourselves, but we don’t because we love anything and everything that makes our lives that little bit easier. As we pass on responsibilities to this machine, we also pass on copious amounts of data to Amazon. Everything you say to Alexa is stored and analysed, making their marketing much more targeted.
At the recent NG Ecommerce Summit in Scotland, Google’s Head of Commerce UK, Henry Eccles, said that retailers aren’t using the data they have at their disposal well enough. Brands online need to realise that ecommerce is the new ‘normal’ and a platform with so much opportunity. It’s crucial that brands use their data to look at patterns in shopping behaviours, likes and dislikes and so on. The sad reality is, that now consumers have had a taste of this digital and ‘easy’ life provided by technology, they don’t want anything less. Brands really have no choice other than to feed these habits with new and interesting systems. The best way to do this is to know your data… Does your audience want an app? Do they click-through on targeted ads? Do they spend longer on one page than others? How quick is the search to purchase process?
Audience data is so vital for every business and is continuously teaching us new things about the way people consume.
Who are the people buying from your site?
How do they refer your site to others?
What do they want?
Why doesn’t one part of your website get traction like others?
When is your service most active?
By not using all the audience data available, brands will be putting themselves at risk of falling behind others who have got it right. Although it’s unlikely that anyone will be catching up with Amazon in the e-commerce sector, they can still grow. Look at your data, make everything you do a result of something your audience information has told you. Brands can’t stop the way consumers are evolving, but they can stay one step ahead of them.
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