Personalisation: Developing or Destroying Customer Relations? by

It is an universally accepted fact that the improvements in technology, and therefore communication, has allowed international business to thrive. This is especially true with regards to the Internet which offers lower overheads than a physical store as well as making products accessible throughout the globe: or if not accessible at least allows customers to become aware of what is on offer on the other side of the world. Websites such as uSwitch.com allow consumers to find the best deal for their needs when they are searching for a particular product, but increasingly the online shopping network is looking to increase profits for companies, and this is often done by encouraging consumers to interact with their screens – be it from customised first name greetings to product recommendations to encouraging active participation in the creation and running of a website, the Internet is becoming more personalised in order to lure customers in. Even in the early stages, this has been somewhat effective, but is online personalisation truly beneficial to consumers? Many academics have already highlighted the issue of privacy with regards to personalisation: having to input information such as age, postcodes and email addresses allows companies t