Retailers have been working towards personalized customer experiences for more than a decade. But even with the rise of new AI tools for sales and marketing, shoppers still say that interactions feel generic - missing the targeted messaging and real-time offers they’re looking for.
Amperity recently released the 2026 State of Personalization in Retail report, a survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers asking their opinions on personalization in the retail industry. As we move into 2026, this data should help retailers understand what customers expect from brand interactions and, more importantly, what actually influences whether they buy.
The data is clear: the vast majority of Americans (83%) want a personalized experience with tailored offers and recommendations based on previous shopping habits. But the details matter, and customers have strong opinions when it comes to how, when, and through what channels they hear from retailers - especially when personalization directly affects their purchase decisions and loyalty.
Accuracy over everything
Retailers can’t afford to make a mistake when it comes to personalizing customer communications. Over two-thirds of U.S. consumers agree: relevance a nd accuracy are non-negotiable elements of a personal experience.
When a retailer gets personalization right with offers, recommendations, or communications, what makes it stand out to you? Select all that apply.
67.5%: Relevance
63.8%: Accuracy
38%: Timing
16.6%: Tone
15.5%: Channel (email/web/SMS/app, etc.)
But providing relevant, accurate and up to date content isn’t easy, particularly when retailers have to balance the preferences and behaviors of tens of thousands of customers. Our survey made clear that most retailers are still missing the mark: 79% of respondents said it’s not a rare occurrence for retailers to get personalization wrong with irrelevant, mistimed, or invasive outreach, and 33% said that poor personalization happens often or very often.
Even more concerning, 57% of shoppers agree that while retailers claim to personalize, the experience still feels generic, and 15% of consumers said they didn’t receive a single truly tailored offer in the past 30 days. After years of investment in personalization technology, that’s a significant execution gap and a threat to consumer trust.
The level of accuracy required for successful personalization is only possible with a strong identity foundation and the ability to capitalize quickly on data signals. Amperity’s real-time personalization uses AI to unify each customer’s current and historical data, creating a clear picture of their purchases, preferences and behaviors. Updated in real-time, these profiles ensure every marketing message is shaped by customer-specific context and their latest interactions for maximum relevance and accuracy.
Real-time personalization makes a difference
Our survey respondents made clear that accuracy is their top priority. However, speed can also move the needle.
Nearly 70% of respondents said real-time adjustments to offers while they browse would increase their likelihood of making a purchase. When asked how soon retailers should reach out with personalized messaging, 32% said they want to receive offers and recommendations after their first interaction with the brand, while another 29% expect a personalized experience after they’ve made their first purchase. Retailers should be ready to act quickly with real-time personalization - their customers don’t want to wait.
The impact is decisive. Three-quarters (74%) of consumers say they are more likely to purchase when they receive a truly personalized offer or recommendation. Even more compelling: 69% would be more likely to buy if a retailer adjusts recommendations or offers instantly while they browse. Real-time personalization isn’t just a nice-to-have enhancement, but is directly tied to conversion.
This isn’t just a matter of customer preferences or brand affinity - it has real revenue impact. Nearly seven in 10 respondents (69%) said they would be somewhat more likely or much more likely to make a purchase if a retailer adjusted recommendations or offers instantly while they browsed. When asked what would make them increase spending with their favorite retailers, the top two responses were “Real-time offers when I’m shopping” and “Exclusive personalized deals.”
Notably, “Real-time offers when I’m shopping” ranked above consistent omnichannel experiences or better recommendations as the most influential factor for increasing spend. Timing amplifies value. Even strong offers lose impact if they arrive too late.
For retailers, it’s clear that batch-based personalization that updates nightly or weekly can’t keep pace with consumer intent. If a shopper signals interest now - by browsing a category, abandoning a cart, or engaging with a product - the window to influence purchase behavior is slim.
Digital touchpoints matter most
The ultimate goal for retailers should be omnichannel personalization - providing a consistent, personalized customer experience regardless of where they’re interacting with your brand. But at the beginning of your personalization journey, the best place to start is your owned digital channels.
The State of Personalization in Retail report shows email is by far the most popular medium for receiving personalized messaging, with over 70% of respondents ranking it above all other channels. Email was followed by website, mobile app, and SMS, indicating that you can drive ROI most quickly on your owned channels.
In contrast, respondents were least interested in personalization on social media platforms and in-store. This isn’t to say that these channels have no value, and best-in-class retailers will aim to deliver personalization everywhere. But companies will gain more precise and higher value insights from their own digital channels - especially compared to limited social media measurement tools that often overstate the platform’s value.
Channel preference alone doesn’t drive purchase decisions. Relevance and real-time responsiveness do. Whether personalization appears in email or on-site, its effectiveness depends on the quality and immediacy of the underlying customer data.
Unlock true personalization with Real-Time Profiles
Amperity’s Real-Time Profiles help retailers land the strong first impression that customers are looking for, building off a constantly updating profile to deliver personalized, context-aware messaging from the very first interaction. Through AI-powered identity resolution, Real-Time Profiles unify customer histories from all touchpoints to create comprehensive buyer overviews. The profiles pair identities with live behavioral data to reveal real-time patterns of engagement.
For retailers, customer signals like “recently abandoned cart” or “birthday approaching” could trigger an immediate action. When those signals are paired with comprehensive customer profiles, you can instantly deploy a context-specific message or offer that moves the customer towards a purchase and builds long-term loyalty.
Most customer data platforms decide between speed or depth. Retailers can either interact quickly with surface-level data or personalize deeply once the moment has passed. Real-Time Profiles ensure you have both: immediate customer identification paired with always-updated data context to provide the right message at the right moment.
Want to learn more about what kinds of personalization customers expect from retailers? Download the full 2026 State of Personalization in Retail report.