The number of online stores in Brazil grew by 16.5%, increasing from 1,640,076 in 2022 to 1,911,164 in 2023, according to the ‘Profile of Brazilian E-commerce 2023’ survey, conducted by BigDataCorp. To stand out in a competitive market, personalization is no longer just a differentiator but has become an essential component of the consumer journey.
The study ‘CX Trends 2024,’ conducted by Octadesk in partnership with Opinion Box, reveals that for 65% of consumers, personalized experiences have a significant impact on their purchasing decisions. The research suggests that companies now need to go beyond the basics to attract and retain customers.
To win over consumers, simply offering products is not enough: it’s necessary to provide a unique shopping experience tailored to each customer’s individual needs and preferences. The recommendation is to build a journey that is relevant and engages the consumer, from the moment they access the store until the completion of the purchase, during the checkout and payment.
With this in mind, the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (Sebrae) highlights that intelligently segmenting customers is one of the foundations for achieving effective personalization that delivers results. This involves grouping consumers based on their behavioral, demographic, and purchasing preferences.
This way, e-commerce businesses can offer promotions and communications tailored to each segment’s needs, thereby increasing conversion rates, as Sebrae explains. Additionally, it enables personalized customer service through the channels they use most, such as chats, emails, social media, or phone calls.
According to ‘CX Trends 2024,’ 67% of consumers see personalized service as the main factor influencing their purchases. Meanwhile, 82% consider it important or very important for brands to offer real-time support.
Julia Villela, Head of Insights at Opinion Box, notes that although it may seem simple, talking to the audience is the easiest and most effective way to identify and anticipate trends. ‘Collect feedback, conduct surveys periodically, and you can gain valuable insights that help better understand consumer behavior and anticipate their expectations,’ she suggests.
Artificial Intelligence can assist in personalization
The study also shows that it’s natural for businesses to encounter difficulties when trying to offer personalized experiences on a large scale, as personalization is often associated with high costs and lengthy implementation times.
However, with the right approaches and technological support, it is possible to deliver personalized service. For this, the recommendation is to use resources such as Artificial Intelligence (AI). Solutions to create a free online store are also available as an option to test personalization strategies without substantial initial investments.
According to the survey, 42% of consumers have already interacted with AI during customer service, highlighting this technology’s relevance in the purchasing process. For them, the advantages of AI include shorter checkout wait times (26%), more effective customer support (22%), and personalized offers (18%).
Additionally, 35% of respondents believe AI is essential for delivering more targeted promotions based on purchase history and consumer online behavior.
Sebrae explains that offering personalized promotions is a way to engage customers.
Instead of treating everyone the same, e-commerce stores should use data on purchasing behavior—such as purchase history, special dates, and cart abandonment—to send personalized offers and coupons. This approach demonstrates the brand’s attention to detail and individual preferences.
Challenges of using technology
Despite its benefits, the research shows concerns regarding the use of AI in the shopping experience. The main concerns include lack of personalized human interaction (41%), data privacy (40%), and skepticism about recommendation accuracy (21%).
Therefore, the study emphasizes that customer experience solutions should not replace human agents. The ideal approach is combining AI with human support to simplify workflows and repetitive tasks, allowing human agents more time to solve complex issues.
Regarding data security, companies must adopt strategies that emphasize transparency and security, clearly communicating ethical practices, values, and privacy policies—including details on how customer data is collected, stored, and used.
