Study: Real-time personalization directly drives retail sales
Most consumers are more likely to purchase when experiences are truly personalized, yet most brands still miss the mark despite heavy investments in personalization.
That’s according to a new report from customer data cloud provider Amperity, which found that 74% of consumers are more likely to purchase when they receive a truly personalized offer or recommendation. And 69% are more likely to buy when retailers adjust offers instantly while they browse.
Amperity’s “2026 State of Personalization in Retail” report revealed that personalization only delivers meaningful impact when it reflects live customer intent — not static profiles or delayed batch updates. t found that retailers are not living up to consumer expectations.
More than half (57%) of respondents said shopping experiences still feel generic, despite retailers claiming to personalize. The overwhelming majority (79%) report that retailers frequently get personalization wrong, citing irrelevant or mistimed messages.
While consumers expect recognition, they rarely get it, according to Amperity. Most (83%) consumers want retailers to remember them, including preferences and past purchases.
The data shows a growing disconnect between what shoppers expect in moments like browsing, cart consideration, and email engagement, and what retailers actually deliver, the report said. When brands fail to act in these moments, they’re not only creating friction but also losing potential revenue.
“Traditional systems are built for historical insight, not in-the-moment decisioning, while many real-time tools lack the customer context needed to be relevant,” said Ornella Urso, research director at IDC Retail Insights. “Retailers that unify identity, historical data, and live behavioral signals can close that gap and turn personalization into measurable business impact.”
Speed
Speed plays a critical role. More than half of consumers believe brands should personalize their experience in real-time rather than days later, and nearly one-third expect relevant offers to start from their very first interaction. At the same time, email remains the preferred channel for personalized outreach, placing even greater pressure on accuracy and timing.
Nearly half want personalization delivered through a combination of human associates and AI assistants, reinforcing the need for systems that blend automation with human judgment to ensure relevance and trust.
“Consumers aren’t asking for more messages — they’re asking for relevance in the moment,” said Tony Owens, CEO of Amperity. “This research makes it clear that real-time personalization is now one of the most direct paths to revenue growth. When brands act on trusted customer data as intent happens, they win the sale. When they don’t, that moment — and that revenue — is gone.”
