"It feels like every company tries to spy on me" - A qualitative study on the underlying elements that drive customer attitudes towards data collection

Abstract: Advancements in technology have proportionally brought the internet closer into our homes throughout the years. This has increased the awareness of data collection among consumers, establishing ethical and legal limitations for companies. The limitations imply that companies need permission from consumers to collect personal data. Several studies find that consumers' overall attitude affects the permission to share data. However, there is little research examining consumers' attitudes towards different forms of personal data collection throughout different areas in the shopper journey and through different touchpoints. Therefore, this thesis has conducted in-depth interviews among respondents between the age of 30-45 years old to find common patterns in consumers' attitudes and determine what underlying elements drive those attitudes towards certain scenarios. Our findings suggest four main elements: experience, benefits, autonomy, and trust that affect consumers' perception of personal data collection, summarized through model BETA. The findings of this thesis provide valuable suggestions for retailers to follow to help foster a stronger relationship with their consumers and understand the consumers' overall attitude.