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Engaging with Online Consumers

Engaging with Online Consumers. Allan Williams Senior Communications Policy Advisor allan.williams@which.co.uk. Summary. Consumers’ Association (CA) CA and online consumers Consumer concerns New developments New regulatory challenges New opportunities and threats Conclusions.

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Engaging with Online Consumers

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  1. Engaging with Online Consumers Allan Williams Senior Communications Policy Advisor allan.williams@which.co.uk

  2. Summary • Consumers’ Association (CA) • CA and online consumers • Consumer concerns • New developments • New regulatory challenges • New opportunities and threats • Conclusions

  3. Consumers’ Association • Which? but also policy work with government, industry and regulators • 1 million members • Independent of government and industry • Funded entirely from income from books and magazines • BEUC and TACD e-commerce group

  4. CA and online consumers • Reporting Which? and Computing W? • Influencing policy and regulation • Leading Which? Webtrader • Serving Which? Online • Providing digital content • Campaigning e.g. Carbusters.com • Engaging e.g. W?OL forums

  5. Consumer concerns • Offline • Internet perceived as irrelevant • Understanding access • Online • Security - the greatest concern • Privacy - control of personal data • Service - impact online and offline • Redress - consequences of dispute

  6. New developments • Convergence in networks and platforms but less in consumer usage • Internet key technology but may not remain distinct e.g. digital television • New forms of exclusion emerging • Ecology of universal service must guarantee consumers’ ability to engage effectively online

  7. New regulatory challenges • Convergence of consumer expectation • No simple “read-across” but regulation must be transparent, seamless and appropriate across platforms • Sometimes more e.g. direct marketing • Sometimes less e.g. content • Sometimes the same e.g. advertising

  8. New opportunities and threats • Push to pull, personalised content and new ways to serve consumers • But also threats to consumers relating to privacy, security and data protection • Online communities of consumption • Direct dialogue with consumers e.g. W?OL forums, OnDigital, Egg • Low consumer confidence

  9. Conclusions • Internet as fragmented and diverse consumer population • Opportunities for genuine engagement to build trust loyalty and confidence • But also new threats, concerns and forms of exclusion • Internet as key proving ground for self-regulatory approaches

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