Consumer Behavior

Consumers embracing text conversations with retail brands

Adobe Stock

March 30, 2023

A hefty majority, 91%, of consumers have opted into at least one brand's text messaging program or have expressed interest, 88% would engage in a two-way conversation with a brand about a product, and 87% would reach out to resolve a checkout issue.

Those are top findings from a global survey that polled 8,000 consumers. The annual State of Conversational Commerce Report, from Attentive, revealed consumers worldwide are more comfortable than ever before interacting with brands when they feel there is a value proposition.

Conversational commerce is defined by interactive, people-driven experiences that support the entire customer buying experience.

"Conversational commerce radically changes how consumers shop in their day-to-day, and SMS marketing is at the heart of this shift," Sara Varni, CMO at Attentive, said in the release. "Brands are recreating the in-store experience online, which enables consumers to take an active role in starting a conversation. These two-way conversations naturally lend themselves to invaluable zero-party data collection that amplifies marketers' efforts."