A new Site Impact report finds consumers don’t reject personalization — they reject repetition, outdated data and marketing that misses the moment.
Brands have more customer data than ever, but consumers say that hasn’t necessarily made marketing better. Site Impact, a martech company offering data, identity resolution and multi-channel digital marketing tools, has released new research showing that while most consumers notice personalization often, far fewer feel brands actually understand what they want.
The Site Impact 2026 Personalization Reality Check Report, conducted through the third-party platform Pollfish, surveyed 800 U.S. adults who regularly notice personalized marketing. The report examines where consumers draw the line between personalization that feels useful and that which feels invasive, and how people respond to retargeting, AI-powered recommendations, and cross-channel marketing.
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Key findings include:
- 77% of consumers notice personalized marketing constantly or often, but only 27% say brands understand their interests “very well.”
- 45% describe personalized marketing as “repetitive,” the most common descriptor, ahead of “relevant” (40%) and “helpful” (39%).
- 57% regularly see marketing for products they looked at once but never seriously considered buying.
- 55% feel uncomfortable when marketing references something specific about them, such as a recent search or a place they visited.
- 61% react negatively when the same brand’s marketing follows them across social media, websites and email.
- 43% have stopped buying from a brand because its personalized marketing felt repetitive, too personal, or off-base.
- When personalized marketing feels genuinely useful, 46% visit the brand’s website and 42% consider making a purchase.
“Consumers don’t mind personalization. They mind bad personalization,” said Jennifer Gressman, CEO of Site Impact. “One search or one click doesn’t define intent. The brands that stand out use current, permission-based data to deliver relevance instead of repetition. Consumers don’t reward brands for knowing everything. They reward brands for getting the moment right.”
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The findings suggest consumers aren’t rejecting personalized marketing outright. Rather, Site Impact says they expect brands to recognize when their interests have changed, respect their privacy, and deliver marketing that feels timely rather than repetitive. The report concludes that brands prioritizing data quality, current audience signals and thoughtful targeting will be better positioned to earn consumer trust.
The full 2026 Personalization Reality Check Report is available on Site Impact’s website.
