Relationship marketing in consumer markets: A comparison of managerial and consumer attitudes about information privacy

Businesses using direct marketing as the basis upon which to engage in relationship building must proceed in a manner that acknowledges and minimizes consumer concerns about privacy. This study reports the results of an exploratory investigation of consumer and direct marketers' attitudes in one Canadian city towards information privacy issues. The results suggest that while both managers and consumers are concerned about the intended uses for consumer information, they tend to focus on different aspects of information privacy. The findings from this study provide some guidance to help managers identify information practices that have the potential to raise a red flag in the eyes of the public and also help them understand what steps they can take to address public concerns about information privacy. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and Direct Marketing Educational Foundation, Inc.