Many companies panicked after GDPR came into force, scrambling to find new consumer prospects. One common shortcut is buying GDPR compliant data in bulk — but this approach carries serious risks that are easy to overlook.
The Problem With Purchased Data Lists
Just because a dataset is labelled “GDPR compliant” does not mean it will work for your business. The consumer on that list may have opted in to one specific company. They almost certainly did not agree to hear from yours.
When that consumer receives emails from multiple companies — all of which bought the same list — their trust quickly sours. They feel misled. They unsubscribe, complain, or simply ignore every email they receive. That is not a promising start to any customer relationship.
The ICO is clear that consent must be specific and informed. A blanket opt-in that buries your company name in a privacy policy is unlikely to meet that standard. See the ICO guidance on consent for the full picture.
What Bulk Buying Really Costs You
The conversion rates from bought data are consistently low. Prospects who never heard of your brand, never sought out your product, and never specifically requested contact are unlikely to respond warmly.
You also risk damaging your sender reputation. High unsubscribe rates and spam complaints affect your deliverability across your entire email programme — hurting even your best, genuinely engaged contacts.
For more on the risks of poor data handling, read our post on common mistakes in data handling.
A Better Approach to Building Your Database
The alternative is data that was collected specifically for your brand. Consumers who have actively chosen to hear from your company are far more likely to engage, convert, and become repeat customers.
At Lifestyle Media Group, our database of over 4.5 million opted-in UK consumers choose exactly which brands they want to hear from. Every lead is unique to your company — not shared with a dozen competitors. It is a cost-per-lead model built for genuine conversion, not volume for its own sake.
Consumers today are more aware of their data rights than ever. Give them a real reason to say yes to your brand from the start. For advice on how GDPR can work in your favour, see our related post.
Start Building the Right Way
Explore our lead generation services to see how brand-specific, fully consented data can transform your results. Or get in touch and we will talk you through our model.