The hidden costs of using the most popular apparel shopping apps - Incogni Research

LOS ANGELES - Jan. 26, 2024 - PRLog -- Incogni's researchers found that customers, in order to claim the benefits offered by such apps, often end up bearing additional costs by sharing their personal and sensitive information including, in some instances, sexual orientation and health information.

Fashion retailers and online clothing stores frequently encourage users to opt for their official apps, often luring them with attractive discounts, bonuses, or exclusive offers. While it's expected for online purchases to involve the collection of some personal data, like names, addresses, and payment details, to proceed with the order, Incogni's research uncovered a more worrying trend. Incogni's researchers carefully examined the practices of the most popular apparel shopping apps from 59 countries, including those of the top-valued apparel brands in 2023, totaling 180 apps.

The study focused on data-collection and sharing practices, scrutinizing the reasons provided by app developers for acquiring specific types of data. The researchers also identified which data points were optional, allowing consumers to retain control over at least some sensitive information.

The study's key findings reveal a concerning landscape: 45 out of 180 investigated apps collect photos (including Nike, H&M, Victoria's Secret, and Moncler), 12 apps collect videos (including Nykaa, Vinted, and Meesho), 9 apps collect search history (including Victoria's Secret and Puma), and 6 apps collect information on sexual orientation (Showniq - AI Stylist Của Bạn, Nike SNKRS: Shoes & Streetwear, Instreet, Boots TH, Pantaloons-Online Shopping App, and Zalando).

The most popular apps by valuation, i.e.: Nike, H&M, The North Face, Adidas, Victoria's Secret, Moncler, Under Armour, PUMA, Levi's, and UNIQLO US, on average collect 14.4 data points, and share an average of 8.5 data points from the following categories: location, personal info, financial info, health and fitness, messages, photos and videos, audio files, files and docs, app activity, web browsing, app info and performance, and device and other IDs.

Notably, 2 out of the 10 most popular apps are also found among the 10 most data-collecting apps. Nike and H&M collect 18 data points each and are tied for the 7th most data-collecting app with 4 other apps. These apps share a concerning amount of personally identifiable and otherwise sensitive data with third parties, including email addresses and phone numbers, for the purposes of advertising or marketing.

"Collected data, including sensitive information, might end up in the public domain in the aftermath of a breach. We urge consumers to be cautious about the data they share and call for greater transparency in app data-collection practices" - underlines Darius Belejevas, Head of Incogni.

https://blog.incogni.com/apparel-shopping-apps-research/