This disconnect in how and when brands communication with shoppers is key to consumer trust of a brand. If shoppers feel they are contacted too often, the brand can become an annoyance. If the brand's content isn't relevant, it's another strike against them.

"Building trust is key at the acquisition and retention stages of the shopper's journey," said Jim Sturm, CEO of Yes Marketing. The full report can be accessed here. "To win over skeptical customers, retailers must convince consumers that their products are valuable and that their brand is trustworthy, especially in industries like luxury goods, home furnishings and electronics where the price tag is higher and consumers purchase less frequently."

Other interesting findings from the Yes Marketing report, The Retail Shopper's Journey to Loyalty, include:

▪ 33% of consumers say relevant brand messaging is "most influential" for them
▪ 24% report store proximity is "most influential"
▪ 32% say they receive too many marketing messages, 33% specify email as the too-oft used communication method

"The number of retail options consumers can choose from has sky-rocketed in recent years, and in order to survive in today's competitive landscape retailers must implement effective lifecycle strategies at every stage of the consumer journey - from acquisition and retention to long-term loyalty," said Michael Iaccarino, CEO and chairman of Infogroup, parent company of Yes Marketing. "Successful lifecycle programs that identify and engage consumers require a partner with a wealth of strategic, analytics and creative experience, access to reliable consumer data and proven technical expertise."

Study: Trust key to engagement

There is a growing divide between retailers and consumers and the divide is centered on trust and communication. Researchers with Yes Marketing found only 7% of consumers believe brands do not contact them often enough while more than one-third say they are contacted too often.