This article is provided by BRC Associate Member Experian.

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Retailers today know that relying on their own sales figures isn’t enough to stay ahead. Instead, they are tapping into market-level transactional data to gain a deeper understanding of consumer behaviour and market trends. This broader insight empowers retailers to make smarter decisions, craft more effective marketing strategies, and ultimately, gain an edge in the market.

So, what is transactional data? Internal transactional data gives you the insights you need to understand your own sales: what your customers are buying, when, and how they’re paying. Although extremely valuable, this data used in isolation has real blind spots. Now imagine if you could go beyond your own data and get a clear view of the competitive landscape - seeing what’s being bought elsewhere and how your brand stacks up against the competition. That’s the power of market-level transactional data, like Experian’s Spend Insights.

Using competitive spend intelligence to fuel growth

Spend Insights can provide a clear view of your competitive landscape and where your brand is excelling or where competitors are gaining ground. By integrating these insights into your CRM strategy, you can enhance your marketing activities in ways that win share of wallet.

Market-level transactional data is a powerful tool for creating targeted audiences that drive impactful campaigns. Rather than relying on broader consumer profiles, you can use spend insights to build tailored audience segments. As we approach critical seasons like Christmas, imagine the power of building targeted audiences based on spend insights. For example:

  • Identify prospective customers who are currently spending heavily in your category but not with you. Then, create acquisition campaigns with offers tailored specifically to win them over, such as a first-purchase discount or loyalty incentives.
  • Find consumers who used to spend with you but have since shifted their spending to a competitor. Create win-back campaigns with tailored offers aimed at regaining their interest.
  • Use insight to launch geo-targeted promotions to attract active category buyers to boost localised store performance.


Pinpointing profit: using data to choose your next store location

You know the old adage: location, location, location. But deciding where to open, where to relocate or choosing your flagship store, shouldn't be left to gut instinct or solely internal data. This is where market-level spend insights can support the decision-making process. Want to pinpoint where demand for your category is strongest? Curious about how your competitors are performing in the area? With the right insights, you can answer these questions and more. And don’t forget to look back into the past; by analysing the impact of previous store openings or closures in the area, you can forecast success with far more confidence.

Maximising engagement across every channel for higher ROI

Today's shoppers move seamlessly between online and offline channels and understanding where and how they prefer to shop is crucial for driving sales. By leveraging consumer behaviour insights across different channels, you can adjust your strategies to meet customers where they are - whether online, in-store, or somewhere in between.

For a retailer, this means understanding that many target customers browse online but prefer to buy in-store, or the opposite. It also involves recognising how activity in one channel boosts sales in another, known as the halo effect of cross-channel buying. Or it could mean understanding which regions have customers that are shifting towards online purchases, prompting you to boost localised delivery options or promote click-and-collect services in those areas. With actionable data, you can ensure that every interaction- whether through an email, social ad, or in-store experience—meets customers at the right time and place, ultimately driving conversion and loyalty.

Want to know more? Get in-depth, custom insights from Experian underpinned by:

  • 3+ years of transaction history
  • 4 million debit and credit accounts
  • £8 billion in monthly spend
  • 180 million transactions monthly
  • Data across 3,000 consumer-facing brands and 60 retailer categories


Experian offers trusted and compliant data and insight solutions designed to empower retailers with actionable intelligence and analysis. Whether you’re looking to improving your competitive and targeted online or offline marketing campaigns, optimising store locations, or develop a product strategy that truly aligns with customer needs, our Spend Insights can provide the clarity and direction needed.

Ready to take your retail strategy to the next level?