Beyond Discounts: Using Data Cloud to Win Australian Shoppers
“Another 10% off on shoes.” “Spend $50, get $10 off your next purchase.”
Sound familiar? Australian shoppers are hit with these messages every single day. But let’s be honest: most of the time, people don’t buy just because of the discount. They buy when the offer lands at the right moment and actually matches something they need.
Think about it. A parent searching for school shoes will jump at a timely deal while they’re already shopping, not weeks later. Someone browsing headphones last night will be far more tempted by a headphone promo today than by a random voucher for kitchenware.
And this is where the real issue lies. At ProQuest, we see retailers pushing out discount campaigns left, right, and centre… but many aren’t seeing the returns they’d hoped for. Margins are shrinking, customers are tuning out, and “10% off” just doesn’t feel special anymore.
Why Discounts Fall Short and Why Personalisation Matters
Discounts are the easy button. They’re quick to launch, easy to understand, and everyone loves a bargain. The trouble is:
- Every competitor is running them, so it’s not a differentiator.
- Customers start to expect them, which makes full-price sales harder and squeezes margins.
- Too many generic offers create email fatigue, and people simply stop paying attention.
In short, discounts grab attention, but they rarely hold it.
Personalisation, on the other hand, feels like magic when it’s done right. 79% of Australian consumers say personalised experiences increase brand loyalty and spend. And no, it’s not just slapping someone’s first name at the top of an email.
- Relevance: Shoppers act faster when the offer matches what they already want.
- Timing: Real-time promotions reach them while they’re still thinking about it.
- Trust: Personalised messages feel helpful instead of pushy or sales-y.
- Loyalty: When people feel understood, they come back, no extra discount required.
That’s the difference between “just another sale” and “wow, this brand really gets me.”
How Salesforce Data Cloud Makes It Possible
Most retailers already have loyalty systems, eCommerce platforms, and POS systems. The problem is that they sit in silos, and updates often happen in batches. By the time the data is processed, the moment to act has already passed.
Salesforce Data Cloud changes that:
- It pulls loyalty, eCommerce, POS, and service data into a single, unified profile.
- It updates in real time as customers browse, buy, or drop off.
- It transforms and maps information from different systems into a standard format so teams across marketing, commerce, and service are working with consistent, reliable information.
- It generates metrics like lifetime value and churn risk while feeding Einstein AI with clean, unified data for smarter predictions. This helps retailers anticipate what customers might want next instead of just reacting.
With Data Cloud, personalisation stops being a marketing dream and becomes something retailers can operationalise every day.
What Happens Next
This is where the real magic starts. Data Cloud does not sit on its own. It connects with the Salesforce tools many retailers are already using, helping them get more value out of existing investments by making every touchpoint smarter and more connected.
| Salesforce Area | How Data Cloud Enhances It | What It Means for Retailers |
| Marketing | Real-time segmentation based on live customer behaviour | Campaigns adjust automatically, so shoppers only see offers that match their current intent |
| Commerce | Unified profiles inform product recommendations and journeys | Customers enjoy a smoother, more personalised shopping experience online and in-store |
| Service | Agents see a complete, up-to-date customer view | Conversations are faster and more relevant, leading to happier customers without extra effort |
| AI and Insights | Clean, unified data powers Einstein predictions | Forecasts and suggestions are more accurate, supporting smarter decisions across the business |
| Collaboration | Shared customer profiles available across teams | Marketers, service agents, and store managers all work from the same truth, creating consistency without extra coordination |
The outcome is not about buying more. It is about making existing Salesforce tools work harder by feeding them the right data at the right time. With Data Cloud, retailers shift from pushing discounts to delivering experiences that feel relevant, timely, and personal, and that is what keeps customers coming back.
Why This Matters for AU Retailers
Do you really have time to delay? Time is of the essence. Competitors who move quickly on personalisation will secure loyalty that lasts, while those who rely on endless discounts will keep losing margin and customer attention.
The real advantage comes from information: gathering the right data, making it accurate, and acting on it in real time. Salesforce Data Cloud gives you that edge. For leaders, the question is not if you will make the shift. It is how quickly you can bring your data together and start creating experiences that customers actually value.
Your customers are already telling you what they want through their behaviour. With Data Cloud, you can finally listen. Let’s explore what that could look like for your brand.
