Indonesian retailers refuse third-party data sales as trust remains priority

Individual customer profiles remain strictly in-house to prevent third-party control.

Indonesian retailers are refusing to share customer data with third parties, emphasising that customer trust unlocks real value amidst increasing data monetisation.

Speaking at the Retail Asia Summit 2026 in Indonesia, Hiuk Kurniawan Saputra, chief of strategic planning and new business development at PT Supra Boga Lestari Tbk, said the company never sell individual customer data.

“We cannot sacrifice that trust," Saputra said. "Trust is the North Star for collaboration with customers or other parties, whether we share our data or not."

For Saputra, the only data shared externally is stock-keeping unit pricing with trading partners, Blibli, Grab, and Nielsen, for data collaboration purposes.

Individual customer profiles do not leave the company. When third-party brands run promotions through the company’s Ranch Market channels, the retailer sends the communications itself.

"We will blast the WhatsApp or email on behalf of the third party rather than letting the third party use and control our data," Saputra said.

When any external data sharing is required, the company deploys Privacy-Enhanced Technology to ensure no personal information remains as residual post-transfer.

Vania Losinto, founder and director of DAN+DAN (PT. Sumber Indah Lestari), a 382-store health and beauty chain under the Alfa Group, echoed the same principle through a different operational model.

The company integrates its membership programme with the broader Alfa Group ecosystem —including Alfamart, Alfamidi, and Lawson — giving the company visibility into customer purchasing behaviour across the group without sharing data externally.

“If a customer who has consistently bought the same shampoo brand for three months switches in the fourth, the marketing team sends a personalised WhatsApp message — either a promotion for the original brand or a direct inquiry into why they switched,” Losinto said.

Moreover, Ranch Market applies segmentation through its loyalty programme. Its top-tier ‘Diamond Plus’ customers receive a dedicated Personal Shopper service, mobile point of sale checkout to bypass queues, and a direct line to the store manager.

The tier criteria are deliberately undisclosed, creating a spend incentive. "It makes customers wonder why they haven't received an invitation yet, which encourages them to spend more," Saputra said.