Alliance members contribute their customer information, including customer data, and as a result the database is able to track an individual's purchase history across multiple companies. Members are able to source prospect lists from the database that identify the people who make buying decisions, what they purchase and how often.
Abacus is offering two products. Acquisition Modelling enables clients to find prospects beyond their own database, while Retention Modelling helps clients to increase profits from their own database.
Abacus has six years of experience pooling consumer data in the UK, and is also able to point to the scheme's success in the US, where it holds data on more than 75m active buyers.
Eileen White, director of customer acquisition at Staples, said: "Being a member of the US Alliance has given Staples access to a new source of responsive data at a time when traditional lists were failing to deliver results. Membership has led us to change the way we approach our direct mail activity and helped improve the effectiveness and profitability of our activity."
Andy McDermott, managing director of Abacus UK, said: "Our research showed that traditional targeting criteria based on standard business information provides direction and insight but no longer offers the precise targeting that today's B2B marketer demands. The Abacus B2B Alliance is putting actual purchasing information at the heart of targeting, which is widely recognised as the best indicator of future behaviour."
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