Retail personalization has become a buzzword, but it's often unclear what it means or how to implement it. Many retailers are struggling to achieve true personalization due to common challenges such as unclear terms, lack of clarity and empathy, and difficulties in understanding customer needs. Retailers need to clarify the terms, start with their people, process, and technology, and address data cleanliness issues before investing in personalization efforts. The ideal state of personalization is 1:1 personalization, where every customer receives a unique experience tailored to their preferences. However, achieving this requires overcoming challenges such as imperfect user entry, fraudulent accounts, and untrustworthy data, while also catering to customers' expectations for seamless engagement and personalized experiences across multiple channels.