Comments on: Escaping my musical past

By: pointofsaleguy

pointofsaleguy — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 07:23:20 +0000

Their CRM tools are getting smarter. Most applications today can ferret out aberrant purchases (guilty pleasures or gifts) if they don’t fit your purchase pattern. There’s definitely a trade-off, but I like getting the recommendations. But of course the stores LOVE it. Think of all the good info they’re acquiring about you . . .

By: Alvin

Alvin — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 04:38:42 +0000

There is no shame in liking William Hung : )

By: Angelos

Angelos — Mon, 17 Oct 2005 14:47:26 +0000

That’s what I e-mailed to Amazon after the situation really started pissing me off.

I called it a “1-time” button. Of course that didn’t happen.

But my e-mail must have gotten to someone, because soon after, the recommendations went back to normal. Maybe someone went into my history file and deleted any record of that search? I don’t know if this is possible, but I wonder. Or maybe there’s an expiration date for how past searches/purchases color your current recommendations.

By: Rob

Rob — Mon, 17 Oct 2005 13:41:03 +0000

What about a “Guilty Pleasure” tag for past purchases to remove them from future recomendations?

By: Angelos

Angelos — Mon, 17 Oct 2005 13:19:12 +0000

This made me laugh.

A couple years ago, I searched for a children’s book on Amazon. I wanted to buy it as a gift for my girlfriend, a teacher. I didn’t actually buy it online, I just wanted to verify the title and go right to Barnes Noble.

For the next year, my Gold Box, and Amazon entry page, were full of toys, Barney CDs, Legos, and what-have-you.

I was 33 or 34 back then, and had bought nothing but adult things on Amazon – books, musics, movies, and kitchen/grilling tools.

One stupid search for, not purchase of, a children’s book made it impossible for them to recommend anything to me that was actually related to how I spend my money.