Amazon Black Friday

[Official Old Man]

Yep, here it comes again. Another US import.
But my question is, I'm watching products on Amazon (via the NSC link), come BF will Amazon know I want them and block me from seeing if the price goes down. I expect the answer is yes.

 

[GOM]

No idea, but if you suspect so, then the solution is in your hands. Stop peeking.

 

[Curious Orange]

Yep, here it comes again. Another US import.
But my question is, I'm watching products on Amazon (via the NSC link), come BF will Amazon know I want them and block me from seeing if the price goes down. I expect the answer is yes.

The 'Black Friday' sale on Amazon is from 14th to 25th November, so I don't think peeking will be a problem!

 

[AK74]

Good excuse to (re)post this:

 

[Triggaaar]

Yep, here it comes again. Another US import.
But my question is, I'm watching products on Amazon (via the NSC link), come BF will Amazon know I want them and block me from seeing if the price goes down. I expect the answer is yes.

Well BF is already here, it started on Monday. And no, you won't get blocked from the deals.

 

[Bozza]

Yep, here it comes again. Another US import.
But my question is, I'm watching products on Amazon (via the NSC link), come BF will Amazon know I want them and block me from seeing if the price goes down. I expect the answer is yes.

No chance.

 

[SeafordBHA]

I thought if you cleared browsing history and cookies etc then it would reset and they'd have no idea you've previously viewed such items?

 

[Bozza]

Well BF is already here, it started on Monday.

Indeed.

Another excuse to post an affiliated link: http://amzn.to/2fwwukQ

 

[Bozza]

This tool is very handy at:

a) Viewing past price changes on a product at Amazon.
b) Setting up price alerts (eg if the price of X falls below £Y then please tell me)

http://uk.camelcamelcamel.com

(If you use it, please then come back to NSC to click through to Amazon if you can!)

 

[FatSuperman]

Highly unlikely that they'd build that function into their website, since they want to sell stuff to people. Amazon, like all retailers worth their salt, know exactly how many people are looking at exactly what products, they know the types of people that are waiting for a particular threshold discount or price point, they know how long people browse on their mobile before making a purchase on their PC, they know what operating system you use, where you live, who provides your broadband. They know so much more than you'd ever think, about every, individual transaction.

So they almost certainly know that withholding offers to people who are already looking at something doesn't equate to more sales.

Amazon BF has some amazing deals, however I can't handle the volume of items on offer, I spend a few minutes looking at it all and I'm broken. I suppose it's more aimed at people that impulse buy bean to cup coffee machines because they are £200 down from £400...

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I've only ever seen chavs fighting over big screen TVs. Is there more to Black Friday than this?

 

[Triggaaar]

This tool is very handy at:

a) Viewing past price changes on a product at Amazon.

Why would I need that when I can look up the prices on my spreadsheet?

 

[Gwylan]

Highly unlikely that they'd build that function into their website, since they want to sell stuff to people. Amazon, like all retailers worth their salt, know exactly how many people are looking at exactly what products, they know the types of people that are waiting for a particular threshold discount or price point, they know how long people browse on their mobile before making a purchase on their PC, they know what operating system you use, where you live, who provides your broadband. They know so much more than you'd ever think, about every, individual transaction.

So they almost certainly know that withholding offers to people who are already looking at something doesn't equate to more sales.
.

Well, that's the theory. In reality, retailers haven't much of a clue. Which is why Facebook keeps serving me ads for steak deals (despite my being a vegetarian for 38 years), dating agencies (despite my being with a partner for 16 years) and cars/motor insurance (despite my being a non-driver).

Amazon know me, eh? Just in the last two weeks, I've had emails about handbags, Poldark novels and Dr Marten's - none of which I'm clearly going to be interested in.

Retailers capture a whole lot of information about us and really don't know how to use it yet - it's going to be some years before they can do any really targeted marketing

 

[FatSuperman]

Well, that's the theory. In reality, retailers haven't much of a clue. Which is why Facebook keeps serving me ads for steak deals (despite my being a vegetarian for 38 years), dating agencies (despite my being with a partner for 16 years) and cars/motor insurance (despite my being a non-driver).

Amazon know me, eh? Just in the last two weeks, I've had emails about handbags, Poldark novels and Dr Marten's - none of which I'm clearly going to be interested in.

Retailers capture a whole lot of information about us and really don't know how to use it yet - it's going to be some years before they can do any really targeted marketing

I agree with all of that. Certainly in terms of offers, they are nowhere near right for me either, I have no idea how they make the decision on what to promote to whom, but they aren't necessarily trying to sell you things you already buy, they are trying to convert you to buy new things with them - to get one more thing in your basket. With regards to browsing activity on their sites, it's alarming how much they know. At the company I work for, I've seen the stuff we use and it's ridiculous - we are only scratching the surface of leveraging it at the moment, but just seeing what is captured is worrying enough.

I've no experience of social media companies, so haven't a clue how Facebook make the decision on what ad to serve.

 

[Bozza]

Well, that's the theory. In reality, retailers haven't much of a clue. Which is why Facebook keeps serving me ads for steak deals (despite my being a vegetarian for 38 years), dating agencies (despite my being with a partner for 16 years) and cars/motor insurance (despite my being a non-driver).

Amazon know me, eh? Just in the last two weeks, I've had emails about handbags, Poldark novels and Dr Marten's - none of which I'm clearly going to be interested in.

Retailers capture a whole lot of information about us and really don't know how to use it yet - it's going to be some years before they can do any really targeted marketing

I agree with all of that. Certainly in terms of offers, they are nowhere near right for me either, I have no idea how they make the decision on what to promote to whom, but they aren't necessarily trying to sell you things you already buy, they are trying to convert you to buy new things with them - to get one more thing in your basket. With regards to browsing activity on their sites, it's alarming how much they know. At the company I work for, I've seen the stuff we use and it's ridiculous - we are only scratching the surface of leveraging it at the moment, but just seeing what is captured is worrying enough.

I've no experience of social media companies, so haven't a clue how Facebook make the decision on what ad to serve.

Amazon emails to me are generally highly targetted in that they email me with products I've looked at but not bought.

Facebook don't decide what to advertise you, advertisers decide what to advertise to you. They can be as specific as they like, or not. A restaurant, for example, will almost target a very small geographic area, but they can bundle a whole load of other stuff into that too. If they make use of the Facebook pixel, they can re-market to you within Facebook if you've visited their website.

A company can also upload a file or email addresses to Facebook who will match it against users and allow a company to advertise within Facebook to only those people.

 

[FatSuperman]

Facebook don't decide what to advertise you, advertisers decide what to advertise to you. They can be as specific as they like, or not. A restaurant, for example, will almost target a very small geographic area, but they can bundle a whole load of other stuff into that too. If they make use of the Facebook pixel, they can re-market to you within Facebook if you've visited their website.

A company can also upload a file or email addresses to Facebook who will match it against users and allow a company to advertise within Facebook to only those people.

Facebook keep serving me up ads for clothing stylist services. I guess they've been looking through my photos

 

[Gwylan]

Amazon emails to me are generally highly targetted in that they email me with products I've looked at but not bought.

About one in ten of Amazon mails are about stuff I've looked at. Most of them are going to be things I'm never going to be interested in at all. And the ones about the stuff I've looked at or bought are weird. I get emails about Thomas the Tank Engine because I've bought Thomas items in the past. Yes, when my son was 3 or 4 I did, but he's not going to be interested at 9 or 10.

Facebook don't decide what to advertise you, advertisers decide what to advertise to you. They can be as specific as they like, or not.

That's really strange. I work in media and our advertisers are VERY specific about what they want. We gather as much information as possible about possible targets. Facebook probably has more information than any media company about its users and yet advertisers aren't interested in using that information? I wish the companies I worked with had those advertisers, life would be a lot easier

 

[Bozza]

That's really strange. I work in media and our advertisers are VERY specific about what they want. We gather as much information as possible about possible targets. Facebook probably has more information than any media company about its users and yet advertisers aren't interested in using that information? I wish the companies I worked with had those advertisers, life would be a lot easier

I'm not sure it's "not interested", more not being accustomed to the platform and what is available.

Facebook advertising is still remarkably cheap and effective if you know what you're doing.

 

[Whoislloydy]

I'm in the market for a DSLR so gonna keep my eye out the next 10 days or so.

 

[Gilliver's Travels]

All this makes me even more glad I'm not on Facebook.