gen3flygirl Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 :eek:Creepy, very very creepy Every time you go shopping, you share intimate details about your consumption patterns with retailers. And many of those retailers are studying those details to figure out what you like, what you need, and which coupons are most likely to make you happy. Target, for example, has figured out how to data-mine its way into your womb, to figure out whether you have a baby on the way long before you need to start buying diapers.Charles Duhigg outlines in the New York Times how Target tries to hook parents-to-be at that crucial moment before they turn into rampant — and loyal — buyers of all things pastel, plastic, and miniature. He talked to Target statistician Andrew Pole — before Target freaked out and cut off all communications — about the clues to a customer’s impending bundle of joy. Target assigns every customer a Guest ID number, tied to their credit card, name, or email address that becomes a bucket that stores a history of everything they’ve bought and any demographic information Target has collected from them or bought from other sources. Using that, Pole looked at historical buying data for all the ladies who had signed up for Target baby registries in the past. From the NYT:[Pole] ran test after test, analyzing the data, and before long some useful patterns emerged. Lotions, for example. Lots of people buy lotion, but one of Pole’s colleagues noticed that women on the baby registry were buying larger quantities of unscented lotion around the beginning of their second trimester. Another analyst noted that sometime in the first 20 weeks, pregnant women loaded up on supplements like calcium, magnesium and zinc. Many shoppers purchase soap and cotton balls, but when someone suddenly starts buying lots of scent-free soap and extra-big bags of cotton balls, in addition to hand sanitizers and washcloths, it signals they could be getting close to their delivery date.Or have a rather nasty infection…As Pole’s computers crawled through the data, he was able to identify about 25 products that, when analyzed together, allowed him to assign each shopper a “pregnancy prediction” score. More important, he could also estimate her due date to within a small window, so Target could send coupons timed to very specific stages of her pregnancy.One Target employee I spoke to provided a hypothetical example. Take a fictional Target shopper named Jenny Ward, who is 23, lives in Atlanta and in March bought cocoa-butter lotion, a purse large enough to double as a diaper bag, zinc and magnesium supplements and a bright blue rug. There’s, say, an 87 percent chance that she’s pregnant and that her delivery date is sometime in late August.via How Companies Learn Your Secrets – NYTimes.com.And perhaps that it’s a boy based on the color of that rug?So Target started sending coupons for baby items to customers according to their pregnancy scores. Duhigg shares an anecdote — so good that it sounds made up — that conveys how eerily accurate the targeting is. An angry man went into a Target outside of Minneapolis, demanding to talk to a manager:“My daughter got this in the mail!” he said. “She’s still in high school, and you’re sending her coupons for baby clothes and cribs? Are you trying to encourage her to get pregnant?”The manager didn’t have any idea what the man was talking about. He looked at the mailer. Sure enough, it was addressed to the man’s daughter and contained advertisements for maternity clothing, nursery furniture and pictures of smiling infants. The manager apologized and then called a few days later to apologize again.(Nice customer service, Target.)On the phone, though, the father was somewhat abashed. “I had a talk with my daughter,” he said. “It turns out there’s been some activities in my house I haven’t been completely aware of. She’s due in August. I owe you an apology.”What Target discovered fairly quickly is that it creeped people out that the company knew about their pregnancies in advance.“If we send someone a catalog and say, ‘Congratulations on your first child!’ and they’ve never told us they’re pregnant, that’s going to make some people uncomfortable,” Pole told me. “We are very conservative about compliance with all privacy laws. But even if you’re following the law, you can do things where people get queasy.”Bold is mine. That’s a quote for our times.So Target got sneakier about sending the coupons. The company can create personalized booklets; instead of sending people with high pregnancy scores books o’ coupons solely for diapers, rattles, strollers, and the “Go the F*** to Bed” book, they more subtly spread them about:“Then we started mixing in all these ads for things we knew pregnant women would never buy, so the baby ads looked random. We’d put an ad for a lawn mower next to diapers. We’d put a coupon for wineglasses next to infant clothes. That way, it looked like all the products were chosen by chance.“And we found out that as long as a pregnant woman thinks she hasn’t been spied on, she’ll use the coupons. She just assumes that everyone else on her block got the same mailer for diapers and cribs. As long as we don’t spook her, it works.”via How Companies Learn Your Secrets – NYTimes.com.So the Target philosophy towards expecting parents is similar to the first date philosophy? Even if you’ve fully stalked the person on Facebook and Google beforehand, pretend like you know less than you do so as not to creep the person out.Duhigg suggests that Target’s gangbusters revenue growth — $44 billion in 2002, when Pole was hired, to $67 billion in 2010 — is attributable to Pole’s helping the retail giant corner the baby-on-board market, citing company president Gregg Steinhafel boasting to investors about the company’s “heightened focus on items and categories that appeal to specific guest segments such as mom and baby.”Target was none too happy about Duhigg’s plans to write this story. They refused to let him go to Target headquarters. When he flew out anyway, he discovered he was on a list of prohibited visitors.I think most readers of the excellent piece will find it both unsettling and unsurprising. With all the talk these days about the data grab most companies are engaged in, Target’s collection and analysis seem as expected as its customers’ babies. But with their analysis moving into areas as sensitive as pregnancy, and so accurately, who knows how else they might start profiling Target shoppers? The store’s bulls-eye logo may now send a little shiver of fear down the closely-watched spines of some, though I can promise you that Target is not the only store doing this. Those people chilled by stores’ tracking and profiling them may want to consider going the way of the common criminal — and paying for far more of their purchases in cash.http://www.forbes.com/fdc/welcome_mjx.shtml Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chevysoldier Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Wow....interesting to say the least. I know they track purchases just mot to quite this extent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imprez55 Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Wow, fascinating. Another reason I don't own a credit card; can't trace cash. Then again, the coupons might be a good thing and save the parents money. Its amazing how predictable the human condition is as a whole: each of us are unique, just like everyone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
standout Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Even without credit cards they still track u. That's the purpose of every Kroger plus, speedy rewards, giant eagle advantage type of card. That's why everytime u go into a store if u don't have there particular "savings" card they try to get u to sign up for one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sapphy Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 When data is properly mined the forecasting it can do is almost indistinguishable from fortune telling with a crystal ball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kawi kid Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Privacy is a lost commodity in today's times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gen3flygirl Posted February 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Wow, fascinating. Another reason I don't own a credit card; can't trace cash. Then again, the coupons might be a good thing and save the parents money. Its amazing how predictable the human condition is as a whole: each of us are unique, just like everyone else.Want to save money? Don't have a kid! If you are in the position to where you need coupons to supply/ support your baby you shouldn't be having one anyways. I am a firm believer in planning and preparing for a child not a "whoops I cant keep my leggs shut so I better start buying cheap baby stuff since I couldn't buy condoms". I also don't understand why more people don't buy second hand. Babies don't stay small for ever so why spend money on them to make them look cute. Don't take this as a personal attack on you, I just hate dumb bitches who get pregnant at a young age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carwhore Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 TL;DR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
05candygrand Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 This is not surprising at all. The wife and I are expecting a child next month, and have purchased almost all of baby's room stuff from Target. We were even registered there for the baby shower. We haven't seen many coupons from them, however, even though we have used credit/debit cards almost every time. The only thing we did receive was a coupon booklet for the rest of the items on the registry that werent pruchased for the shower. I thought that was rather thoughtful of them. But other than that we havent had any creepy experiences similar what's described in this article.We didnt really shop there much before we needed baby things also, so that may be why we didnt receive anything due to pregnancy profiling. Kinda makes me wanna stay away from Target though TBH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarvismb Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 I'm kinda surprised that people are surprised by this. When I sign up for a Kroger Plus card, I assume that this is obviously what they're doing with it. I'm not an idiot, why wouldn't they do this? And on the flip side, I know I'm a creature with comfortable habits, so why wouldn't I want someone to just figure them out and give me coupons for the things I know I'm gonna buy already, and not have to go looking for them?If I ever really cared, I would go pay cash for something without my plus card. Not a big deal. TO be honest, most of this shit is kind of obvious if a person would just be observant as well. Not like the computer is doing some magical thing people can't do on their own if they just took the time. As for the dad in that story, computers can see a lot when they don't have denial or invested emotions telling them there's nothing to see here... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbot Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 this is an outrage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue03636 Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 I really need to up my game if I'm going to have to compete with this. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
20thGix Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Want to save money? Don't have a kid! If you are in the position to where you need coupons to supply/ support your baby you shouldn't be having one anyways. I am a firm believer in planning and preparing for a child not a "whoops I cant keep my leggs shut so I better start buying cheap baby stuff since I couldn't buy condoms". I also don't understand why more people don't buy second hand. Babies don't stay small for ever so why spend money on them to make them look cute. Don't take this as a personal attack on you, I just hate dumb bitches who get pregnant at a young age.I would say that more often than not people use the coupons because they have to buy certain items anyway. So why not save a few bucks while your at it. Buying diapers or formula gets old pretty quick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohiomike Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Even without credit cards they still track u. That's the purpose of every Kroger plus, speedy rewards, giant eagle advantage type of card. That's why everytime u go into a store if u don't have there particular "savings" card they try to get u to sign up for one.Yeh, notice how many gas pumps are now asking for your zip code if you use plastic? Companies claim its for security but I'm thinkin its more for marketing info.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jst2fst Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 TL;DR I'm with ya a bit too much to read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 (edited) Yeh, notice how many gas pumps are now asking for your zip code if you use plastic? Companies claim its for security but I'm thinkin its more for marketing info....its not for marketing. it's for AVS verification. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Address_Verification_SystemAFD's (automated fuel dispensers) are huge for fraud, since if i steal your physical card, i can just go fill up with absolutely no security checks. the pump is not manned, and no one actually looks at the card or anything.its not foolproof, since if i steal your whole wallet, then i probably have your ZIP code too, but its better than nothing at all i guess... Edited February 21, 2012 by John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r1crusher Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 I find it really really hard to believe that Target can out stalk Gen when she's on the prowl. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sapphy Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Want to save money? Don't have a kid! If you are in the position to where you need coupons to supply/ support your baby you shouldn't be having one anyways. I am a firm believer in planning and preparing for a child not a "whoops I cant keep my leggs shut so I better start buying cheap baby stuff since I couldn't buy condoms". I also don't understand why more people don't buy second hand. Babies don't stay small for ever so why spend money on them to make them look cute. Don't take this as a personal attack on you, I just hate dumb bitches who get pregnant at a young age.wow I feel loved now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbot Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 everyone pick up a stone, sapphy is a sinner 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sapphy Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 everyone pick up a stone, sapphy is a sinnerI once heard "Be good, or be good at it" I went with the second option, it seemed more fun. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gen3flygirl Posted February 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Sorry sapphy I just think that media glorifies teen pregnancy way to much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sapphy Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Sorry sapphy I just think that media glorifies teen pregnancy way to much.I agree, and 19 was too young for me and made my life take a major different path. But it was what it was and is what it is. The flip side is now that he is headed to collage, I am still young enough to go play again. Muhahahahaha Like starting to get my pilots license next month! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Sorry sapphy I just think that media glorifies teen pregnancy way to much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSparky Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 yes, it's kind of creepy that they can track what you buy, and predict what you'll buy next. but they track where your android phone goes and has been, and it's only a matter of time before we find out what advertising or other profit-related materials are coming out of that.creepy, yes. cool, yes. i realize that i am a controllable cog in a machine that i have very little power over. i'll excercise what i see as "my freedom" even if they predict it down to a tee, and i'll enjoy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imprez55 Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 Even without credit cards they still track u. That's the purpose of every Kroger plus, speedy rewards, giant eagle advantage type of card. That's why everytime u go into a store if u don't have there particular "savings" card they try to get u to sign up for one.Luckily I only have a speedy card because 10 cents off each gallon is way too valuable. Everything else I just ignore, and when places (like Sears) force me to tell them my address and telephone etc. I just lie and make up a new identity on the spot! Its actually quite a fun game, new name, new number, address where I would like to live, maybe even a back story if I am feeling adventurous! Want to save money? Don't have a kid! If you are in the position to where you need coupons to supply/ support your baby you shouldn't be having one anyways. I am a firm believer in planning and preparing for a child not a "whoops I cant keep my leggs shut so I better start buying cheap baby stuff since I couldn't buy condoms". I also don't understand why more people don't buy second hand. Babies don't stay small for ever so why spend money on them to make them look cute. Don't take this as a personal attack on you, I just hate dumb bitches who get pregnant at a young age.I take it personally because, well, I am a pregnant young girl. Personally, I don't NEED coupons but it is nice getting some money off items I will be buying at some point. And grandparents are there to spend money on the grandchildren and make them cute, its their job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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