Advertising on the internet has been around for almost as long as the internet itself. Over the years, the tactics used to advertise online have evolved. Today, large companies are using the information gathered from the Digital You in a variety of ways to make money.
The companies that collect your data aren’t limited to Facebook and Google – there are many companies using your data. This includes most social media sites, streaming services, and online retailers.
Then there is Amazon- the world’s leading E-commerce company. There is a reason they are number 1, and no it isn’t because they provide 2-day shipping. Amazon has perfected the art of knowing what you want to purchase, even before you do.
What does Amazon know about the Digital You?
The information you give them when you sign up– When you sign up to Amazon, you provide them with a slew of personal information. This includes your name, phone number, email and payment credentials.
The information you provide when navigating their services- Amazon stores any information linked to what you buy, sell or search on their site.
Your order/web browsing history– Amazon collects and saves any orders you make through them or their third party sellers.
Location– In addition to the address you provide to Amazon when you sign up, they also collect location services found in your mobile device.
Device Information– Amazon collects information on what device you are using. Your device can then tell them your IP address, browser type, plugins and operating system.
Cookies– Amazon is masterful at using cookies. With them, they are able to collect what items you have been looking at on their site or partner sites.
What you ask Alexa– That’s right, Amazon stores everything you have ever asked Alexa. Even those embarrassing questions you asked for fun…
What does Amazon do with this data?
In their privacy policy, Amazon doesn’t shy away from admitting that they make the most of their user data. They are, however, especially careful in wording how they use this data. Many times they mention that they collect data in an effort to “improve your Amazon experience”.
Whether you agree with their tactics or not, there is no doubt that Amazon uses data to streamline their service. For example, their cookies allow them to advertise products you have viewed on their site in pages that you frequent across the web. Likewise, their access to your order history allows them to predict what items you are likely to purchase next. This information, coupled with the data mentioned in the section above, is more than enough to help them “improve” their services.
The only way to keep Amazon from using any of your data is to not partake in their services. Unfortunately for most of us, this doesn’t seem like a great option, as we use Amazon all the time. However, if you are looking to minimize the way they use your data, then keep reading below….
You can opt out of their advertising-related services by following these steps:
- Navigate to Amazon’s home page (make sure you are signed in) and hover over the “Account and Lists” drop-down and click on “Your Account”.
- On the next page, navigate to the “Email alerts, messages and ads” area.
- Click on “Advertising Preferences”.
- Then click “Do Not Personalize Ads from Amazon for this Internet Browser”.
If you use multiple browsers, you will need to repeat this process for each browser.
Does Amazon Sell Your Data?
Amazon states that they do not sell user information without consent. However, recent reports have revealed that sharing between Amazon and Facebook has occurred.
Regardless of such reports, Amazon’s Privacy Policy still states:
“Sometimes we send offers to selected groups of Amazon.com customers on behalf of other businesses. When we do this, we do not give that business your name and address. If you do not want to receive such offers, please adjust your Customer Communication Preferences.”
So while Amazon may not specifically reveal your identity to other companies, they use the information they have collected about you to target you with offers from them.
Learn More About Your Amazon Data
Amazon Profile
There are a few ways you can dive deeper into how Amazon views the Digital You. The first is to access your Amazon Profile.
Your Amazon profile contains any public information you want to share, along with your public activity and name on Amazon. This page shows you instructions on what your profile is and how you can set it up (obviously don’t do that if you are looking to remain anonymous).
In the event, your profile is already set up, you can also edit it to your liking.
Order History
If you want to learn more about your order history, download it using these steps:
- Log into your account on Amazon.com
- Go to Order History Reports in Your Account.
- Select the report type from the drop-down menu, then fill in the start date, end date, and report name.
- Click Request Report.
- When the report is complete, you’ll receive an e-mail notification. To retrieve the report, visit Order History Reports and click Download.
**Note you can’t download this report on your phone**
It may surprise you to find that the spreadsheet dates back to your very first order. For some, this means orders from over 10 years ago.
Tap Into The Digital You
Amazon is far from the only company using consumer data. Companies around the globe will continue to use data for the improvement of their products, as well as their own profit.
For this reason, it is up to you to manage the way you want your data to be treated.
Tap Into The Digital You at ScoresMatter.