BS: Big data coincidences - not

Subject: BS: Big data coincidences - not
From: Mr Red
Date: 03 Apr 26 - 07:12 PM

Anyone else noticed this?

I surfed for two cameras, checked/compared specs, delved deep. Both quite old models but current. One I have already.

Next time I went to town, what should be in the window of a nationwide second user shop**? Both! And at the regular price everywhere. No sign of use, so brand new. Not seen them similar models in the window before. I would notice "my" camera, wouldn't I?

I look in their window often just for bargains, so this is beyond coincidence. This is big data at play. Scary or what?

**Company called "Cex" - pronounce it how you will, that is no coincidence either.

Subject: RE: BS: Big data coincidences - not
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Apr 26 - 08:04 PM

Browse incognito and erase your cookies regularly if you want to shop and not have the prices go up.

As it happens I noticed some advice in the latest AARP Bulletin. On page 33:

Hide your browser history. Retailers may bump up prices on items that you visit frequently, or they'll do so if they can see you have recently shopped for similar merchandise. You can conceal such information from them by logging out of any retail accounts, browsing in incognito mode and frequently clearing your browser's cookies, says Julie Ramhold, senior editor at the daily deals website DealNews.

I was trying to buy a small camera last year at this time and found one from Kodak at about $139. There were black, blue, and red, and I saved the listing in a wish list to come back to. When I returned the prices had all gone up about $40 and the red one even more. It took a while to finally get the original price (in blue). I know it was that consumer algorithm at work.

Subject: RE: BS: Big data coincidences - not
From: Helen
Date: 04 Apr 26 - 03:12 PM

I was doing a price comparison search for something - can't remember what right now - and a couple of days later I received an email with my name on it from Amazon. I still don't know how they could find out those details because all I did was view an image on Amazon. I won't be doing that again.

(Note: I refuse to fill the pockets of billionaires and especially those who put real people out of jobs to replace them with robots and AI so I haven't bought anything from Amazon for many years.)

I blacklisted the Amazon email address and placed it in my spam folder. No more from them since then.

Also I clear my internet history a few times a day.

Coincidentally, a day later I missed a phone call and the caller left a message. He knew my name, my phone number and the area I live in.

I did some detective work and figured out that the real estate company he works for had previously had a different name and we had dealt with them for a couple of years but that was a few years ago. I had never had dealings with this particular person as far as I recall so I assume that he had gone into the client list in the computer data and found lots of phone numbers to try.

I sent a polite but firm email demanding that my details be removed from their lists and threatening to report them to the appropriate government authority if I ever heard from them again. Problem solved by a very helpful woman in their office, for which I am very grateful.