![]() Retail rewards and loyalty programs aren’t new, of course. It’s all about shrinking our worlds down to a scale where we matter. Most people like the fact that multi-billion-dollar enterprises like Amazon and their grocery chain “know” them, much like people in a different era appreciated being known by the general store clerk, or the dairyman who made daily deliveries. Still, I suspect a majority of consumers are perfectly content to surrender their privacy not only to get better deals, but to recreate (even if in a virtual way) a seemingly more intimate, relationship-driven identity not just as a consumer but as an individual. Your consumer behaviors are tracked even if you don’t sign up for a rewards card at your neighborhood grocer, but the tracking is far more individualized and accurate if you do open an account. The Federal Trade Commission issued a report last week on just how extensive the tracking of your consumer data is the FTC also called for legislation to force more transparency around the issue of how much privacy you are surrendering for your loyalty. And new technologies like cell phone apps are making it ever more easier for companies to vie for your next purchase with targeted seduction. ![]() Companies want to track your habits and preferences to improve their business. It’s not hard to understand the reasons for our current craze for this form of marketing, which began in the mid- to late-1990s.
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