Amazon has announced a new physical retail store data-gathering program, called Store Analytics, aiming to monitor customers browsing and purchase habits. Then, share that information with businesses and brands to help improve offerings and advertisements.
Like websites and e-commerce pages collect user data, Amazon is now rolling out a system that will do the same at its physical retail locations. In the United States, the company currently has Amazon Fresh stores and the Amazon Go “Just Walk Out” shops.
The new tool will allow companies to access anonymous information about shoppers through the analytics tool. From here, brands sold at Amazon locations can see how often products are taken off shelves and whether it’s purchased or put back. Additionally, if put back on the shelf, Amazon will note if the specific item gets purchased later on Amazon’s website.
According to the blog post, “Store Analytics provides brands with aggregated and anonymized insights about the performance of their products, promotions, and ad campaigns. These insights will help those same stores continuously improve the shopper experience by making the store layout easier for shoppers to find their favorite items and discover new ones, improving selection and availability of products, and delivering great value through relevant promotions and advertising.”
It’s important to note that this data is completely anonymized and aggregated and will not share personal information. Everything is grouped together for brands to see the bigger picture.
Considering how many cameras are in those Just Walk Out stores, some shoppers may feel uneasy about this new program. Not to mention Amazon received a lot of backlash over its AI security cameras recording delivery drivers.
Shoppers can opt-out of sharing this data with Store Analytics at any time, the company noted in the blog post. Go to “Your Account” on the Amazon Shopping App or Amazon.com, find the “Store Analytics” option, and opt-out.
via Business Insider
