They know what you ought to be watching
31 Jul 07 Filed in:Internet
I took a look at recommendation software being developed by titans such as Blockbuster, eBay and iTunes. Instead of copying the Amazon tactic of recommending an item for future purchase based on your past purchases, the Blockbusters and co look deeper into your tastes than you might imagine in order to plant shopping ideas in your head.
We are a tapestry of tastes, like and dislikes, and the retailers' software writers know where to look in order to build up a picture or profile of their customers.
Wouldn't it be great if there were a company that takes your interest in porn and allies it to a current search you are making for cars. Where is the connection bewteen the two, you may ask? Off the top of my head, the software would probably recommend you buy a Hot Rod or the 2008 Chinese edition of the Well hung Mustang, or perhaps at a stretch a badly spelt Ford Focus.
The recommendations get easier to make however when you cross your taste in cars with perfume. No need to algorithmify and extrapolate in order to suggest a suitable perfume based on your preferred muscle car. The manufacturers of sexy Ferraris have already saved programmers a lot of trouble and used their allure to produce a high octane Donna Ferrari scent. Lambourghini have a cologne too that would obviously satisfy the requirements of a car nerd trying to smell as hot as their 600hp motor. Quite what a mustang owner would think of dousing themselves in Mustang scent, though, I can only imagine.
StumbleUpon was bought by eBay and who knows how the auction guys are going to harness that "preferred blog" technology to squeeze another bid out of us.
Blockbuster can already suggest you a film you never heard of with a storyline you would never select - and leave you happily adding more to your "Must Watch" list. (I would add in a recommended snack too, for good measure.)
And iTunes just sold their 3 billionth track, so their recommendations algorithms must be doing something right.
Think about the swathe of data that we, the consumers, have made available to on-line companies trying to sell us the next big must-have thing. Every time you browse, order, or enquire, you leave some evidence of your tastes behind. As we aren't going to stop browsing, ordering and enquiring any time soon, there are no limits to the recommendations we will be bombarded with in the future. It's time to get used to being upsold and fleeced with monotonous and sophisticated regularity.
Never again will it be as simple as: "You bought Harry Potter One so you are going to love Harry Potter 2 thru 12" The new kids are bringing more factors into the mix and before we know it we will be ordering Hogwarts Cologne and riding Honda broomsticks.
You will love this sexy car
We are a tapestry of tastes, like and dislikes, and the retailers' software writers know where to look in order to build up a picture or profile of their customers.
Wouldn't it be great if there were a company that takes your interest in porn and allies it to a current search you are making for cars. Where is the connection bewteen the two, you may ask? Off the top of my head, the software would probably recommend you buy a Hot Rod or the 2008 Chinese edition of the Well hung Mustang, or perhaps at a stretch a badly spelt Ford Focus.
You will love this sexy perfume, car lovers
The recommendations get easier to make however when you cross your taste in cars with perfume. No need to algorithmify and extrapolate in order to suggest a suitable perfume based on your preferred muscle car. The manufacturers of sexy Ferraris have already saved programmers a lot of trouble and used their allure to produce a high octane Donna Ferrari scent. Lambourghini have a cologne too that would obviously satisfy the requirements of a car nerd trying to smell as hot as their 600hp motor. Quite what a mustang owner would think of dousing themselves in Mustang scent, though, I can only imagine.
Who is harnessing this recommendation software?
Blockbuster can already suggest you a film you never heard of with a storyline you would never select - and leave you happily adding more to your "Must Watch" list. (I would add in a recommended snack too, for good measure.)
And iTunes just sold their 3 billionth track, so their recommendations algorithms must be doing something right.
The future of recommendation software
Think about the swathe of data that we, the consumers, have made available to on-line companies trying to sell us the next big must-have thing. Every time you browse, order, or enquire, you leave some evidence of your tastes behind. As we aren't going to stop browsing, ordering and enquiring any time soon, there are no limits to the recommendations we will be bombarded with in the future. It's time to get used to being upsold and fleeced with monotonous and sophisticated regularity.
Never again will it be as simple as: "You bought Harry Potter One so you are going to love Harry Potter 2 thru 12" The new kids are bringing more factors into the mix and before we know it we will be ordering Hogwarts Cologne and riding Honda broomsticks.
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