Amazon is using horoscopes for targeted marketing

Amazon has been shipping monthly horoscopes to its Prime members in its Insider newsletter.

Amazon states on its horoscopes page that readers can consult the readings to identify “which Prime benefits are predicted to pair best with your Zodiac sign!”, reports Gizmodo.com.

Horoscope for Capricorn, for example. It starts off with an otherwise innocuous call for critical thought and ends with a plug for Prime Now so out of place with respect to the preceding words that it’s jarring:

• Spock is your spirit animal this month, dear Capricorn. Following your intuition too closely will only get you into trouble; instead, stick to logic, weigh out every option’s pros and cons, and carefully plan each move. Looking before leaping takes more time than blindly diving, so save time (and money) with Prime Now.

It’s the lowest effort targeted marketing possible, as Gizmodo noted. It personalizes the shopping experience into a vague recommendation that’s personal to you and the other 1/12th of Amazon shoppers who share your birth month. It’s like advertising before the advent of algorithms, cookies, newsfeeds, and purchase histories.

According to Dailymail.co.uk, many users voiced confusion over the Prime horoscopes on Twitter, while others said they were annoyed by Amazon’s overt attempts to use astrology as a vehicle for targeted marketing.

That said, not everyone is likely to take offense at the Prime horoscopes.

Anyway, Amazon is using a growing wave of interest in astrology and wellness for its own benefit.

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