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.
More Amazon news
New antitrust bill to stop Amazon from harming third-party sellers
US senators against Amazon A bipartisan group of senators in the US has announced plans to introduce a new antitrust bill that could reshape Amazon and other online marketplaces. The proposed bill would prohibit platforms from requiring companies operating on their...
Amazon got caught copying products and manipulating search results
Amazon got caught cheating? Amazon has been repeatedly accused of copying third-party sellers’ products and then manipulating the search results to favor Amazon’s own brands. The company has denied the accusations. Reuters got access to internal Amazon documents...
China energy crisis wreaks havoc in the manufacturing sector
China in the dark Factories in China's busiest manufacturing provinces have been ordered to suspend production for up to a week or even longer, prompting concern global supplies of goods might be disrupted. China is in the midst of an energy crisis that has turned...