What We Buy

With social networking sights, yahoo, amazon and every other online entity monitoring what we click and providing tired suggestions, we thought we went to regular stores to seek sanctity. That also may change. Wal-Mart announced last week that it aims to provide new security tags on clothing to better track inventory and tighten asset protections. The new security tags will be encoded with the product information and easily trackable to credit card purchases. This might make returns and proof of purchase easier, opponents are concerned about consumer privacy. Should stores be able to track your purchases without consent? Like clicking on dresses on Nordstrom, Wal-Mart and future retailers can track guest purchases. Think individualized weekly emails.

Advocates maintain that going that far requires a budget and technology years away. Some people even like the idea, claiming it’s like having a personal shopper for free. Plus human beings are creatures of pattern, and it’s likely that we will indeed like the suggested items based on our purchases.

New ideas and technology are advancing faster than our retailers, government and executives can weigh the potential costs to consumers and concern over lagging behind makes privacy an afterthought. Tracking physical purchases is another slide down the slippery slope of consumer privacy.

Emma Dinzebach

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Posted by Emma Dinzebach at 11:10 AM
bargain news , STYLE/BEAUTY |