How useful is the constant tracking of people? Loyalty programs do it in the store, but most companies don’t have it integrated online, a fact that is changing. As I mention in my About page, I’m working with Third Solutions, a digital receipts company. One of the advantages of digital receipts is that all your receipt information is in one place for monitoring recalls and returns, a single Membership Number is connected to participating retailers, reducing wallet clutter, without my communicating to a retailer what I buy elsewhere.
One of the advantages to marketers is that the aggregation of data in one place makes it possible to target your customers. Nobody is interested in your personal information, which is why privacy policies exist and work, but if you buy an HP Printer, HP wants to sell you ink, and they want to sell you ink whether you buy that printer at Wal-mart, Best Buy, or Newegg.