Amazon Can Read Your Mind

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

Amazon gained a patent on Saturday for what the company calls "anticipatory shipping," which will let them ship items to customers before they've even technically purchased them. Basically, Amazon can read your mind.

Well, they can't exactly read your mind, but they can read your browser history. Amazon's new anticipatory shipping strategy, which is meant to cut down on delivery time, is based on previous searches, purchases, wish lists and more that customers have made on the site. They even know how long someone has hovered their mouse over a product.

The company might even ship products "speculatively" which means they'll just sent stuff to customers even if they didn't actually buy it, but appeared online to maybe want it. This might lead to a bunch of unwanted Amazon packages on customers doorsteps that will probably be returned, but the company doesn't really seem to care. Apparently, they just want to seem super duper caring to their customers. In the patent, they state, "Delivering the package to the given customer as a promotional gift may be used to build goodwill."

The patent gain comes not long after Amazon's CEO Jeff Bezos revealed that the company would be using drones to deliver packages faster to customers. The new drone shipping service, named "Amazon Prime Air," would deliver packages up to 5 pounds in less than half an hour.

So just be careful with how long you hover your mouse over something on Amazon, because chances are you didn't seriously want to buy that $85 fat replica, right?

http://www.theverge.com/2014/1/18/5...o-ship-your-packages-before-you-even-buy-them

On the one hand I find this kind of invasive on the other hand hopefully they send me lots of free stuff for goodwill! t:

 

[DarkSentinel]

So it begins...

 

[KevanG]

So that means they could just send you whatever they feel like whenever they feel like? Okay, that's strange. I wonder if they'll be trying to send people things they haven't purchased and expect them to pay for it.

 

[Xeno]

They can send out all the "promotional gifts" they want but they had better not start charging people for stuff that Amazon thinks they will buy. I hover my mouse over a lot of things that I'm just checking out and will never order. But if Amazon wants to send me that new laptop I've been drooling over as a gift "...to build goodwill," I'd be more than happy to accept it.

 

[charl_huntress]

I am a pretty consistent Amazon customer. I've been a Prime member for years even before it became mostly about OnDemand. I like their extensive selection, and appreciate the reviews from regular buyers. I have never had a ONE problem with them, so if they want to send me some "goodwill" gifts then by all means they should.

 

[RetrogradeOrbit]

It's a good job I have Amazon Prime...

 

[Dark Raven]

Is it only for Prime customers? I hope they don't charge for it though. I'd be happy to receive a gift, but I'm sure they'd only send a small, inexpensive one and not the most expensive item you have in your shopping basket or wishlist.

 

[RetrogradeOrbit]

No, I just meant if Amazon start sending me loads of stuff I haven't asked for, at least I won't be paying postage!
t:

 

[Goshdarn Batman]

"Honey, what's this book called "How to cheat on your husband for Dummies"?"

 

[KevanG]

I can just see people getting random things they looked up for other people for xmas. I wonder if you could return them for money? I doubt it but you could at least try to sell it off if you didn't want it.

 

[Teelie]

This sounds more like an invasion of privacy than it is something I'd like them to be doing as a "goodwill gesture."

 

[Goshdarn Batman]

This sounds more like an invasion of privacy than it is something I'd like them to be doing as a "goodwill gesture."

Amazon will take over the world

 

[NickNitro]

So they can read your mind, and fly drones to your home. The SciFi channel will be picking this idea up shortly to make a B movie.

 

[Duke]

They can send me all the stuff they want, just as long as it's free. t:

 

[titansupes]

I can only assume there's some sort of "If you don't want the item we sent you, send it back within such and such a time period or you'll be charged for it" type thing going on? Otherwise it's seems like a pretty weird business model... But hey, if they want to send me freebies...

 

[Goshdarn Batman]

I can only assume there's some sort of "If you don't want the item we sent you, send it back within such and such a time period or you'll be charged for it" type thing going on? Otherwise it's seems like a pretty weird business model... But hey, if they want to send me freebies...

That's evil. And not very eco-friendly.

 

[charl_huntress]

Is it only for Prime customers?

I'm not sure. It would be nice if they did.

I can just see people getting random things they looked up for other people for xmas. I wonder if you could return them for money? I doubt it but you could at least try to sell it off if you didn't want it.

I hope they send stuff in your wish list. That's obviously the stuff you want to buy eventually.

I can only assume there's some sort of "If you don't want the item we sent you, send it back within such and such a time period or you'll be charged for it" type thing going on? Otherwise it's seems like a pretty weird business model... But hey, if they want to send me freebies...

I hope not. That's probably the one drawback with Amazon. You have to go through a lot of hassles to return stuff.

 

[KevanG]

It would be pretty funny if the whole thing got messed up somewhere and one guy wound up with dozens of packages outside his door while he was at work because the drones kept dropping off items for him as gifts.

 

[Teelie]

Even funnier (and perhaps sad) is if they were boxes of sextoys.

 

[KevanG]

That would be bad. Can you imagine his wife/partners reaction?

 

[charl_huntress]

Even funnier (and perhaps sad) is if they were boxes of sextoys.

Amazon has sex toys!!!!! Get out!

 

[KevanG]

I'd assume it has an adult section like Ebay does.

 

[charl_huntress]

Hehe...I wouldn't know for sure, but I would doubt it. Maybe Teelie knows.

 

[DCW]

So it begins...

Amazon will take over the world

Who would've guessed, Amazon = Skynet...

 

[Goshdarn Batman]

Who would've guessed, Amazon = Skynet...

Yeah, I thought of the same. Arnold Schwarzenegger for president! Before it's too late..