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Ask HN: Amazon learnt I have a broken bulb at home – HOW?
In short :
Made a search in amazon for Cooker and was shown bulbs. http://i.imgur.com/LJfjyML.png
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This is getting ridiculous.
Today morning we had a bulb burnt out and we discussed about buying it next time we go out.But nobody at home did any search relating to a bulb.
Then after an early lunch - I thought we need a new cooker to ease cooking.
So I made a search to find cooker - I am shown bulbs as sponsor ads covering > 50% of webpage.
I don't carry a smartphone. Wife does and she has amazon app installed on her mobile. And today she was using kindle-fire too.
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So how did Amazon deduce I need a bulb today!
Did app listen or kindle-fire ?
Seriously, what is going on ?
- stephen82 9y agoTo verify your suspicions do the following with your wife: start chatting around the room while her phone is near and say lines such as "we need new treadmill", "a nice cheap treadmill", "a professional treadmill" and do so sporadically, not sequentially to make it obvious and see how it goes. You have got me curious now lol. Keep us posted mate, good luck!
- samblr 9y agolol - sure. Amazon has access to microphone in android: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201887200 https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeI... I think kindle fire can do more than that.
- Finnucane 9y agoBig Brother is watching you, and wants to offer you a doubleplusgood deal on a new Kitchen-Aid.
- DanBC 9y agoPeople searching "cooker" want either bulbs, or cleaner, or filters or new cookers.
- samblr 9y agoWith so many varieties in cookers itself - I wonder why they decided to show up bulb upfront - beats me.
- dave84 9y agoThey're sponsored links, so a bulb seller paid to make sure they showed you the cooker bulbs because you searched for cooker. Looks like they're making a good margin on wholesale so it's probably worth their while to advertise. Was it a cooker bulb that was blown?
- samblr 9y agoI stand corrected - @DanBC is right. Cooker shows up bulb whereas CookerS - show cookers! It is same behaviour even when I try without logging in from a torbrowser. All in a day of internet! :) edit: added about search made on tor.
- whipoodle 9y agoThose are bulbs for cookers. You said you searched for cookers.
- mstolpm 9y agoHave you or your wife googled for a replacement bulb? These are sponsored listings, maybe they are triggered by a cookie set by an ad network. (This might even happen across different devices.)
- quickthrower2 9y agoIt most likely just a coincidence. Or your partner searched for it.
- cm2012 9y agoPeople who buy cookers buy cooker light bulbs. End of story...
- cm2012 9y agoPeople who buy cookers buy cooker light bulbs. End of story...
- tugberkk 9y agoWelcome to the new world :)