You could even argue that is what Amazon.com did with their recommendations. And the main reason I signed up for netflix was after working on the netflix prize

You could even argue that is what Amazon.com did with their recommendations. And the main reason I signed up for netflix was after working on the netflix prize. And I have been rewarded by buying things I wouldn't have otherwise and watching movies I had never heard about, but loved. There is $$$ in recommendations and selling solutions.