2 ms·

> right after I really don't understand the point of that. It's not like breakfast cereal. I'm not going to buy another TV because I just bought one.

• Traster 5y ago
  The ad network tracks what you've been looking at but obviously can't actually access your purchases. So all the ad network knows is you've shown intent to buy a tv, not that you've bought a tv.
  • mi100hael 5y ago
    In this case, the ad network would presumably not know or else they wouldn't keep showing you ads. But it's worth noting that ad networks are more interconnected than most people realize. You can go to Facebook and see the "off-Facebook activity" they have received about you from partners, many of which are retailers. I imagine purchase-history is part of what's shared if you make purchases with those retailers using a email/phone number that's also associated with your Facebook account. https://www.facebook.com/off_facebook_activity https://www.facebook.com/off_facebook_activity
• nickff 5y ago
  There are a few reasons why this re-targeting makes sense. First, I would bet that multiple stores 'know' you searched for a television, while only one 'knows' you purchased one. The stores that don't know you already made a purchase will keep advertising in the hopes that you choose them, and the one you bought from may not have implemented a feature to 'de-target' you, because their conversion rate is low enough that it doesn't cost them much to keep targeting you. Also, you may return the first one in favor of another, 'better' model; or you may be purchasing for other people or business use.