#AI in Customer Targeting

[harshathusm]

Role of artificial intelligence in digital marketing

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing digital marketing by enabling personalized customer experiences, predictive analytics, and efficient ad targeting. AI-driven tools optimize content creation, automate customer service with chatbots, and enhance decision-making through data insights. These innovations improve campaign performance and ROI. For expert app development, USM Business Systems is the best mobile app development company.

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Mobile app development

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[shroomsnsuch]

It feels so diabolical to try and abuse the corporate web to profit either financially or socially. To watch these affiliate marketing tutorials where these 'gurus' show how to use AI to write whole blog articles to insert their affiliate links, totally replacing the work and knowledge of bloggers, copy-writers, SEO specialists, etc etc. I'm not saying that some of these people aren't knowledgeable and putting in a lot of work to these strategies, but hoo boy it's really sad to see some people literally steal other people's content and use AI generated content, just to make money because it's easy. Like yea, everyone needs money and the allure of making a lot of it with these tools that require little effort but strip the work of others is a real temptation. I can see it, but I don't understand it. It feels so gross

[techshree]

Unlock Smarter Selling: How Shopify Brands Use Behavioral Targeting and AI to Drive Revenue

Ecommerce is moving at warp speed now. By 2025, Shopify brands that are crushing it? Yeah, they don’t play the guessing game or run everyone through the same boring funnel. They’re out here turning raw data into pure gold—think: shopping experiences that actually respond to how people click around, what they almost buy, where they hesitate. Real-time vibes. No more static, one-size-fits-none junk.

So, this is where all the good stuff comes in—Shopify behavioral targeting, customer journey tracking, dialing in your recommendation engines, and flexing on AI-powered email personalization. Stack ‘em all together and suddenly you’re not just running “smarter” campaigns, you’re pulling in better conversions, scaling personalization, and not lighting your ad budget on fire.

Let’s get into it—here’s how you mash all four together and build a Shopify growth machine that actually works.

1. Shopify Behavioral Targeting: Ditch the Assumptions, Market to Intent

Old-school ecom splits people up by location, gender, device—yawn. That’s almost useless for figuring out why someone’s actually buying (or not). Shopify behavioral targeting? That’s using real, live actions to decide what you show, recommend, and say, right as people browse. It’s basically reading the room, but for your store.

What’s that look like? Stuff like:

Swapping product carousels based on what they’ve already checked out

Changing upsell offers depending on cart contents

Tossing a discount after they’ve stalked the same product page three times

Popping up “Hurry, almost gone!” messages if they’re hesitating

Only showing exit popups to folks who look like they’re bouncing

Meeting people where they’re at in their shopping brain makes a massive difference. Someone coming back for the third time to stare at your bundles? Not the same as the random scroll-in from TikTok, right?

The big behavioral triggers to watch:

What pages they’re hitting (and for how long)

How far they scroll, how long they loiter

Adding to cart but ghosting before checkout

Buying history (gotta love a returning customer)

Clicking away after just peeping a product

Show people stuff that matches what they’ve already done and—shocker—they’ll trust you more. They’ll buy quicker, too.

2. Customer Journey Tracking: Don’t Just React, Actually Understand

Behavioral targeting is all about the “now.” customer journey tracking Shopify the long game—it’s figuring out the whole path: where people come from, what they see, why they drop off, and what turns someone into a fan that buys again and again.

You wanna know:

What brought them to your site in the first place?

What did they click before they finally bought it?

Where’s everyone ghosting you in the funnel?

What’s different about your best customers vs. the one-and-done crowd?

This stuff isn’t just for the data nerds—it tells you what to fix, change, or double-down on in your site’s layout, navigation, and offers.

Track things like:

Entry source (was it an ad, a Google search, their cousin’s blog?)

First product checked out vs. the one they actually bought

How many times they visit before finally pulling the trigger

Time lag between first and second purchase (if they come back at all)

Where they drop off (product to cart to checkout)

Real talk: You might see that people who hit the homepage, then check out bundles, convert three times higher than the solo-product browsers. That right there? Rethink your homepage, your CTAs—maybe even your whole product strategy.

Tools? Grab these:

- Google Analytics 4 (for path and funnel reports)

- Triple Whale (solid for LTV and attribution)

- Lifetimely (visualizes journeys and cohorts, super helpful)

- Microsoft Clarity (heatmaps and session replays—watch where people get stuck)

Knowing the journey means you’re fixing problems with intention, not just slapping on band-aids.

3. Shopify Recommendation Engine Testing: Stop Guessing, Start Optimizing

Everybody’s got product recommendations, but most stores never bother to see what actually works. You can tweak every part—the logic (AI vs. manual vs. just showing bestsellers), placement (cart, homepage, PDP), layout (carousel or grid?), and even the headline (“You Might Like” vs. “Inspired by Your Browsing”—yes, it matters).

Test stuff like:

Where you put the recs (above or below add-to-cart)

How many you show (3? 6? More isn’t always better)

The logic (frequently bought together vs. just similar stuff)

The design (inline grid, scrolling slider, whatever)

Incentives (price drops, free shipping, “only 2 left!” badges)

Shopify recommendation engine testing isn’t just for nerds—it’s how you find the money. What looks cool to you might be tanking your conversions.

4. Shopify AI Email Recommendations: Predicting What Your Shoppers Actually Want

Let’s be real. If you’re still blasting out the same old generic emails to your entire list, you’re basically leaving money on the table. The big brands? They’re way ahead, using Shopify AI email recommendations to sling out laser-targeted, totally personalized offers—straight into your customer’s inbox.

Instead of crossing your fingers and hoping your generic picks will stick, AI just…does its thing. It checks out what folks have been browsing, what they’ve already bought (and when), how they click around your categories, what they do onsite, and even whether they bothered opening your last email. It’s kind of spooky, but also…brilliant? With all that, it automatically whips up product suggestions for each user. Doesn’t matter if it’s an abandoned cart nudge, a “hey, we miss you” campaign, or a reminder to restock their favorite shampoo.

Where Should You Plug In AI Recommendations?

Honestly? Anywhere you want more clicks. But here’s where they really shine:

Abandoned browse emails (aka “Hey, you forgot something”)

Cart recovery messages (“Psst, your cart’s crying in the corner”)

Follow-ups after they buy (“Here’s what goes perfectly with your new kicks”)

Win-back campaigns (“We want you back, and look what we picked out for you”)

“Back in stock” or “New for you” alerts (“Bet you’ll like this…”)

Like, picture this: Someone buys a leather bag. Next thing you know, they get an email showing off matching wallets or care kits—stuff picked by AI because, well, other people like them bought it, and they were eyeing it last time. Feels less like spam, more like a personal shopper in your inbox.

Bringing It All Together: A Real-Life Funnel, No Fluff

Let’s walk through how a smart Shopify shop might actually line this all up:

1. Behavioral Targeting

Somebody’s checking out fancy skincare, but then bounces. Next time they pop back? The homepage is now showing those same products, bundles, and even reviews that match what they liked.

2. Journey Tracking

Your data says users who browse at least two bundle pages are three times more likely to buy. So you start nudging them toward bundles sooner. Duh.

3. Recommendation Engine Testing

You A/B test “frequently bought together” on product pages. Boom—average order value jumps 18%. You roll it out everywhere, obviously.

4. AI Email Recommendations

After someone buys, you send a follow-up with related stuff—handpicked by AI. Suddenly, 21% of those folks come back and buy again within a month. Not bad, right?

Look, this isn’t just some techy gimmick. It’s pure strategy. You’re turning all that data into a better customer experience—and, yeah, fatter business numbers.

Final Thoughts: Get Smart, Get Paid

Here’s the deal: Ecommerce brands are drowning in data. But if you’re not actually using it, you’re just…well, drowning. You’ve gotta flip all that info into real action.

Mash up these four things:

Behavioral targeting (so your site feels one-on-one)

Journey tracking (find where people get stuck or excited)

Recommendation testing (don’t guess—test what works)

AI-driven email (keep ‘em coming back for more)

Do this, and suddenly you’re selling more, working less. It’s not about automating for the sake of it, either. It’s about making every message, every rec, every touchpoint a little more “Hey, I get you.”

That’s how you earn trust. And that’s how you build a business that actually lasts.

[oragetech123]

Best AI Tools to Detect Customer Hesitation on Your Website

In the current competitive online market, it's not just a matter of wowing visitors to your site — you need to convert them. But what if a potential customer hesitates at the conversion point? That's where AI tools enter. By recognizing hesitation and intervening in real time, companies can lower bounce rates and improve conversions enormously.

In this article, we'll take a look at the top AI tools to identify customer hesitation and how you can leverage them to convert indecision into action.

Why Identifying Customer Hesitation Is Important

Customer hesitation is usually a silent indicator. A visitor could spend excessively long on a product page, hover for an extended period of time over the "Buy Now" button, or continually click between tabs. Such behavior suggests uncertainty, distrust, or a requirement for more details.

If your website does not respond to such signals, the visitor might drop the journey altogether. This is why using AI tools to identify and respond to hesitation in real-time is an intelligent decision.

Best AI Tools to Identify Customer Hesitation

The following are the top AI-powered tools that can identify and respond to customer hesitation efficiently:

1. Hotjar AI Insights (Behavior Analytics)

Hotjar has been a pioneer in session recordings and heatmaps for a long time, but their latest AI-based tools bring user behavior analysis to a whole new level. Applying machine learning to analyze where users scroll, pause, or hesitate, Hotjar provides real-time behavior insights.

Top Features:

AI-powered session recordings

Scroll and movement heatmaps

Integration of user feedback

Detection of rage clicks or hesitation areas

Use Case: Instantly find where users are confused or lose interest.

2. Crazy Egg AI Reports

Crazy Egg employs artificial intelligence to recognize hesitation patterns and provide optimization recommendations. It reports where users stall, where they're stuck, and even where they're likely to convert.

Major Features:

AI-based heatmaps

Smart traffic segmentation

Real-time session recording

A/B testing with AI recommendations

Use Case: Find hesitation and optimize page elements such as CTAs and prices.

3. Zoho PageSense

Zoho PageSense is a robust AI conversion optimization platform that makes more than just rudimentary tracking possible. It employs behavioral analysis and AI-facilitated segmentation to identify hesitation and then automatically test against personalized content.

Key Features:

AI heatmaps and session replays

Exit intent and hesitation tracking

Smart personalization tools

Goal-based targeting

Use Case: Deliver targeted offers or messages based on user hesitation signals.

4. Tidio AI Chatbots

Chatbots have the potential to play a central role in smoothing out customer uncertainty. Tidio, an AI-powered chatbot, detects when users hesitate, linger on a page, or exhibit exit intent. The chatbot can then greet them with targeted messages, FAQs, or promotions.

Key Features:

Behavior-triggered chat by AI

Support for CRMs

Customizable workflows for chatbots

Response suggestions based on NLP

Use Case: Automate engaging uncertain users before they bounce.

5. FullStory (Digital Experience Intelligence)

FullStory employs powerful AI to give rich user journey insights, identifying frustration cues, hesitations, and drop-off points. It flags sessions where users behave abnormally, typically a marker of confusion or uncertainty.

Key Features:

Frustration cues such as rage clicks and dead clicks

Machine learning event identification

Smarts funnel analysis

User sentiment analytics

Use Case: Identify where exactly users hesitate and why.

How to Select the Best Tool

When selecting an AI tool to identify hesitation, consider the following:

Integration: Make sure it is easy to integrate with your website and other analytics tools.

Real-Time Capabilities: Search for tools that identify hesitation in real-time, not only in reports.

Automation: Tools that respond automatically to hesitation (e.g., with pop-ups or chatbots) give the best ROI.

Ease of Use: Select platforms that provide visual dashboards and don't need technical expertise.

Turning Insight into Action

Detection is only the tip of the iceberg. After hesitation has been detected, AI can further assist with:

Personalized offers or messages

Real-time chat support

Dynamic content optimization

Exit-intent popups with rewards

With the union of detection and response, you are able to drastically boost conversions and enhance the user experience overall.

Final Thoughts

Customer hesitation tends to be subtle, yet it is one of the most important signals for potential conversions. With the help of AI tools such as Hotjar, Crazy Egg, Tidio, and FullStory, you can get a very good understanding of customer behavior and take action right away.

Whether you have an eCommerce store, a SaaS product, or a lead-gen site, these tools assist you in converting hesitation into action and browsers into buyers.

[technologyequality]

Boost Customer Loyalty with AI: Smarter Retention Strategies That Work

Boost Customer Loyalty with AI Smarter Retention Strategies That Work If you’ve followed this series, you know that AI has already changed how we attract leads, price our services, and close sales. But here’s a hard truth: If you’re only focused on getting new customers, you’re leaving money on the table. Acquiring new clients is great, but keeping them? That’s where the real profit is. Think…

[withuitservice]

Why Dubai Businesses Need To Partner With a Professional Website Development Company

In the digitally-first world of today, a good website is something that a business can't afford not to have any more. The city of Dubai is known as one of the global innovation hubs and is the home of thousands of businesses competing to receive attention in such a busy market. So, to stand out from the crowd and maintain an effective online presence, there is a need to collaborate with a professional Website Development Company in Dubai. Here are several reasons why the businesses of Dubai should do this.

1. Expertise and Innovation at one's Fingertips

The skilled teams of designers, developers, and digital strategists man the professional website development companies in Dubai. Keeping themselves updated with the latest technologies and best practices prevalent within the industry are all their pursuits. The accessibility of such expertise means having a website which is visually attractive yet functionally adequate, user-friendly as well as technologically state-of-the-art. While digitalizing your presence, one would find all that brought into play by deploying AI-driven chatbots and responsive designs.

2. Custom Websites for Local and International Readers

Dubai companies service diverse audiences, both locally and in other parts of the globe. A professional website development service will therefore understand the characteristics of the Dubai market-place, including cultural sensitiveness, consumer preferences, among others. They can always come up with customized websites responding to your target audience effectively, ensuring a seamless flow of user experience that causes engagement and conversion.

3. UX or better User Experience

User experience determines the success of a website. A website which is not designed well will lead to frustration from visitors, who then leave, causing a higher bounce rate and missed opportunities for sales. Professional developers emphasize intuitive navigation, fast loading pages, and mobile-friendliness of the designs. These together make for a great user journey which keeps visitors engaging and likely to take the desired action such as purchasing or contacting your business.

4. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

However beautiful your website might look, it is worthless if nobody can find it. Web Development Company in Dubai  always factor in SEO best practice when developing, such as optimization of page speeds and meta tags, ensuring that your website is mobile-friendly and also clean coding. They are constantly improving your search engine ranking. More visibility brings more organic traffic or leads and sales.

5. Cost-Effective in the Long Run

A well-developed website minimizes the risk of technical issues, reduces maintenance costs, and ensures scalability as your business grows. Additionally, a professional website helps generate higher returns by attracting and retaining customers more effectively.

6. Focus on Core Business Activities

When outsourcing Web Development Company in UAE needs, you have more time to focus on core business activities. Professional companies handle everything from the initial design and development stages of a website through maintenance and updates, thus providing one with more time and resources to devote to important matters like customer service, marketing, and business expansion.

7. Support and Maintenance

Websites need to update and maintain themselves regularly. Otherwise, they get outdated and insecure. A professional website development company keeps providing support to solve problems, implement updates, and keep your website running perfectly. This proactive approach may avoid downtime and keep running your website smoothly, with a seamless experience for the users.

8. Competitive Advantage

Competition in the market is at its peak here in Dubai, and therefore, designing a professional website for yourself will keep you miles ahead of the competition. Well-performance of the website lends an impression of your business and brand with respectability and professionalism to your customer who tends to associate them. With this, your position further gets stabilized by strengthening their trust on your self.

Conclusion

In terms of succeeding in the currently trending digital world, a company of Dubai would need to enter partnership with a professional website development agency. Starting from providing solutions tailor-suited according to the client's business needs to improving the customer's experience and providing post-launch support so that you lead the market, these professional website development agencies are quite the backbone of your thriving business. This investment in professional website development will help you have a good standing online but also in generating long-term growth and profits.

[sanjida1]

AI HIGH TICKET COMMISSIONS

[pinkukrumare]

The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Digital Marketing

Artificial Intelligence (AI) plays a transformative role in digital marketing by enabling personalized customer experiences, automating tasks, and improving data-driven decision-making. AI-powered tools, such as chatbots, predictive analytics, and recommendation engines, help marketers optimize campaigns, enhance customer targeting, and increase efficiency.

[crazyfashionsblog]

The Role of Personalization in Online Retail

In the fast-paced world of online retail, personalization has become the game-changer that sets brands apart. It’s not just about making shopping easier; it’s about crafting a Personalized Shopping Experience that feels almost tailor-made. From dynamic content to AI-driven recommendations, personalization transforms how we shop, turning routine transactions into engaging experiences. Let’s delve into the multifaceted role of personalization in online retail and understand why it's more than just a trend.

Understanding E-Commerce Personalization

Personalization in e-commerce is the practice of using data to provide a tailored shopping experience for each user. But what does that really mean? Simply put, it involves customizing the online shopping journey based on individual preferences and behaviors.

What is E-Commerce Personalization?

E-commerce personalization involves tailoring website content, product recommendations, and marketing messages to fit the specific needs and preferences of each visitor. By analyzing user data and behavior, retailers can present a shopping experience that feels uniquely relevant to each individual.

For instance, imagine browsing an online shopping site for clothes. Instead of a generic homepage, you’re greeted with products based on your past searches, purchases, and even browsing history. This level of customization enhances user engagement and drives sales.

The Benefits of Personalization

The benefits of personalization are manifold. Here’s a quick rundown:

Enhanced Customer Engagement: Personalized experiences keep users hooked and more likely to return.

Increased Conversion Rates: Tailored recommendations often lead to higher sales as they meet users' specific needs.

Improved Customer Retention: A personalized shopping journey fosters brand loyalty and repeat business.

The Power of Behavioral Targeting in Retail

Behavioral targeting involves analyzing user behavior to predict and influence future actions. By leveraging behavioral targeting, retailers can offer more relevant promotions and recommendations.

How Behavioral Targeting Works

Behavioral targeting relies on data collected from user interactions, such as:

Browsing History: Pages visited, time spent on each page.

Search Queries: Keywords and products searched.

Purchase History: Previous purchases and frequency.

This data helps create detailed consumer profiles, allowing retailers to craft highly targeted marketing campaigns. For instance, if you frequently browse for athletic wear, you might receive exclusive offers on sports gear or new arrivals in that category.

Examples of Effective Behavioral Targeting

Amazon's Recommendation Engine: Amazon’s "Customers who bought this also bought" is a prime example of behavioral targeting. It uses your browsing and purchasing history to suggest products you’re likely to be interested in.

Netflix’s Personalized Content Suggestions: Netflix’s algorithm analyzes your viewing history to recommend shows and movies you might enjoy, keeping you hooked to their platform.

Dynamic Content Personalization: Making Every Interaction Unique

Dynamic content personalization refers to the practice of changing website content in real-time based on user data. This technique ensures that each visitor sees a version of the site that’s tailored just for them.

Why Dynamic Content Matters

Dynamic content makes the shopping experience more engaging by presenting relevant products and offers. For example:

Homepage Customization: A visitor interested in electronics might see a homepage featuring the latest gadgets and tech deals.

Personalized Email Campaigns: Emails that highlight products based on recent searches or past purchases.

Implementing Dynamic Content Personalization

To effectively implement dynamic content, retailers need:

Robust Data Analytics: To collect and analyze user behavior.

Real-Time Data Processing: To update content as users interact with the site.

Flexible Content Management Systems: To manage and display personalized content efficiently.

Leveraging AI-Driven Recommendations

Artificial Intelligence (AI) plays a crucial role in enhancing personalization. AI-driven recommendations use machine learning algorithms to analyze vast amounts of data and provide personalized product suggestions.

How AI-Driven Recommendations Work

AI algorithms analyze:

User Behavior: Browsing patterns, purchase history.

Similar User Profiles: What other users with similar behavior have purchased.

Based on this analysis, AI can suggest products that are highly likely to interest the user. For example, if you’ve been looking at hiking boots, an AI system might recommend related accessories like trekking poles or waterproof jackets.

Benefits of AI-Driven Recommendations

Increased Sales: Personalized recommendations lead to higher conversion rates.

Enhanced User Experience: Users find it easier to discover products they like.

Efficient Inventory Management: By predicting trends and preferences, AI helps in better stock management.

Omnichannel Personalization: Integrating Online and Offline Experiences

Omnichannel personalization ensures a seamless experience across different platforms and touchpoints. It integrates online and offline data to provide a cohesive shopping journey.

What is Omnichannel Personalization?

Omnichannel personalization involves syncing user data across various channels:

Online: Websites, social media, email campaigns.

Offline: Physical stores, customer service interactions.

Creating a Unified Experience

To achieve effective omnichannel personalization:

Centralize Data: Gather and integrate data from all customer touchpoints.

Consistent Messaging: Ensure that marketing messages are consistent across channels.

Cross-Channel Engagement: Enable customers to switch between channels seamlessly, such as starting a purchase online and completing it in-store.

Personalized Shopping Experience: Real-World Examples

Let’s explore some real-world examples of how personalization enhances the shopping experience:

1. Sephora’s Beauty Insider Program

Sephora uses personalization to offer a tailored beauty experience. Their Beauty Insider program rewards members with personalized product recommendations, exclusive discounts, and customized beauty tips based on their purchase history and preferences.

2. Starbucks’ Personalized Offers

Starbucks’ loyalty program provides personalized offers and rewards based on users' purchasing habits. The app sends tailored promotions and suggestions, making each visit more relevant and enjoyable.

3. Zara’s Dynamic Website Experience

Zara’s website adapts in real-time to user preferences. For instance, if you frequently browse for men’s clothing, the homepage will highlight new arrivals and popular items in that category.

The Future of Personalization in Online Retail

Looking ahead, personalization will continue to evolve with advancements in technology. Here’s what to expect:

Enhanced AI Capabilities: More sophisticated algorithms will drive even better recommendations.

Greater Integration: Seamless integration across online and offline channels will become the norm.

Increased Privacy Considerations: As data usage grows, ensuring user privacy will be crucial.

Conclusion

The role of personalization in online retail is undeniable. It transforms the shopping experience from mundane to memorable by offering tailored content, recommendations, and interactions. As technology advances, the scope of personalization will only broaden, making it an indispensable aspect of modern retail. By leveraging e-commerce personalization strategies, retailers can enhance customer satisfaction, drive sales, and foster brand loyalty.

So, the next time you find yourself on an online shopping site for clothes, take a moment to appreciate the personalized experience crafted just for you. It’s not just about convenience; it’s about creating a shopping journey that feels uniquely yours.

[realjdobypr]

Unlock AI-Powered Topic Recommendations for Targeted Traffic

The Role of Data in AI-Powered Recommendations Harnessing the Power of Data for Personalized Suggestions In the era of digital transformation, data serves as the cornerstone for driving AI-powered recommendations. Through the analysis of user behavior, preferences, and historical data, businesses can derive invaluable insights to offer personalized suggestions. This not only enriches the user…

[learning--tech]

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[mostlysignssomeportents]

Amazon annihilates Alexa privacy settings, turns on continuous, nonconsensual audio uploading

I'm on a 20+ city book tour for my new novel PICKS AND SHOVELS. Catch me in SAN DIEGO at MYSTERIOUS GALAXY on Mar 24, and in CHICAGO with PETER SAGAL on Apr 2. More tour dates here.

Even by Amazon standards, this is extraordinarily sleazy: starting March 28, each Amazon Echo device will cease processing audio on-device and instead upload all the audio it captures to Amazon's cloud for processing, even if you have previously opted out of cloud-based processing:

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/03/everything-you-say-to-your-echo-will-be-sent-to-amazon-starting-on-march-28/

It's easy to flap your hands at this bit of thievery and say, "surveillance capitalists gonna surveillance capitalism," which would confine this fuckery to the realm of ideology (that is, "Amazon is ripping you off because they have bad ideas"). But that would be wrong. What's going on here is a material phenomenon, grounded in specific policy choices and by unpacking the material basis for this absolutely unforgivable move, we can understand how we got here – and where we should go next.

Start with Amazon's excuse for destroying your privacy: they want to do AI processing on the audio Alexa captures, and that is too computationally intensive for on-device processing. But that only raises another question: why does Amazon want to do this AI processing, even for customers who are happy with their Echo as-is, at the risk of infuriating and alienating millions of customers?

For Big Tech companies, AI is part of a "growth story" – a narrative about how these companies that have already saturated their markets will still continue to grow. It's hard to overstate how dominant Amazon is: they are the leading cloud provider, the most important retailer, and the majority of US households already subscribe to Prime. This may sound like a good place to be, but for Amazon, it's actually very dangerous.

Amazon has a sky-high price/earnings ratio – about triple the ratio of other retailers, like Target. That scorching P/E ratio reflects a belief by investors that Amazon will continue growing. Companies with very high p/e ratios have an unbeatable advantage relative to mature competitors – they can buy things with their stock, rather than paying cash for them. If Amazon wants to hire a key person, or acquire a key company, it can pad its offer with its extremely high-value, growing stock. Being able to buy things with stock instead of money is a powerful advantage, because money is scarce and exogenous (Amazon must acquire money from someone else, like a customer), while new Amazon stock can be conjured into existence by typing zeroes into a spreadsheet:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/03/06/privacy-last/#exceptionally-american

But the downside here is that every growth stock eventually stops growing. For Amazon to double its US Prime subscriber base, it will have to establish a breeding program to produce tens of millions of new Americans, raising them to maturity, getting them gainful employment, and then getting them to sign up for Prime. Almost by definition, a dominant firm ceases to be a growing firm, and lives with the constant threat of a stock revaluation as investors belief in future growth crumbles and they punch the "sell" button, hoping to liquidate their now-overvalued stock ahead of everyone else.

For Big Tech companies, a growth story isn't an ideological commitment to cancer-like continuous expansion. It's a practical, material phenomenon, driven by the need to maintain investor confidence that there are still worlds for the company to conquer.

That's where "AI" comes in. The hype around AI serves an important material need for tech companies. By lumping an incoherent set of poorly understood technologies together into a hot buzzword, tech companies can bamboozle investors into thinking that there's plenty of growth in their future.

OK, so that's the material need that this asshole tactic satisfies. Next, let's look at the technical dimension of this rug-pull.

How is it possible for Amazon to modify your Echo after you bought it? After all, you own your Echo. It is your property. Every first year law student learns this 18th century definition of property, from Sir William Blackstone:

That sole and despotic dominion which one man claims and exercises over the external things of the world, in total exclusion of the right of any other individual in the universe.

If the Echo is your property, how come Amazon gets to break it? Because we passed a law that lets them. Section 1201 of 1998's Digital Millennium Copyright Act makes it a felony to "bypass an access control" for a copyrighted work:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/05/24/record-scratch/#autoenshittification

That means that once Amazon reaches over the air to stir up the guts of your Echo, no one is allowed to give you a tool that will let you get inside your Echo and change the software back. Sure, it's your property, but exercising sole and despotic dominion over it requires breaking the digital lock that controls access to the firmware, and that's a felony punishable by a five-year prison sentence and a $500,000 fine for a first offense.

The Echo is an internet-connected device that treats its owner as an adversary and is designed to facilitate over-the-air updates by the manufacturer that are adverse to the interests of the owner. Giving a manufacturer the power to downgrade a device after you've bought it, in a way you can't roll back or defend against is an invitation to run the playbook of the Darth Vader MBA, in which the manufacturer replies to your outraged squawks with "I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further":

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/26/hit-with-a-brick/#graceful-failure

The ability to remotely, unilaterally alter how a device or service works is called "twiddling" and it is a key factor in enshittification. By "twiddling" the knobs and dials that control the prices, costs, search rankings, recommendations, and core features of products and services, tech firms can play a high-speed shell-game that shifts value away from customers and suppliers and toward the firm and its executives:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/19/twiddler/

But how can this be legal? You bought an Echo and explicitly went into its settings to disable remote monitoring of the sounds in your home, and now Amazon – without your permission, against your express wishes – is going to start sending recordings from inside your house to its offices. Isn't that against the law?

Well, you'd think so, but US consumer privacy law is unbelievably backwards. Congress hasn't passed a consumer privacy law since 1988, when the Video Privacy Protection Act banned video store clerks from disclosing which VHS cassettes you brought home. That is the last technological privacy threat that Congress has given any consideration to:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/12/06/privacy-first/#but-not-just-privacy

This privacy vacuum has been filled up with surveillance on an unimaginable scale. Scumbag data-brokers you've never heard of openly boast about having dossiers on 91% of adult internet users, detailing who we are, what we watch, what we read, who we live with, who we follow on social media, what we buy online and offline, where we buy, when we buy, and why we buy:

https://gizmodo.com/data-broker-brags-about-having-highly-detailed-personal-information-on-nearly-all-internet-users-2000575762

To a first approximation, every kind of privacy violation is legal, because the concentrated commercial surveillance industry spends millions lobbying against privacy laws, and those millions are a bargain, because they make billions off the data they harvest with impunity.

Regulatory capture is a function of monopoly. Highly concentrated sectors don't need to engage in "wasteful competition," which leaves them with gigantic profits to spend on lobbying, which is extraordinarily effective, because a sector that is dominated by a handful of firms can easily arrive at a common negotiating position and speak with one voice to the government:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/06/05/regulatory-capture/

Starting with the Carter administration, and accelerating through every subsequent administration except Biden's, America has adopted an explicitly pro-monopoly policy, called the "consumer welfare" antitrust theory. 40 years later, our economy is riddled with monopolies:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/17/monopolies-produce-billionaires/#inequality-corruption-climate-poverty-sweatshops

Every part of this Echo privacy massacre is downstream of that policy choice: "growth stock" narratives about AI, twiddling, DMCA 1201, the Darth Vader MBA, the end of legal privacy protections. These are material things, not ideological ones. They exist to make a very, very small number of people very, very rich.

Your Echo is your property, you paid for it. You paid for the product and you are still the product:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/11/14/luxury-surveillance/#liar-liar

Now, Amazon says that the recordings your Echo will send to its data-centers will be deleted as soon as it's been processed by the AI servers. Amazon's made these claims before, and they were lies. Amazon eventually had to admit that its employees and a menagerie of overseas contractors were secretly given millions of recordings to listen to and make notes on:

https://archive.is/TD90k

And sometimes, Amazon just sent these recordings to random people on the internet:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2018/12/20/amazon-alexa-user-receives-audio-recordings-stranger-through-human-error/

Fool me once, etc. I will bet you a testicle* that Amazon will eventually have to admit that the recordings it harvests to feed its AI are also being retained and listened to by employees, contractors, and, possibly, randos on the internet.

*Not one of mine

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/03/15/altering-the-deal/#telescreen

Image: Stock Catalog/https://www.quotecatalog.com (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alexa_%2840770465691%29.jpg

Sam Howzit (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SWC_6_-_Darth_Vader_Costume_(7865106344).jpg

CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

[cohoai]

Micro Segmentation Marketing - Coho Ai

What are the four micro-segmentation variables?

The Four Micro-Segmentation Variables

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Demographic Segmentation: This involves dividing the market based on demographic factors such as age, gender, income, education, and family size. Demographic segmentation helps in understanding who the customers are, enabling marketers to create messages that resonate with different demographic groups.

Psychographic Segmentation: Psychographic segmentation focuses on dividing the market based on psychological and lifestyle characteristics. It takes into account factors such as personality traits, values, interests, attitudes, and opinions. Psychographic segmentation helps in understanding the motivations and preferences of customers, allowing marketers to tailor their messaging and offerings accordingly.

Behavioral Segmentation: Behavioral segmentation divides the market based on customer behavior, including their purchasing patterns, usage habits, brand loyalty, and response to marketing stimuli. By analyzing customer behavior, marketers can identify different segments and develop targeted marketing strategies to effectively engage and retain customers.

Geographic Segmentation: Geographic segmentation involves dividing the market based on geographic factors such as location, climate, population density, and cultural preferences. This type of segmentation helps in understanding the specific needs and preferences of customers in different regions, allowing marketers to customize their offerings and marketing messages accordingly.

These four micro-segmentation variables provide marketers with a more detailed understanding of their customers, enabling them to create personalized marketing strategies that maximize the effectiveness of their interactions with each customer segment.

[dameluthas]

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[xpbrandai]

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Empower your brand with data-driven decisions. Our comprehensive market research platform equips you with the tools to gather valuable insights, understand your target audience, and optimize your strategies. Conduct surveys, analyze trends, and gain a competitive edge. Stop guessing, start knowing. Visit XP Brand today and discover the power of market research.

[technologyequality]

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