Attention, Shoppers: Store Is Tracking Your Cell

[TechMan]

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/15/business/attention-shopper-stores-are-tracking-your-cell.html?_r=0

RetailNext, based in San Jose, Calif., adds data from shoppers’ smartphones to deduce even more specific patterns. If a shopper’s phone is set to look for Wi-Fi networks, a store that offers Wi-Fi can pinpoint where the shopper is in the store, within a 10-foot radius, even if the shopper does not connect to the network, said Tim Callan, RetailNext’s chief marketing officer.

They are also using video analytics to analyze customer traffic through the store and in front of the store.  Brick & Motor stores are trying to play catch up with the likes of Amazon.

[Harold Tuttle]

the walmart app is pretty good and would be better if users had access to wifi in store.

[dogmush]

Sounds like a smart move by stores. At least until the customers get creeped out.

The creepy thing isn’t the privacy violation, it’s how much they can infer,” said Bradley Voytek, a neuroscientist who had stopped in at Philz Coffee in Berkeley, Calif. Philz uses technology from Euclid Analytics, of Palo Alto, Calif., the company that worked on the Nordstrom experiment, to measure the signals between a smartphone and a Wi-Fi antenna to count how many people walk by a store and how many enter.

I wonder if that feeling extended to the email meta data.

[AZRedhawk44]

Effers.

Knock this shyt off, and why don't you spend the money actually manning the 4,387 cash registers you have up front but never seem to have any open except the "do it your damned self because we're too lazy to do it for you" row.  You might get a little more customer loyalty out of me that way.

FWIW, I have NoScript and a few other plugins on my browser to stop FacebookGoogleAmazonBing from tracking the heck out of my online shopping, too.  And I no longer use my Safeway/Frys/etc loyalty cards.

[Ben]

And I no longer use my Safeway/Frys/etc loyalty cards.

No reason not to use the loyalty cards for the discounts at the register. Mine are all registered under Homer Simpson where they want a name, and my phone number is 438-2368 (get-bent).

[TechMan]

No reason not to use the loyalty cards for the discounts at the register. Mine are all registered under Homer Simpson where they want a name, and my phone number is 438-2368 (get-bent).

I like it.  But from what I understand, even if you don't have a loyalty card some stores (e.g. HomeDepot) are building a profile on you from your credit card.

[charby]

No reason not to use the loyalty cards for the discounts at the register. Mine are all registered under Homer Simpson where they want a name, and my phone number is 438-2368 (get-bent).

I love my HyVee loyalty card (Iowa grocery chain), I filled up my truck last night and saved $0.57 a gallon with accumulated points.

[Ben]

I like it.  But from what I understand, even if you don't have a loyalty card some stores (e.g. HomeDepot) are building a profile on you from your credit card.

Yup. And the problem for me becomes I get sucked into some of the rewards stuff, like with my Cabelas card. While I still pay cash for a lot of in-person transactions (like the grocery store), a lot of the time I look at buying a big ticket item as getting a free box of ammo when I use the Cabelas card. Then some places, like Costco, it doesn't matter because your Costco card already tracks you, so no reason not to use the AMEX and get points on it.

[mtnbkr]

I bought a gun with the rewards from my Cabelas card. :D

Chris

[Tallpine]

I like it.  But from what I understand, even if you don't have a loyalty card some stores (e.g. HomeDepot) are building a profile on you from your credit card.

We are more and more just paying cash at stores 

Mostly use c/c just for gas at the pump.

[Jamisjockey]

Meh.  Businesses are in business to make money.  If tracking cellphones in the store is a way for them to figure out spending or research habits and make money, why wouldn't they try it? 
You could always oh, I don't know, not use the phone in the store.

[charby]

Meh.  Businesses are in business to make money.  If tracking cellphones in the store is a way for them to figure out spending or research habits and make money, why wouldn't they try it? 
You could always oh, I don't know, not use the phone in the store.

or give up your smartphone and go back to a dumb phone, or just ditch the cell phone and have a landline.

[Jamisjockey]

or give up your smartphone and go back to a dumb phone, or just ditch the cell phone and have a landline.

Smartphone is a super handy gadget.  Of course, it comes with an "off" button....

Besides, kind of hard to randomly harass black teenagers walking through your neighborhood if you've got a landline.   

[Gewehr98]

Walmart does more than that.

If you send photos via email to their photo printing service, when you purchase something with your credit/ATM card, you'll sometimes get emails at home recommending similar items to what you just bought.   

[Hawkmoon]

I like it.  But from what I understand, even if you don't have a loyalty card some stores (e.g. HomeDepot) are building a profile on you from your credit card.

Which is why I pay cash, except for VERY large purchases.

So far, at least, most retail stores still accept that old-fashioned, green-tinted paper stuff.

[BlueStarLizzard]

I pay in cash except gas and online.

But I use the Food Lion discount card dohiky all the time. That one tracks and you get cupons at the register for stuff you've bought in the past and stuff they think you'll like.
Since I've become a halfway regular cupon shopper, I like that.

I think there are enough ways to thwart the instore tracking systems that it doesn't bother me so much.

[vaskidmark]

Nobody wants to spend $7.95 + shipping? 
http://www.amazon.com/Crime-Scene-Mobile-Phone-Blocking/dp/B00AIJ9OYG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1374011069&sr=8-3&keywords=faraday+bag

If you look you can find them for $0.99 from Chinas with free shipping.  I ordered a bunch and shared them with folks I know.  We're guessing that if they block cell signals going in they block them going out.  And your battery tends not to run down as fast when you use one.

"Honest, <name of significant individual wanting to know why you did not answer their call>.  It was turned on, and the battery is still good, see?  Have you checked your phone?"

stay safe.

[Scout26]

Meh,  They ain't the .gov, so as long as they aren't passing on data to the .gov, I could care less.

I mean, at least every other day I get some junk mail/flyers/advertising in my mail box.  Getting the occasional e-mail with a recipe and coupons for the items to said recipe from Jewel/Dominick's is not something I'm going to fret about.

I mostly use my debt card as it's quick and easy for gas and groceries.  But I still use cash for most everything else.

And Jewel is ditching their card.  They think it's better to go with the Aldi model.  (Low prices, no gimmicks.)
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-06-28/business/chi-jewel-preferred-card-20130628_1_jewel-spokeswoman-christine-wilcox-card-free-savings-barrington-based-willard-bishop

[Jamisjockey]

You can lie through your teeth on those stupid discount cards.  Some don't even require activation.
My phone number is always (area) 867-5309 on them.  Last card I got was a CVS card, and I put Barry Sotero as my name, 1600 Penn ave....

[T.O.M.]

If the folks in the Krogers company want to track where I go in their storw, or what I buy, or how long I was in their potty, I just don't care.  So, I buy a six pack of beer with the rewards card and my credit card, and they give me a coupon or stock more of that beer. How do I lose?

To be honest, outside of my home, I don't care if people watch what I do, where I go, or what I buy.  Nothing to hide. 

Oh, did I mention that I could be carrying up to 2 cells at a time, andnthe second could be one of three different numbers.  And I often shop for my wife buying make up and feminine hygiene products.  Have fun tracking, boys. 

[TechMan]

You can lie through your teeth on those stupid discount cards.  Some don't even require activation.
My phone number is always (area) 867-5309 on them.  Last card I got was a CVS card, and I put Barry Sotero as my name, 1600 Penn ave....

So how is cousin Barry doing these days (besides inflaming racial tensions)?