Amazon Builds Shopper Profiles: How to See What It Thinks of You
Amazon builds a list of assumptions about each customer based on purchases. One Threads user found that it assumed she has “flat buttocks,” and her post quickly drew a large number of views.
It is no secret that Amazon gathers data on customers from what they buy. Frequent cat litter orders suggest a cat owner, and lots of anti-acne products hint at breakouts. Even so, seeing these assumptions collected in one tidy list can be a shock, particularly when some of them turn out to be quite personal.
A Threads user, @fangirlinmegan, opened the relevant section of her Amazon settings and found harmless guesses, such as that she shops in women's departments and probably owns a Shark robot vacuum, next to a far more intimate one: that she “has flat buttocks.” She wrote that she was speechless. The post passed a million views in under a day, and many viewers wanted to see what Amazon had inferred about them.
How to find your profile
On desktop, hover over the “Hello, [your name]” greeting in the upper right corner and choose “Account” under “Your Account.” In the “Ordering and shopping preferences” section, click “Your Shopping preferences.” You can add your own details there, such as shoe size, interests and dietary preferences. At the bottom of the page is a blue link, “Manage your information,” which shows what Amazon has inferred.
In the mobile app, tap the hamburger icon in the bottom menu bar, then go to “Account,” “Shopping preferences” and “About you.”
What the TechCrunch writer found
Amazon correctly concluded that the article's author practices photography, plays collectible card games and is invested in the Apple ecosystem. It also noted that she reads diverse non-fiction. Colleagues' profiles listed interests in vinyl records and ceramics, a preference for natural materials in home decor, and clothing that prioritizes comfort.
None had anything as startling as the Threads user's entry. She suggested it likely stemmed from her purchase of butt scrunch leggings.
