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Honored Contributor
Posts: 16,226
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Being followed on the Internet

Oh, yes, we are being followed!  Early this morning I clicked onto a site via an email message from a company I do use occasionally.  Nothing in my size on any of the clearance they'd offered, so I went elsewhere.

 

Just now - maybe 2 hours later - I received another email from that company thanking me for visiting their site and suggesting other items I might want to check out.

 

I've had other companies use pop-up ads after I've visited a site, but this was the first time I've ever seen this kind of follow-up in my email.  Just a little eerie even though I know the company.  (Not QVC, btw)

 

 

Frequent Contributor
Posts: 102
Registered: ‎07-22-2015

Re: Being followed on the Internet

This has happened to me a number of times! It is very creepy, IMO. Just last week, I was browsing on a website that I frequently purchase from. I had clicked on a skirt, which was on clearance. Since then, I have received two emails from this company about this skirt!! One said, "Only 9 left!" I think the other one said something like, "Almost gone."

 Smiley Mad

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,958
Registered: ‎09-28-2010

Re: Being followed on the Internet

[ Edited ]

I know HSN and Amazon both do that.  It's never really bothered me.  As far as I know, vendors can only do that if they already have an established relationship with you.

 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,217
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Being followed on the Internet

I often use various shopping sites and will put some items into my shopping cart.  If I don't finish the transaction I will often get an email reminding me that items are in the cart.

 

On Amazon if I look at a few items, they will suggest similar items like it the next time I check the site.  Yes, our activity is monitored.  Nothing is secret online.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 21,067
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Being followed on the Internet

Yes, that has happened to me too.  When I go on a few websites to check out their products I usually get an email within the hour asking if I'm still interested.  Huh.  If I were interested I would have ordered. 

 

I always wondered if this was random or if it happens to everyone.  Now I know --- apparently it's everyone.

"Faith, Hope, Love; the greatest of these is Love." ~The Silver Fox~
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Honored Contributor
Posts: 16,226
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Being followed on the Internet

Thank you all for the responses.  I know nothing on the Internet is secret any more (if it ever was!), but that's the first time I've seen an actual email follow-up to any site search.

 

I guess it doesn't matter how long you've been a non-buyer because it's been at least 5 years and I think more since I actually bought anything from the company that emailed me this AM.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,983
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Being followed on the Internet

Facebook and eBay, Overstock, Land's End all do this.

I'll look at something on one of those websites, then when I'm on FB a post will pop up with a pic of the item I was looking at and the question: still interested?

kind of creepy, but it's a fact of life if you use the internet. I'm sure we are being monitored more closely than we realize.

“All shall be well, and all shall be well and all manner of thing shall be well.” St. Julian of Norwich
Honored Contributor
Posts: 17,654
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Being followed on the Internet

The best idea is to remove cookies after you visit sites so they cannot follow you.

☼The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there. GBShaw☼
Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,665
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Being followed on the Internet

When you get those emails, as soon as you click "show images" it is taking you to that website and tracking you........even if you just read the email and do nothing else with it.

Laura loves cats!
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,408
Registered: ‎01-27-2014

Re: Being followed on the Internet

It really doesn't bother me at all......It's a sales technique and most internet-based companies do this now.