Amazon's new brick-and-mortar bookstore still uses data to target you
This isn't your average bookstore, but that's because it's run by Amazon. The online retail empire, which has been a detriment to physical bookstores practically since its inception, has gone back to the basics by setting up an actual brick-and-mortar shop in Seattle, the first of its kind. However, unlike the independent bookstores that folded because of the rise of online retail, Amazon Books plans to use data to outsmart and outperform its physical competitors, The Seattle Times reports.
And while yes, there are actually books in the store, Amazon Books runs its ship a little differently than, say, Barnes & Noble. Some sections are curated using online ratings ("Award Winners, 4.5 Stars & Above"), online customer reviews are displayed below books to recommend titles, and every book will face outward, rather than being lined up with just the spines showing. And that's not to mention the prices, which will fluctuate to stay in line withe online shop.
Then there's the data, which is part of what made Amazon so successful in the first place. Even though Amazon Books is a physical store, the books on display are, in part, decided by algorithms that have a pretty good guess as to how you are going to shop. For example, Amazon Books will use data to select titles that appeal to Seattle shoppers and put those books on display. Customer shopping habits will also be analyzed to give Amazon Books a leg up on its competition.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"It's data with heart. We're taking the data we have and we're creating physical places with it," vice president of Amazon Books Jennifer Cast said.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
'Make legal immigration a more plausible option'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
LA-to-Las Vegas high-speed rail line breaks ground
Speed Read The railway will be ready as soon as 2028
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel's military intelligence chief resigns
Speed Read Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva is the first leader to quit for failing to prevent the Hamas attack in October
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Empty-nest boomers aren't selling their big homes
Speed Read Most Americans 60 and older do not intend to move, according to a recent survey
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Brazil accuses Musk of 'disinformation campaign'
Speed Read A Brazilian Supreme Court judge has opened an inquiry into Elon Musk and X
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Disney board fends off Peltz infiltration bid
Speed Read Disney CEO Bob Iger has defeated activist investor Nelson Peltz in a contentious proxy battle
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Disney and DeSantis reach detente
Speed Read The Florida governor and Disney settle a yearslong litigation over control of the tourism district
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Visa and Mastercard agree to lower swipe fees
Speed Read The companies will cap the fees they charge businesses when customers use their credit cards
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Reddit IPO values social media site at $6.4 billion
Speed Read The company makes its public debut on the New York Stock Exchange
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Housing costs: the root of US economic malaise?
speed read Many voters are troubled by the housing affordability crisis
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Feds cap credit card late fees at $8
speed read The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule to save households an estimated $10 billion a year
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published