Amazon annoying

Not so much a security issue, but feels like an invasion of privacy.
I know there's plenty of tracking stuff, but this is the most direct type of marketing 'intrusion' I've seen.

Twice in the past week, I've been searching through specific items on Ebay UK, and within 24-48 hours, get an email from Amazon UK promoting the same type of items!

How are they getting this information about my searches on Ebay - are Ebay allowing Amazon to pick up net identifiable info re peoples search details?

Never had this & I use both.

You sure it's pukka Amazon emails?

Yes, they certainly appear to be so.
I haven't clicked on any of the listed items in tonights email, but did a few days ago with different items - definitely Amazon.

Never had this myself before either and been using both for years.

Recently had an issue where the IE9 back button wasn't working on a couple of sites and a search showed some other people having the same problem, so was able to find solutions: one was google ad stuff inbetween the page I was viewing and the previous page, and the other one was a pinterest ad thing in the same position. Used the Windows tracking protection for the Google one and added the pinterest one to the blocked list.
Worked fine for both and had no further issues.

Just wondered if this Amazon/Ebay thing is something similar that gleans info.
I suppose it could be two creepy coincidences ...I'll see if it happens again.

I use both too. I only get receipts and despatch notices from Amazon. I would check the emails very carefully.

OK I will.
All the header info looks genuine on tonights, and with the first one I did click on one of the listed items ..took me straight to Amazon.

I deleted the first one though - it annoyed me in the same way unsolicited phone calls do

In reply to a post by TrishaH:

I haven't clicked on any of the listed items in tonight's email, but did a few days ago with different items - definitely Amazon.

It's one thing for a link in an email to point at Amazon (anyone can construct such) and another for the email to be actually sent by Amazon (& even that can be forged).

For all you know a seller on eBay is also on Amazon Marketplace and somehow got hold of your email addy and is advertising his wares. Were those links you clicked on for Marketplace items? I'm lucky in that I can use unique email addys for each site and so identify the source of where they got my addy.

If you like, PM me with the email headers and I'll see if I can make out anything.

I'm not sure that it will help in this case but you should consider using DNT+.

Thanks.
I use the same email address for both, but different passwords, so email could be used.
I'll send the header info in a PM.

Thanks - I've bookmarked that

Is Microsoft Tracking Protection not too good?

Many major organisations are committed to ignore MS's institution of DNT because of petty arguments over default settings. However, those organisations realise that installation of DNT+ is, by default, a user choice and so have agreed to respect that choice.

Edited by Deadbeat (Tue 26-Feb-13 18:13:40)

Thanks!

Sorry, can't see anything obviously wrong with the email. It would certainly seem to be sent from a proper Amazon addy, [email protected] via their own SMTP, but as I say these can be forged.

You haven't joined any campaigns, have you?

Interesting that item is being sold by the same seller, Wayfair, on both eBay & Amazon. Wonder if they have something to do with it. Anyway I have browsed it on both, so will see if I get an email & to which email addy.

Edited by XRaySpeX (Tue 26-Feb-13 19:26:54)

Campaigns? Not sure what those are, so probably not
I have nothing to do with any social networking etc.

Interesting what you say about the same seller of those being on both sites!

I don't have the first one, but I'd been looking at a particular brand of trackpants on the manufacturers Ebay shop, then got an Amazon email a day or so later but it had the same make plus others included. I deleted it because it annoyed me

Something else that I find a bit irritating, particularly because it's a company I respect, is the fact that if I look at things on John Lewis's site but don't buy anything, I've occasionally had an email thanking me for visiting their site and showing some of their new stock items!
I don't think I logged in on every occasion, but it does feel a little annoying even if it's perhaps only an automated system.
I think if it happens again, I'll get in touch and tell them I don't find it in keeping with their standards.

Again I've never had anything like that from John Lewis and I browse them a lot, but hardly ever logged in so they won't know my email. Whereas at Amazon & eBay I am invariably signed in. Cuz from those I can only buy online, while with JLP I go to the local store for the items & prices I researched online.

By "Campaign" I was just going by the Amazon From: addy and wondered if it meant some sort of marketing campaign you may have signed up for.

Edited by XRaySpeX (Wed 27-Feb-13 00:34:04)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.htm...

Which bit you referring to?

Ah! I've purchased from JL's site ever since it appeared ..we don't have a store nearby.

I still like them a lot though, but if it happens again, I'll tell them I don't care for the practice.
They seem to have their new site up now, so perhaps it's set up a bit differently and won't make such scrutiny obvious.

No, not signed up to any marketing stuff from Amazon.
I tend to delete marketing emails without reading them unless I'm particularly interested.

Thanks.
There's a lot on that page and it's late ...is it a specific section - I'll read it tomorrow

If it's any help... I too am seeing the same thing as well!

In reply to a post by TrishaH:

...is it a specific section.....

Usage.... And the link to their privacy policy.

Doesn't explain why some get these emails and some don't, and the cross-fertilisation from eBay.

Only Amazon can do that...... But that explanation must fall within the bounds of it's privacy policy. Personally, the only emails that I ever receive from Amazon are those that are absolutely necessary to carry out transactions but I am very careful about the boxes that I tick.

The best that I can suggest here for the moment is to install DNT+ and see if that helps.

I went to look at the 'usage' and privacy policy stuff (Thanks Deadbeat!) and these paragraphs are interesting:

Automatic Information: we receive and store certain types of information whenever you interact with us. For example, like many websites, we use "cookies" and we obtain certain types of information when your Web browser accesses Amazon.co.uk or advertisements and other content served by or on behalf of Amazon.co.uk on other Web sites. Click here to see examples of the information we receive.

Automatic Information

Examples of the information we collect and analyse include: the Internet protocol (IP) address used to connect your computer to the Internet; login; e-mail address; password; computer and connection information such as browser type and version; and time zone setting, browser plug-in types and versions; operating system and platform; purchase history, which we sometimes aggregate with similar information from other customers to create features such as Best Sellers; the full Uniform Resource Locators (URL) clickstream to, through and from our website (including date and time); cookie number; products you viewed or searched for; and any phone number used to call our customer service number. We may also use browser data such as cookies, Flash cookies (also known as Flash Local Shared Objects), or similar data on certain parts of our website for fraud prevention and other purposes. During some visits we may use software tools such as JavaScript to measure and collect session information, including page response times, download errors, length of visits to certain pages, page interaction information (such as scrolling, clicks, and mouse-overs), and methods used to browse away from the page.We may also collect technical information to help us identify your device for fraud prevention and diagnostic purposes

Information from Other Sources

Examples of information we receive from other sources include: updated delivery and address information from our carriers or other third parties, which we use to correct our records and deliver your next purchase or communication more easily; account information, purchase or redemption information and page-view information from some merchants with which we operate co-branded businesses or for which we provide technical, fulfillment, advertising or other services; search term and search result information from some searches conducted through the Web search features offered by our subsidiary, Alexa Internet; search results and links, including paid listings (such as Sponsored Links); and credit history information from credit bureaus, which we use to help prevent and detect fraud and to offer certain credit or financial services to some customers.

To me, it indicates that they do get information from other sites.

I don't ever recall opting to receive marketing emails, and with any site, if there's a button to opt in/out of info sharing, I always opt out.

At least, seeing hypertony gets the same, I'm not the only one seeing this on occasion.

All that's pretty standard and expected; all to do with offering goods and fulfilling your orders.

In reply to a post by TrishaH:

To me, it indicates that they do get information from other sites.

I still don't see how that covers them knowing you browsed eBay. eBay is not a supplier or carrier of your Amazon orders; more a competitor.

I see no button on Amazon to opt out of marketing (looked under My Profile) but then I don't expect one as I never get marketing from them.

I thought it may mean they have partners or associated sellers on Ebay. Can't say I've noticed any Amazon links or otherwise on Ebay, but some companies seem to get everywhere.

I got a marketing email from Amazon earlier - something I've browsed on both sites though, but at the bottom in tiny print, there's a section to unsubscribe:

We hope you enjoyed receiving this message. However, if you'd rather not receive future e-mails of this sort from Amazon.co.uk please opt-out here.

..so I did
It took me to a page on Amazon, and the first button seemed to relate only to the items in the email, but I noticed another button to opt out of all such communications. Next time, I'll use that.

Was it from same Amazon email addy?

I am also seeing the same thing from Halfords too.

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

Was it from same Amazon email addy?

Yes, the same one.

In reply to a post by hypertony:

I am also seeing the same thing from Halfords too.

Must be some sort of information sharing thing we see now and then.

It really does feel like we can do very little without it going on record or noted in some way!

Never got any of those marketing emails despite browsing your item on both sites 3 days ago

Good!

It's not often it happens with me, so perhaps could be a randomly chosen thing ...who knows!
It's obviously not 'dangerous', just irritating.