‘This is the info they’ve always had on us’: KIRO hosts explore how Amazon uses shopping habits to build customer profiles

Amazon’s “About You” feature lets shoppers see and edit the personal details and preferences the company uses to shape product recommendations. Amazon said those recommendations draw on purchase history, searches, reviews, lists, and conversations with its shopping assistant.

During “The John Curley Show” on KIRO Newsradio, fill-in hosts Angela Poe Russell and Jim Dever questioned how Amazon purchases became descriptions of both their households.

“We knew they were kind of, because we’re buying all this stuff, but it’s like they’re putting the pieces together,” Angela said.

Angela finds a nearly accurate guess about her daughter

Angela described the page’s assessment of her family and interests.

“How do you all feel about them taking what you buy and coming up with a profile?” Angela said. “On mine, for example, it basically guessed, assumed that I had one child, which I have two, but see, one has lived with me by herself for the last couple of years.

“They predicted she was 17; she’s 18, but they were pretty close,” she added. “They predicted that I like to cook Italian and that I like to bake.”

Angela returned to the distinction between a list of purchases and conclusions drawn from them.

“I feel like it puts pieces together in a way,” Angela said. “The fact you’re like, oh, you have a kid, and they’re about this age.”

Jim’s shared account mixes household preferences

Jim said his page included categories for home and family, brands, hobbies, and shopping departments.

“Here’s the problem with mine. My account is shared with my wife,” Jim said. “Home beverage equipment. I’m like, what home beverage equipment? I don’t even drink coffee, but my wife does.”

He also found a reference to a home workout setup.

“Most of this is not me. For instance, when it says likely has a home workout setup, that’s my wife,” Jim said. “She has the home workout setup.”

Another entry drew a similar response.

“Product preferences favor Korean skincare products. I have a feeling that’s mixing me up with somebody else in my household because I don’t have skincare products,” Jim said. “Very interesting how you can see what they’re trying to do. This is the information they’ve always had on us. It’s just that now they’re willing to share a little bit of it, I guess.”

How to find Amazon’s ‘About You’ page

Mobile users can open their profile tab, select their name, and tap “About You.” On desktop, shoppers can select their profile through the Account & Lists area and open “About You.” The company said users can update details or remove information they do not want used for shopping recommendations.

For Jim, the shared account explained some of the unexpected combinations he found.

“They’re very confused, though, when you have a joint account. They get very, very confused,” Jim said. “Likes power tools and Korean skincare products.”

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to “The John Curley Show” weekdays from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM.

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