I love Amazon. Scratch that. I adore Amazon. Amazon knows me. Intimately. They know what I want, what I already have, what I like, what I hate, what I need and what I my heart desires (but for some stupid reason is saving up for a more special occasion than right now). Amazon knows more about the stuff I want for my birthday and Christmas than my boyfriend, family or close friends. Amazon listens to me. Amazon wants to know. Amazon cares. Or at least they make me feel like they do.
Amazon is always happy for me to hang out and browse their store. Over the years they have learned what I bought, what rating I gave the stuff I bought, and cross-referenced it with other users’ profiles who have bought and rated the same stuff. That way they can tell me that “people who bought Frasier Season 4 also bought Seinfeld Seasons 1and 2”. And what do you know? I like Seinfeld Seasons 1 and 2. Not enough to have bought it just yet, but I like it. I’d be happy if I got it as a present (hint, hint, friends, family – boyfriend has got to do better). I don’t like Cheers! enough to buy it though (another recommendation from Amazon). But then I can tell Amazon that, and they will never bring it up again. Unless I change my mind of course…
Amazon is a great example of a web 2.0 site. It pays attention to what its users want. It learns their preferences and customizes its content accordingly. It also cross-references your profile with “people like you” and shows you what they like. It might just direct your interest to something you didn’t even know existed, and you might buy it and cherish it! Amazon is one of the giants that successfully incorporates web 2.0 and Social Media features and has helped to make these features mainstream. It is leveraging its communities’ likings to facilitate sales.
Ah yes, sales. Of course I know that Amazon primarily wants to sell me stuff, but I appreciate how it does that. It makes me feel welcome. It’s like my own library, and if it or I find something for me that I really like I will buy it from them.
Next up: find out what my ode to Amazon makes me. Stay tuned!
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