Amazon customers are learning just how much the shopping platform knows about their preferences.
Amazon rolled out a beta version of its "About You" personalization feature in May. A dedicated page available on an Amazon member's account, the feature highlights shopping recommendations, by category, based on a member's search and purchase history. These categories include home and family, brands, interests and hobbies, departments, and product preferences.
The more a customer utilizes Amazon, the more specific the About You preferences are. Customers have taken to social media to share their About You pages, with some showcasing broader preferences, like "grocery and household staples," while others have more specific notes, like frequently-purchased
food and drink items or even the brand of smartphone or computer the customer uses.
Amazon's About You preferences cannot be turned off, but users can delete or refine them to give Amazon a better idea of what products they are drawn to (or dislike).
Interested in seeing what your Amazon About You says? Here's what to know about accessing the feature.
How to see Amazon 'About You'
To access the Amazon About You page on desktop, take the following steps:
- Visit amazon.com.
- Click Account & Lists in the upper right-hand corner.
- Scroll down and click "About You" under ordering and shopping preferences.
To access the Amazon About You page on mobile, take the following steps:
- Open the Amazon mobile app.
- Click the profile icon on the bottom of the screen.
- Click Account.
- Scroll down and click "About You" under Account Settings.
How to turn off Amazon's About You feature
Amazon's About You feature cannot be turned off, but users can edit and delete preferences associated with accounts.
See USA TODAY reporters analyze Amazon preferences
A handful of USA TODAY reporters took a look at their Amazon About You pages and for the most part, the preferences were accurate.
Trending reporter Melina Khan said her page was "humbling" because her love for energy drinks and coffee was mentioned in several categories. Her About You page also flagged an interest in gardening, which Khan said may be because she purchased garden supplies for a friend's birthday present once on Amazon.
Colleague Mike Snider's preferences outlined a heightened interest in music, including an "actively expanding music collection" via "premium audio formats and special editions."
"That definitely tracks, to my wife's dismay," Snider said.
But on the flip, Snider said his About You page also mentioned the brand Dave's Killer Bread.
"I happened to buy it once, I think, to try it. I'm more of a Pepperidge Farm Deli Swirl guy," he said.
Amazon users show off About You preferences
TikTok creator Shiray Cruz shared a look at her About You page on Sept. 3. Her preferences include, "prefers protein supplements with specific nutritional profile," which she said makes sense because she purchases Premier Protein powder from Amazon regularly. Other preferences on her account include, "appears to systemically maintain and upgrade vehicles" and "prioritizes themed children's celebrations."
In a recent TikTok video, content creator Emily Yoder said some of her About You preferences were spot on, while others were pretty far off. Her more accurate preferences included "hosted weddings" and "maintains coffee customization routine," which Yoder said made sense because she previously managed a wedding decor rental business and frequently orders coffee products from Amazon.
But for those that felt a bit devoid of reality, Yoder said one of her preferences is "goes kayaking regularly," which she found humorous because she has never kayaked before.
On the other end of the spectrum, TikTok creator kilameljaro shared her preferences in a recent video, which were much more brand-specific. Her About You preferences include Google Pixel devices, which she owns; prefers Yankee Candles and Devon Melts; Diet Coke products; and L'Oreal Paris Elvive haircare products.
What data does Amazon collect to personalize a user's About You?
According to Amazon's Privacy Notice, the company collects three types of information to personalize a user's experience:
- Information a user provides: Such as a user's name, contact information, address and bank account
- Automatic information: How users interact with products, content and services available through Amazon via "cookies" and "certain types of information" when a user's web browser or device accesses Amazon.
- Information from other sources: Such as updated delivery address information from carriers
Why does Amazon collect this data?
Amazon collects user data to process purchases and deliveries; provide tailored recommendations; provide voice, image and camera services; offer troubleshooting services; display interest-based advertisements; communicate with users via phone, email or chat; and detect and prevent fraud and credit risks, according to Amazon's Privacy Notice.
Our team of savvy editors independently handpicks all recommendations. If you make a purchase through our links, we may earn a commission. Deals and coupons were accurate at the time of publication but may change.
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: We checked what dirt Amazon has on us based on purchase history
