How about, "I've literally got it in my last-day purchase history on eBay and they keep showing me the same thing and a bunch of related stuff to the item that hasn't even arrived yet, but that they've taken my money for"?
... and then eBay follows me around showing the same stuff on other sites. The thing I've purchased. From eBay. At least, they did, until I got more aggressive blocking ads and started using the internet a ton less.
Also likely the app is a totally different team and getting them to change a link is difficult, but giving them a link where the web team can change the redirect is easy.
Genius.
(I'm only being half-facetious)
Interesting idea. Probably still would be cheaper than paying 30% tax to Apple.
Like, I’m the opposite of interested in buying it, I’m trying to get rid of it.
I've often bought stuff that didn't work for some reason. It was broken, or it had something that was bothering me. Maybe the power adapter was annoyingly loud (looking at you, Kyocera).
So I sent it back. But before I managed to go to the postal office a few days later I was already searching for a replacement online.
If I buy a TV set, I have indicated that I need/want a TV set. The rate of returns is broadly known (and maybe even specifically for me the return rate is known).
So Amazon et. al. do well to recommend similar stuff or things from the exact same product category to me.
Even right after I have bought a graphics tablet I'm infinitely more likely to buy a graphics tablet tomorrow, compared to my parents who have never bought one in their lives, and never will.
Or maybe the new TV turns out to be great, and I realize it would be nice to have a second one in my sleeping room, and why not buy a third one for the bathroom? ;-)
While plausible, that sort of situation doesn't sound common enough that it should underpin the entire online advertising industry.
Even right after I have bought a graphics tablet I'm infinitely more likely to buy a graphics tablet tomorrow, compared to my parents who have never bought one in their lives, and never will.
But you're more likely still to buy another stylus, or art software, or an accessory, or physical art materials, etc. Why don't advertisers understand that?
I still maintain that people who have bought a TV yesterday are more likely to buy a TV today than people who haven't bought a TV yesterday. Very few people buy a TV today. Or in the coming days.
It seems like a straightforward application of the base rate fallacy. Sure, most people who bought the TV yesterday keep their TV and don't need a second one.
But unless you have specific information about other people's interest in buying one, they may still be your best shot at selling another one.
Also, both you and sibling commenter argue as if there were a scarcity of ads. Amazon showing me a TV ad doesn't preclude Amazon from showing me a kitchen utensil ad on the next page.
And it is completely at odds with how I buy things. Or how people I know buy things.
> I still maintain that people who have bought a TV yesterday are more likely to buy a TV today than people who haven't bought a TV yesterday.
I never ever seen anyone buy second TV shortly after buying first one. Never.
> Amazon showing me a TV ad doesn't preclude Amazon from showing me a kitchen utensil ad on the next page.
I get monothematic ads. There is always that one thing that follows me everywhere. I don't get mix of ads. It is as if their system thought I buy only shoes. Or only TV.
I simply cannot believe that this superficially irrational behaviour is as irrational as always asserted on HN.
The big companies are spending a gazillion dollars on ad tech, and while I believe that there is lots of stupid money floating around, I don't believe it's so obviously irrational. Just look at behavioral biology or psychology how much of seemingly irrational or downright stupid behaviour makes a lot of sense when you find the right vantage point.
Unfortunately, there will probably nobody come forward and tell us how it really is, so we can only speculate and build our own pet theories.
Yes, but those tend to make you notice that "yep I have actually seen this". This one does not make me think that. Not when it comes to TVs, chairs, beds or other durable items. If we talked about beer or chocolate, sure. Someone who bought beer might want to buy exact same beer.
Someone who bought book might want to buy another book. But, not that exact same book again, that person might want to buy another similar book. With TV, no, nope.
For example, sometimes for suppression brands literally just export a csv of customers and upload it to google. If your marketing guy does it once a week..
I’d assume eBay’s doesn’t work like that, but it’s possible. Also possible they just don’t suppress recently bought items !