There are many ways, most of them slightly stalker-ish, that companies can utilize data to market to their customers or targeted customers. Everyone who goes online sees those personalized side ads while browsing the internet. Companies are getting smarter and smarter when it comes to using tracking of different trends. Companies can use what type of vehicle you drive, what magazine subscriptions you have, what your salary is, and if you have children as well as many more categories to sell their products and services to people who are most likely to buy what they offer. Advertising is expensive, modern companies don’t need to waste money advertising to people who probably won’t buy what they’re selling.

Amazon tracks what you buy, heck it tracks what everybody buys, and uses that data to try and sell you things they think you like. Bought an espresso machine lately? Amazon will probably try to sell you a frothing pitcher or a tamper (I didn’t know that’s what they call the thing that is used for compacting the espresso).

Music services, such as Pandora, Songza, or Spotify, try and cater to your tastes by playing the music you like and not the stuff you don’t, not always correctly. Music services bet that you will like the music they are offering you so much that you will buy the premium version, or click on their ads to make money.

All these ways that your spending habits and personal tastes can be tracked feels a bit like Big Brother is watching. Although with the demand for faster and more personalized service are these companies just giving us what we’re asking for?

My mom told me she has received no fewer than 12 Land’s End catalogs this month.