Reading responses 5 out of 5
# 1. Mar 27 Fri - Bemused
When buying most products on Amazon, users can find recommendations or bundle ideas that they may feel inclined to include in their shopping carts. 9 times out of 10, I ignore this feature. I am not a victim of dynamic pricing and pretty bundles. That is because many online shopping enthusiasts infer that there will *always* be a better substitute than the ones the platform gives you, no matter the season. In Absurdities: "Elegant Design-Just for Her", Reagle (2015) points their mouse at a combination of frequently bought items, “men’s khaki pants ‘because you rated Star Wars Trilogy’. Other product recommendations that come by the way of Star Wars include a twelve-cup programmable coffeemaker and a nose and ear hair groomer (Reagle, 2015).” Interestingly enough, a persona has been made of the type of customer who either watches Star Wars or regularly wears business casual.

Recommending a nose and ear hair groomer is not so amusing to me (it is actually); it is the that a large company markets on consumer identity through targeting and segmenting. Not to mention, they were frameworks from my MKTG 2201 class that were highly memorable; it makes me think more about how consumers are treated on the other side of the screen. On one side, we have online users laughing together at crazy reviews, but on the other side lie firms broadly categorizing their customers. By tracking purchase history and what items similar customers are buying, companies like Amazon can analyze that data and turn anyone into a cart that needs to be filled with useless junk (I am not calling the Star Wars trilogy useless junk, as my father is an avid fan of the franchise). But on that note, when that marketing logic becomes apparent in a feature that is recommended to customers, humor also gains visibility in that as well. In this way, the "bemusement" that Reagle (2015) describes is not only about humorous combinations and comments, but also about the unexpected assumptions that are made about us, the consumer.