Amazon seems to have pioneered the use of social feedback to drive product sales

Sample Solution

  Do you look at the user ratings? Yes, I always look at the user ratings when I'm considering purchasing a product on Amazon. I find that the user ratings are a helpful way to get an idea of how other people have liked the product. I also like to read the specific positive and negative reviews to get a better sense of what the product is like.

Full Answer Section

  One of the key principles behind the concept of social computing is the collection of data about customers. Yes, I agree that the collection of data about customers is one of the key principles behind the concept of social computing. This data can include a variety of information, such as which products the individual viewed, how many times, what else they viewed in relation to the first product, and so on. This data can be used by businesses to improve their products and services, to target their marketing, and to make better decisions about how to allocate their resources. Consider a recent purchase you have made online. Which data do you think was collected about you and your purchase? I recently purchased a new pair of shoes online. I think the business collected the following data about me and my purchase:

• My name, email address, and shipping address
• The product I purchased
• The price I paid
• The date and time of my purchase
• The IP address of my computer
• The browser I was using
• The pages I visited on the website before making my purchase

How do you think the business can use that information? The business can use the information they collected about me and my purchase in a number of ways. For example, they can use it to:

• Send me marketing emails about other products they think I might be interested in
• Target me with ads on other websites
• Improve the product page for the shoes I purchased
• Make better decisions about how to allocate their resources

Do you think that customer data like this is a commodity that can be sold? Yes, I think customer data like this is a commodity that can be sold. Businesses often sell this data to third-party companies who use it for marketing purposes. What concerns does this raise? There are a number of concerns that people have about the collection and sale of customer data. Some of these concerns include:

• Privacy: People are concerned about their privacy and how their data is being used.
• Security: People are concerned about the security of their data and whether it could be hacked or misused.
• Discrimination: People are concerned that their data could be used to discriminate against them.

I think it's important for businesses to be transparent about how they collect and use customer data. They should also take steps to protect the security of this data.