Buh? Double buh?

[firefly124]

So, I got this email from Amazon:

We've noticed that customers who have purchased or rated The Witches' Goddess: The Feminine Principle of Divinity by Stewart Farrar have also purchased Generation Hex: Understanding the Subtle Dangers of Wicca by Marla Alupoaicei. For this reason, you might like to know that Generation Hex: Understanding the

Comments

[firefly124]

Yeah, their attempts to link up interests clearly have some gaping holes in the "logic" department. *rolls eyes*

[bambu345]

I'm having a little difficulty articulating a response to this. I'm rather shocked by Amazon's marketing strategy: 'How to alienate non-Christian customers in one stroke.'

And a Happy Lammas to you too!

[firefly124]

While I doubt it's deliberate, probably just an incompetent 'bot matching up keywords or something, yes, it is a bit alienating. I'm trying to work out how to explain to them the backfire-y nature of this "strategy."

Though elfwreck came up with a rather emphatic possible response to it on my IJ, which is amusing to consider even though it wouldn't be my style at all.

Thanks!

[bambu345]

I'm sure it's not deliberate, but it is certainly offensive. elfwreck's idea is extremely amusing, but perhaps a little like throwing gasoline on an open flame. Although I think if you were going in that direction, you could mention civil rights violations in your letter to Amazon, just to work them up a bit!

In any event, I trust your holiday will be a pleasant one. We're having corn and steak and fresh bread tonight to celebrate the earliest of the harvest festivals.

[elfwreck]

It's part of a general strategy. You know the concept, "never attribute to malice what can adequately be explained by stupidity?" For corporate situations, I try, "when faced with abject stupidity, make accusations of malice."

It leaves them struggling to say, "Oh no! We intended no offense! We're not trying to be mean, vicious and discriminatory--we're just completely clueless about our market demographics!"

Which is always an entertaining thing to see in print.

[mundungus42]

Reason number 4,459,551 humans will never be 100% replaced by machines.

[firefly124]

Amen! ;-)

[laiksmarei]

Oh, come on now. I know good and well you were frothing, simply frothing to buy it.

[firefly124]

Er, yes. Frothing. Just the word I was looking for.

Perfect icon.

[hogwartshoney]

You're probably right about the 'pagan' and 'religion' tags. Since it's all computer-generated anyway, nobody's gonna say "Um, nope, I don't think she'd REALLY enjoy this book"

[firefly124]

Yeah. Stupid as it is, if there were a live person involved, I doubt it would've gone through.