Sharing isn’t always caring

Last week, my babysitter arrived at the house to watch the IT kids.  I asked her if her new purple ski jacket had arrived.  I was greeted with a huge “HUH?” and “How did you know I bought a purple ski jacket?”

Oh, she didn’t just buy a purple ski jacket, she bought two other iteams as well.  From Overstock.com.  And how did I know?  She told me.  Sorta.  It was in her Facebook news feed.

We had no idea how this happened until I saw Charlene Li’s post on her most excellent marketing blog.  Babysitter said repeatedly she never linked Overstock to her Facebook account, nor did she ever click anything that said they would communicate. 

I’ve bought movie tickets from Fandango where they asked if I wanted to share info with Facebook and I’ve said no.  I cannot imagine I would want anyone on Facebook to know what I am purchasing (giving silent thanks that Nordstrom does not do this for I don’t want everyone to know the deals of my last La Perla purchase).  What makes it worse is babysitter did not make this choice, and yet I knew everything she had bought on that shopping trip.  Charlene’s story is funnier (she and her husband actually bought the same thing) but no more less reassuring.

I’m not sure why Overstock is choosing to do this, but I do know that as a consumer I would prefer to have the option of whether or not to share this info with others.  The last thing Mr. IT needs is a detailing of any of my shopping expeditions.