Amazon has recently launched a new feature called “About You,” which presents users with a list of personalized preferences based on their shopping history and other data collected by the system. Users are able to review, modify, or delete this information at their discretion.
This feature was introduced on May 13th of this year and is accessible through the Amazon shopping app, mobile website, and desktop version. According to Amazon’s official explanation, the personalized recommendation information generated by the system includes user interactions with the shopping assistant “Alexa for Shopping,” product reviews written by users, purchase history, items saved in lists, and search history.
Amazon states that users can use “About You” to inform the system about their preferences, provide feedback, correct information, or remove data they do not want to be used for personalized recommendations. Users can also directly ask “Alexa for Shopping”: “How well do you know me?”
In a press release, Amazon expressed its desire for every shopping experience to feel tailored to each individual user, whether they are looking for the perfect outfit, a book they will enjoy, or ideas for their next meal.
As an example, Amazon mentioned that if a user frequently buys non-dairy milk products, the system may recommend more non-dairy options when the user is shopping for fresh groceries.
Amazon did not specify if this feature is available to all users, and some users may temporarily not see this option.
For mobile users, they can access the feature by going to the “Me” section, clicking on their name, and selecting “About You.”
For desktop users, they can hover over their name at the top right corner of the page under “Account & Lists,” click on their name, or choose an account in “Who’s shopping?” before selecting “About You.”
According to a report by the New York Post, a user named X shared that the system identified his passion for minimalist single-pack travel and preference for Anker brand charging products, which the user confirmed to be accurate. Another user mentioned trying “artisanal cheeses” once, to which they admitted.
Amazon has been providing personalized shopping recommendations for many years, initially using machine learning algorithms to suggest books and later developing into AI shopping tools. The company stated that before the introduction of “About You,” users could only update preferences or edit browsing history separately; the new feature consolidates viewing and editing functions in one place.