Some consumers don't mind having their online actions tracked. Others get creeped out by it. It often comes down to what site is doing the tracking.
According to new research conducted by Harris Interactive for Placecast, 66 percent of consumers were okay with the idea of having Amazon using their purchasing history to target new offers. On the other hand, only 33 percent were good with Facebook doing the same.
"Facebook's business is based on the use of consumer data to target ads. They clearly have a challenge convincing their huge user base that there is value in the exchange of personal data for a free service," said Placecast CEO Alistair Goodman, in a statement. "In contrast, Amazon is a company just a few years older than Facebook, but they have created a scenario where consumers understand and accept the benefit their data provides for the service they are receiving, much like consumer's acceptance of grocery coupons tied to purchase data."