Loyalty programs, shopper feedback, ordering online, apps that track your every single step have upped their game from knowing your shopping habits to predicting when you'll need something.
Society has moved from responsive retail to predictive commerce.
It's not just online shopping where your personal information is collected, it happens in the stores, too.
Seven Tablets CEO Kishore Khandavalli said predictive shopping has been around for a long time, but now with AI and technology evolution it's hit another level.
“There’s a balance on how much information are willing to give up about ourselves for the convenience and efficiency of shopping or anything else that we do,” said Khandavalli.
He said they're trying to tailor shopping to individuals.
Every click and every like gathers your personal data.
“It is more efficient, but the flipside is the privacy of the shopper. As long as they don’t sell it to other third parties,” said Khandavalli.
The technology is already out there, it’s just not mainstream, yet.
For example, when you walk by some retailer's aisles, and your smartphone is all enabled, machines can detect who you are and what you would want to buy or what interests you and display those ads or send you a coupon via text message.
He said shoppers have more control than we think about the data we share. It might make life a little harder, but we can disable cookies, GPS capabilities and push notifications.
Khandavalli said when it comes to artificial intelligence creeping in and knowing your shopping habits and preferences, unfortunately you have only two choices...embrace it, or walk away from it.