Surveillance of Consumers
In the twenty first century, technology has been utilized in different circumstances. Many opposes the use of surveillance cameras in retail stores due to invasion of privacy. However, businesses utilize surveillance cameras for different purposes. Consumer does not like the fact that they are being watched. However, many people do not know that surveillance cameras is now utilized for different purposes. Surveillance of consumer is exceptionally not manipulative and unethical, it is for better customer experience, improve their business, and business never seeks to be manipulative since its is still in the hands of the consumers to make the decisions.
Every costumer who walks in at market store, or a retail store
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Many customers, question as to why they are being watch, thus conclude that this is unethical and a sense of distrustful towards the customers. However, some stores do not use surveillance cameras to watch for thieves, or just to protect their merchandise. Despite all the assumptions, video surveillance actually functions as a tool to provide better customer experience. According to the video, “Science of Shopping: Cameras and Software that Track our Shopping Behavior” by Science Nation they developed a software that will formulate data of consumer behaviors. The intended use for this software was to oversee the elders and disabled people in their homes. Furthermore, it is now being utilize in thousands of retail stores, and supermarkets. The software is developed to track shopper whereabouts in the vicinity of the store. After tracking the shopper around the stores, the data is then formulated. …show more content…
For this very reason, surveillance of consumers is utilized in many retail stores to provide customer satisfaction. If customers are highly satisfied with their experience with the business, that is what will drive the customers back. In able to improve, the business in terms of increasing the revenue, entrepreneurs must interpret every aspect of the business. According to Ray Burke, in the video TEDx Indianapolis regarding “How stores track your shopping behavior,” the business must adjust to the need of the customers. To be specific, some retail stores fold their clothes very neatly. However, the retail store slightly modified the way clothes are folded which change from being fully folded to half folded clothes. This little adjustment, increase product touch by 85 percent and an increase in unit sales by 44 percent. Retail stores would have not known this simple adjustment to their product without the surveillance cameras. Also by providing exceptional customer service would come very long way for the business. Which then will result into increase of customer retention. In able for a business to be successful, they must anticipate customer needs and desires. According to Jill Griffin article “the probability of selling something to a prospect is only about 5-20%, while the probability of selling something to an existing customer is 60-70%.” Therefore, anticipating
Surveillance plays a major role in control and in community. Therefore, how a business uses surveillance will affect its business structure. This in turn shows that pancake structured businesses and pyramid structured businesses use surveillance for different reasons.
Although they can be easily tracked, people overlook the invasion of privacy possibility because of the convenience they bring to every day life. Systems like OnStar installed in cars have made the tracking of stolen cars practically effortless. Similar tools are being used by law enforcement, Penenberg stated “cell phones have become the digital equivalent of Hansel and Gretel’s bread crumbs” (472). He then goes on to discuss how in Britain in 1996, authorities installed 300 cameras in East London. Although this didn’t affect the terrorism, it did affect the crime rate which fell 30 percent after the cameras were put into place. Penenberg closes his essay by mentioning that the surveillance is not only used to watch the citizens but also for citizens to keep an eye on the government. Through his organization, relevant information, and professional tone, Penenberg creates an effective
As technology get more advance, people use cameras, tracking devices in the stores to track customers shopping behavior. The retailers apply every detail that they get from anthropologists to get people buy their products. Some people claim that the surveillance of consumers by retail anthropologists is manipulative and unethical. However, the claim is not entirely true. Many retail use the data they get from anthropologists and apply it to their store to create great experiences for their customers, encourage customers to revisited, and ultimately improve business performances.
Paco Underhill has created a way for stores to draw more customers in and spend more money by getting in the mind of the customers. I found some of Underhill’s theories to be true. Underhill’s theories have helped provide research of the actions of consumers inside of American Eagle, Meijer and Hollister, these theories include, the need for shoppers to acclimate to their surroundings, the way customers turn into stores, and by placing most used products in the farthest places away from the
Gill, M., & Turbin, V. (1998). CCTV and shop theft: Towards a realistic evaluation: In C. Norris, J. Moran, & G. Armstrong (Eds.), Surveillance, closed circuit television and social control (1998) (pp. 189-204):. Aldershot: Ashgate: Print
“Who's Watching You Online?” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 24 Mar. 2011, www.nbcnews.com. Accessed 14 Mar. 2017. Weisbaum, a MSNBC contributor, who is also known as ConsumerMan on NBC News, argues how unregulated behavioral tracking raises privacy concerns. Weisbaum writes from his experience of being one of America’s top consumer experts, and his audience is comprised of the average consumer who browses the web daily. The most beneficial portion of the article that supports my argument is how Weisbaum voiced that the Do Not Track law, “will not solve all privacy problems”, and that is why, “we need a broader privacy bill of
Security cameras have become very widespread. These cameras are harmful to one’s safety and privacy. Security and surveillance cameras are both invasions of privacy
Companies foster these strategies to achieve goals in marketing and to profit from shoppers drive. I think that people shop more and more with retailers expanding their business everywhere. As Gladwell article “The Science of Shopping” comment on shoppers behaviors the moment they enter the store they start browsing, also comment on shoppers being right handed simply because they go to right after walking in. shoppers spend abundance of time in store focusing on detail what to buy and to get out of best shopping journey they could have. During the time I spend reading and targeting on The Power of Habit why we do what we do in life and business, a realization come to light that we are control by habits and we as a shoppers get to try a new things and to have the finest shopping experience businesses encouraging shoppers what to do as leaving Stater
The article "Are You Being Watched?", says that tracking technology is becoming more and more popular online. The article states, "A recent study conducted by the University of Washington found that 75 percent of the 500 most popular websites use tracking tools" (Lewis 15). This evidence suggests that tracking with companies is becoming more and more relevant. Now companies are using these tracking devices to their advantages by showing us things we recently have searched up. All of this shows that they are using us to their own benefit to track what we are doing for their business, all while everyone is clueless about it.
Would you want shoplifters to be caught? Well, Tracking customers in stores across America is becoming very popular. Retailers are using cameras and smartphones to learn about there shoppers experience and tendencies. Critics would say this is should not be allowed because people should have freedom, but stores should track their customers. The stores track and film their customers because it can help identify shoplifters and it will help find discounts or items you may like.
Ultimately, however, surveillance is only a tool that can be used both ethically and unethically. Employee monitoring, consumer data collection, and government surveillance provides great benefits, including improving company efficiency, providing commercial and health values, and protecting the nation from threats. However, when considering the extent to which surveillance can be done, the rights of the people affected must be taken into account. Finding the right balance between these two views is the key to maximizing the benefits of everyone involved.
There are an estimated 30 million surveillance cameras in the United States, proving to be a normal feature in American lives (Vlahos). This is no surprise because in the past several years, events such as the 9/11 attack and the availability of cheaper cameras have accelerated this trend. But conflicts have come with this and have ignited, concerning the safety of the people versus the violation of privacy that surveillance has. Although camera surveillance systems are intended to provide safety to the public, the violation of privacy outweighs this, especially in a democratic country like America.
La Vigne, Nancy. "How Surveillance Cameras Can Help Prevent and Solve Crime." MetroTrends Blog. N.p., 23 Apr. 2013. Web. 10 Nov. 2013.
In The New York Times newspaper, the author Kareem Fahim wrote an article called “Surveillance Will Expand To Midtown, Mayor Says,” back in 2009 the mayor of New York City Michael Bloom Berg reported that Homeland Security contributed $24 million to expand surveillance camera from Lower Manhattan to Midtown Manhattan. The new advanced technology cameras have capability to detect weapons through cameras. Therefore, the securities will be able to protect significant place located on that particular area such as Grand Central Terminal, Empire State Building and the United Nations. The police department can observe the public through a huge 40 foot screen videos maps. Moreover, the passage “surveillance cameras and the Times Square bombing” by William Saletan shows that surveillance cameras can’t eliminate crimes, but It able to reduce crimes. In May 1, 2010, a Pakistani/American citizen named Faisal Shahzad who set off car bomb in Times Square.
The Olympics is event that has moved and changed the world, specially in hard times, like the World Wars and in racial discrimination. The modern olympics are based on the Greek games that were held every four years, the word Olympiad means 4 years. The Olympics started in 776 BC until 393 AD, it went on through 12 centuries, when emperor Theodosius decided to ban all the pagan cults. The Olympics were dedicated to the olympian gods, "they owed their purity and importance to religion" (olympic.org). Olympia, site of the olympic games, is part of the Peloponnese, the island of Pelops. Pelops was the founder of the olympic games and we owe him a great deal. Olympia wasn't only a place for sports its also a place for worship, religious, and political practices.