Walmart Knows I Bought Lube At The Store, Sends Me E-Mails About Other Lubes I Might Enjoy

Some folks are put off by online retailers tracking their browsing and buying habits in order to send them recommendations, but what about when your minor — and decidedly personal — purchases at bricks-and-mortar stores become the basis of marketing e-mails?

When Consumerist reader R. recently used his debit card to purchase some condoms and personal lubricant at his local Walmart, he probably never thought that Walmart would soon be sending him e-mails with suggestions for other items he might like based on these purchases — namely, more lube. And toilet paper. But mostly lube.

“What are the odds that I need more of this particular product already, unless I’m a porn producer, not a married father of two?” Asks R. “Beyond that, this seems a rather large “Big Data” intrusion (probably why they think we need more of the lubricant, I guess).”