Amazon websites are blocking Google’s tracking system FLoC (Federated Learning of Cohorts) according to a new report.
Digiday reports that most of Amazon’s properties including Amazon.com, WholeFoods.com and Zappos.com are preventing Google’s tracking system FLoC from gathering valuable data reflecting the products people research in Amazon’s vast e-commerce universe.
The website code was analyzed by Digiday as well as three tech experts that all helped Digiday review the code and uncover what happened.
As Google’s very own system gathers data from people’s web travels in order to inform how it categorizes them, Amazon’s own under-the-radar move could be more than just a significant blow to Google’s mission to help guide the future of digital ad tracking after the cookies eventually die.
Jake Athey, VP Marketing & Customer Experience, Widen, said: “As Amazon takes on Google, blocking its FLoC (Federated Learning of Cohorts) work around Cookies, it’s a stark warning that businesses need to start looking at new ways to effectively manage and market to customers. If organisations are not able to identify individuals and map marketing to their preferences, then what becomes all the more important is the data and information on products they are actually looking for. For example, someone might be looking at new garden furniture, so all the relevant products and information must be clearly linked, and relevant options offered to them.
“Customers still want to be offered the right information, but in a way that works. So brands need to make sure that if they can’t identify and serve up products they think people will want, that they make those products super easy to find, and all the information clearly accessible, to ensure the best customer experience possible.”