Our local Westfield Shopping Centre in Doncaster has free W-Fi and ticketless parking. Both technologies provide a lot of data to companies which can be analysed to find ways to increase your spending.
The following article provides some hints as to why shopping centres (and other areas) are increasing the amount of tracking.
http://www.theage.com.au/it-pro/business-it/is-it-really-free-wifi-20151129-glb4p9.html
Batistich was candid about the company's reasons for the rollout.
"We did it, to be blunt, because we wanted a location analytics platform. We wanted to understand what people did in our malls so we could start to acquire a profile so we could send them content that's relevant based on their previous physical behaviour," he said.
Interestingly the article states using Wi-Fi Westfield could generate more than 470 interactions for a single shopper, whatever that may mean.
One question that does come to mind for me is, are they linking your registration to your Wi-Fi?
If this type of tracking concerns you, keep in mind you can park outside the shopping centre, and whilst in the shopping centres, turn off your Wi-Fi. I'd also suggest turning off Bluetooth as that can also be tracked, but so far there's no indication that I've read, that Bluetooth is being tracked. It's seems to be much easier to track Wi-Fi.
For some, possibly most people, tracking won't be an issue. As long people know and can make informed decisions that's really all that matters.
Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for IT support.
Servicing Doncaster, Templestowe, Eltham and the surrounding area.
The following article provides some hints as to why shopping centres (and other areas) are increasing the amount of tracking.
http://www.theage.com.au/it-pro/business-it/is-it-really-free-wifi-20151129-glb4p9.html
Batistich was candid about the company's reasons for the rollout.
"We did it, to be blunt, because we wanted a location analytics platform. We wanted to understand what people did in our malls so we could start to acquire a profile so we could send them content that's relevant based on their previous physical behaviour," he said.
Interestingly the article states using Wi-Fi Westfield could generate more than 470 interactions for a single shopper, whatever that may mean.
One question that does come to mind for me is, are they linking your registration to your Wi-Fi?
If this type of tracking concerns you, keep in mind you can park outside the shopping centre, and whilst in the shopping centres, turn off your Wi-Fi. I'd also suggest turning off Bluetooth as that can also be tracked, but so far there's no indication that I've read, that Bluetooth is being tracked. It's seems to be much easier to track Wi-Fi.
For some, possibly most people, tracking won't be an issue. As long people know and can make informed decisions that's really all that matters.
Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for IT support.
Servicing Doncaster, Templestowe, Eltham and the surrounding area.
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