There’s a powerful new player watching what you buy so it can tailor product offerings for you.
NEW YORK — There’s a powerful new player watching what you buy so it can tailor product offerings for you. That’s the bank behind your credit or debit card.
For years, Google and Facebook have been showing ads based on your online behavior. Now banks, too, want to turn data they have on your spending habits into extra revenue by identifying likely customers for retailers.
If you charged lunch at Chipotle today, for instance, your bank might dangle 10% off lunch at Little Caesars soon. The bank would earn fees if you go there.
Historically, such data has been used mostly for fraud protection.
While banks say they’re moving cautiously and being mindful of privacy concerns, it’s not entirely clear that consumers are fully aware of what they’re up to.