this post was submitted on 05 Sep 2023
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I was talking to my friend how much I've been craving lobster 2 days ago. They now have lobster at my grocery store - they haven't had lobster in years. Last winter I was talking about how much I like goose over Turkey for Christmas dinner and suddenly they had frozen goose and they literally never had goose before.

Am I being targeted or am I paying more attention or am I just being paranoid?

If the bots are listening, bring back lamb. I'll buy lamb chops.

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[–] muddybulldog@mylemmy.win 14 points 1 year ago (7 children)

So your premise is that somebody is listening in on your conversations and then using that information to insert stock items into your local grocery store?

[–] Idrunkenlysignedup@beehaw.org 5 points 1 year ago (5 children)

Not me specifically - generally where you are and what you're taking about (phone location and general conversation).

I don't think anyone specifically is actually listening to me. I think it's automated marketing gone wild.

[–] gerbilOFdoom@beehaw.org 19 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Consider the sheer cost of this. Shipping, especially overnight shipping, is incredibly expensive. Stores get stock on on or two regular days of the week and have a crew dedicated to just unloading that truck and getting everything on shelves, a process that takes days.

Stores could not profit enough to put items in your path in the hope that you might buy them in this way.

[–] Idrunkenlysignedup@beehaw.org 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Cost, yeah I was thinking about that. Lobster is pretty readily available at other locations nearby (ish),. Same can be said for lamb and goose. Same distribution center just dropping it off at a different store.

These are things I can buy with only a little travel it's just now they are immediately available as soon as I talk about it.

[–] liv@beehaw.org 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That's not really how supply chains work though.

"Yes I know you ordered 40 lobsters but you only get 35 because some other shop wants them at the last minute" would be out of business.

[–] Idrunkenlysignedup@beehaw.org 2 points 1 year ago

Sorta yeah but most large chains dont really do most of their ordering manually - it's half if not mostly or completely automated based on sales, trends and size.

It's obviously very different in small stores where they expect X amount of product they paid for. But it's super easy for, say, Walmart, to move inventory around based on possible trends.

I'm not saying your wrong but it is kinda noticable when my grocery store started carrying lobster a week after I was looking it up on door dash. After not having it for ~10 years or suddenly having 3 frozen geese a month after taking about it after never having it (~18 years at this house).

I'm not about to spend $130 on a small frozen goose. Or ~$80 on a 1lb lobster. I will, however, spend money on lamb - something I've been purposefully bringing up in gchat a lot recently. Something they stopped selling about a decade ago.

If lamb is suddenly available in the next monthish I'll respond to this comment - but maybe I'm just noticing trends that don't exist.

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