New US Toys R Us stores are kind of creepy.

[Werewolf]

First they aren't really selling toys or even own their stock. They only lease space in their stores to companies. For example only Lego profits if a Lego product items sells. Toys R Us doesn't collect any money on toy sales. They only make money from leasing space. But that's not the creepy part. That's just weird. The creepy part is they are monitoring and collecting data on shoppers with dozens of sensors located in the stores. What they consider "cadence" and "other metrics" isn't exactly clear. Isn't illegal to gather data on children? Isn't that what youtube got in trouble for?

[palitoy]

There is a huge industry that studies people's shopping habits as long as they don't encourage kids online to sign up for things, they should be ok. Every major retailer does such things usually for their own merits but it sounds like TRU has built this into the package.

The YouTube thing invaded children's privacy, watching what toys they gravitate towards in a store isn't problematic.

[sprytel]

I think the new concept for Toys R Us (whether it can be financially successful or not) is a brilliant rethink of what a toy store should be in the electronic age. Before they closed, I would take my kids to Toys R Us and walk the aisles for them to make their Christmas lists... and then buy most of the toys online. Rather than trying to compete with Walmart and Amazon, they have found a way to find value in the unique experience they can offer. And it sounds like it will be a really fun experience. They will have a bunch of toys that kids get to try out and play with, rather than just look at the boxes. That sounds really fun to me.

[Werewolf]

Sounds like their business model is collecting and selling data on shoppers. A lot of which are obviously going to be children. They aren't selling toys. They're selling children's data. To me, that's just creepy.

"Update 12/5/2019, 10:30 a.m.: After making our correction we asked b8ta to further clarify how the data is being collected, how long it’s stored for, and whether shoppers are notified the technology is in use in the stores. They declined to comment."

https://io9.gizmodo.com/toys-r-us-is-open-for-business-again-but-theres-a-biza-1840202297

[PNGwynne]

Perhaps they should pass out cookies and say they are also collecting "cookies." Some sort of disclosure is probably warranted.

At any rate, glib comments aside, this is as old as retail just now more sophisticated. My dad worked for the same supermarket chain for 43 years and secret shoppers, price matching after snaring info on competitor's ads and specials, and collecting customer data was routine. So was providing samples and selective selling.

[Werewolf]

Some sort of disclosure is probably warranted.

I think that would be best. Since toys aren't their product you and your data are. You know, I get in age of twitter and facebook the concept of privacy is all but extinct. Doesn't mean I have to like it or embrace it. Especially when they are gathering data on children.

[PNGwynne]

The other thing that occurs to me--and I don't want to seem paranoid but I believe this occurs--is that retailers of any sort are potentially using security cameras for data-gathering: traffic flow, demographics, time studies, browsing patterns. All correlated with sales data from receipts. Honestly it's all "creepy" if we think about it--but we don't because it's not overt. And again, probably nothing new.

[Werewolf]

The other thing that occurs to me--and I don't want to seem paranoid but I believe this occurs--is that retailers of any sort are potentially using security cameras for data-gathering:

At least Walmart states cameras are in use. They also do it mostly for watching for crimes like shop lifting. They don't do it to gather and sell children's data by spying on them in the toy department.

[Mr.Marion]

Doesn't it make you nostalgic for the days when Mego didn't even enough data collected to know Mxyzptlk was a poor seller?

[Myoldtoys]

I agree that their new model is creepy. Then again, I'm the kind of person who doesn't have a facebook account and doesn't sign up for any "loyalty" (aka stalking) programs. I guess that is the way things work now. More money in licensing since they can't compete on price or volume.

[sprytel]

Again, this is hardly unique to the new Toys R Us.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2012/02/16/how-target-figured-out-a-teen-girl-was-pregnant-before-her-father-did/

[Teemu]

Don't worry, this will FAIL too...these stores don't represent anything like TRU. This is someone taking the name and trying to make a quick buck until they are forced out of business again.

[Werewolf]

Again, this is hardly unique to the new Toys R Us.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmir...er-father-did/

What Target did doesn't make it less creepy that the new TRU are gathering and selling children's data. I don't like that in their new business model children's data is their product instead of selling toys. It might not bother some. It bothers me. Children should not have their data harvested and sold. I'm amazed it's even legal.

BTW: I'm also not keen on micro targeting. I don't like that google targets us with ads based on location. It's creepy, it's invasive and our loss of privacy is nothing we should rejoice in.

[Wee67]

This is just the next step, albeit more a giant leap, in an industry that has existed for decades. Even I worked my part-time job in retail in high school, there were both in-house and external consultants that collected data on the shopping habits of both adults and kids. Its how rack toys ended up at the cash register in the super market. I think the seeming omniscience and efficiency with which these companies collect data is what has added the creepy factor. They've always been invasive, but the depths of that invasion is impressive/creepy. They've also always been secretive but their ability to collect data almost undetected is even more scary.

And big data has become much, much more lucrative. Facebook's profit model is founded on collecting and selling all kinds of data. Big data is big money. I think lots of our generation is much more uncomfortable with all this Big Brother stuff than our younger generations.

[thunderbolt]

At least Walmart states cameras are in use. They also do it mostly for watching for crimes like shop lifting. They don't do it to gather and sell children's data by spying on them in the toy department.

Really? You think WalMart is squeaky clean?