The pitfalls of personalization: understanding consumer responses to online embarrassing recommendations

Abstract Consumers often turn to online environments to purchase embarrassing products to avoid social attention. However, we find that personalized recommendations can trigger concerns about being judged even in the absence of a human audience. Across a series of studies, participants showed negative evaluations of embarrassing recommendations and a stronger desire to disrupt recommendation algorithms. These reactions arise because such recommendations evoke fear of judgment. We further identify strategies that mitigate these negative effects, including presenting embarrassing products through less personalized formats and framing personalized recommendations as signals of care for consumers’ well-being. These findings advance our understanding of embarrassment in digital marketing and offer actionable guidance for platforms seeking to balance personalization with consumer concerns.