"That was the best purchase as it gave me confidence that I could do deals, " says Adani.

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The agent told me that Delta had a special deal with Hotels.com, which is owned by Expedia, and that at the same time that I purchase my ticket she could transfer me on a direct line to a special desk at the Hotels.com reservation system and that I would receive a 25% discount.

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Now I find that they got the catalog even before I could make the purchase.

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As someone who remains a bit skeptical of how much social connections and sharing will provide purchasing intention signals anywhere near as effective as searches, I think the so-called interest graphs that Sparks surfaces could provide potent indicators of intent to purchase products.

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