Retargeting, Useful or Just Creepy?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/30/technology/30adstalk.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

I read this article for an advertising class about how many companies are using retargeting as a main form of advertisement. Retargeting is basically attempting to show the consumer, you and I, the right ad at the right time. For example, if I looked at a pair of jeans on a website and then navigated to another page without purchase, I might begin to see ads on other websites for the jeans or related products I might be interested in. After reading this article everything began to make sense. I have seen many ads for things I have looked at in the past. I never really put much thought into it, I guess I always just ignored it or thought it was just a coincidence. For me, just the thought of ads following me around, and a company having records of the sites I visit just creeps me out. I understand the purpose of this form of advertising, in theory I think it is a genius idea. For the companies this is sort of a way to never take "no" for an answer. The jeans will just stalk you until you buy them. I feel that there should be a boundary between advertisement and privacy. There has to be a point where you have to let the costumer make their own decisions about your product. Every company should have the right to inform you of their product and promote it, but there is a point where the costumer should be able to get away from the advertising if they wanted too. If the consumer did navigate away from a page or a product, then that's where the company should back off and let the costumer decide what they want. In some cases I feel showing a product over and over to a consumer might not end up being the best strategy for selling your product or service.