Oh, I agree. They're practicing the data gathering, but so far, it seems aimed at just getting users to buy off amazon more. They want you to restock/replace via their marketplace instead of using their competitors.

And even then, it's only reaching into the IoT crowd and leaving the rest untouched; compare to Google with Gmail and Calendar, that are trying to get the entirety of internet users.

That might change; that probably will change, but at least for now their given ends seem to be in harmony with their business model. That's why I still don't trust them, and personally I avoid using them almost entirely (I aim to keep only to Amazon Video, since its provides competition to Netflix).