The shop where you buy your Christmas presents will remind you what you bought for everyone last year, giftwrap, send them and debit your credit card.

The florists where you bought roses for last year's anniversary will send you a reminder two weeks before the next one, asking if you want the same order to be delivered. Too bad if your wife has run off with the supermarket delivery man in the meantime.

It sounds great for the well-off and over busy. But there is a downside. Firms will start to differentiate more and more between customers. Rich ones will be spared no obsequiousness. But what about the poorer ones?