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Amazon Changed Search Algorithm in Ways That Boost Its Own Products

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Re: Amazon Changed Search Algorithm in Ways That Boost Its Own Products

#331

Post by nickfromseattle »

TheRealDunkirk wrote: post #273
toasterlovin wrote: post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, there is not a direct analogy because Amazon is not a monopoly . They aren't even the largest retailer.

That was the wonderful realization I came to a few months back. They're not even close to the only game in town. It's pretty amazing that they marketed this attitude that they were the de facto online marketplace, based on the goodwill of "free" 2 day shipping, and a highly-curated catalog (at first) for so, so long, until the problems have become more hassle than I'm willing to deal with. I've dropped Prime, and jus…

According to the article Amazon owns 35% of online retail in the US. Google isn't the only search engine, but it has a de facto monopoly on search. When does Amazon hit that same threshold?

Re: Amazon Changed Search Algorithm in Ways That Boost Its Own Products

#334

Post by dannyw »

specialist wrote: post #316
snarf21 wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the big changed needed on Amazon is the "Seller". With their commingling of all products with the same SKU, "seller" is an irrelevant term. If people could review actual sellers, it could put a dent in the knock-offs. I'm not sure if there are just enough people who can't tell the difference or don't want the trouble of returning it to make this a profitable strategy for everyone.

What does commingling mean? In real world terms? I ask because I'm unclear if shared SKU is a physical thing, a logical implementation detail, or some mix. Is there a bin full of white 3' USB cables of the same type, regardless of supplier? I had the impression that fulfillment centers weren't organized by product. Everything is everywhere. The robots retrieve the bins of whatever from wherever for the pickers to gra…

Correct. Fulfilment is UPC based and independent of seller, for all FBA products.

Re: Amazon Changed Search Algorithm in Ways That Boost Its Own Products

#335

Post by jedimastert »

zaidf wrote: post #286
rock_hard wrote: post #224

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How is amazon a monopoly? Last time I checked there was a ocean of e-commerce stores on the internet all selling the same stuff

When Microsoft got busted for being anti-competitive, you could still download Netscape Navigator and use it.

Anti-competitive behavior is different than having a monopoly

Re: Amazon Changed Search Algorithm in Ways That Boost Its Own Products

#336

Post by ryandrake »

rurp wrote: post #308
ryandrake wrote: post #235

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe an urban legend, but I thought I read somewhere that the version of Amazon that Bezos personally sees is quite different than the one you and I see, due to all his various little one-off complaints and product micromanagement. Legend has it that engineering gave up trying to make sense of the requests and just gave him his own environment that does everything he thinks it should do. If true, then the search he…

Something seems off about that story. What's the point of requesting changes to a version of the site only he uses? I can't imagine he spends a lot of time surfing amazon.com as a regular user. Plus, not seeing the regular site means he might miss issues with the public website that he would want to change. Unless the point of the story is that Bezos doesn't realize the devs made a site just for him, but that's almos…

> Unless the point of the story is that Bezos doesn't realize the devs made a site just for him, but that's almost impossible to believe.

Yea that was the gist of it—when you log in as Jeff you (unbeknownst) get a different frontend, with all his various special cases and bad ideas that the PMs wanted to keep out of the real Amazon. It does sound incredible so probably false, but amusing to think about. I admit to having wanted to do something like that a nonzero number of times.

Re: Amazon Changed Search Algorithm in Ways That Boost Its Own Products

#337

Post by LegitShady »

cptskippy wrote: post #93
MisterTea wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Amazon's reputation is pretty damaged in my eyes. I have rarely used them for electronics anymore as you can't trust anything. Even at work we used prime to buy certain items and I stopped it. Example: Last week two symbol barcode scanners used in the erp system died. I look up the same model on newegg and see that sold and shipped by newegg it was about $120. Amazon had multiple listing in the $60 range and checking…

Sadly Newegg is following in Amazon's footsteps with it's affiliate program. You have to choose Newegg as the seller or you run into the same issues. As soon as Newegg starts mingling stock like Amazon does, then we'll have to go back to big box retailers to ensure we're getting the item we're paying for.

In 2016 a company called Liason Interactive bought a majority stake in Newegg, personally I think to try to turn newegg into an electronics version of amazon.

Since around then Newegg has been garbage, and continues to become worse.

I think any seller like amazon or newegg that turns into a marketplace/platform is trading their reputation for the potential of a cut from a much larger market, and they probably do this knowingly.

Re: Amazon Changed Search Algorithm in Ways That Boost Its Own Products

#338

Post by LegitShady »

specialist wrote: post #316
snarf21 wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the big changed needed on Amazon is the "Seller". With their commingling of all products with the same SKU, "seller" is an irrelevant term. If people could review actual sellers, it could put a dent in the knock-offs. I'm not sure if there are just enough people who can't tell the difference or don't want the trouble of returning it to make this a profitable strategy for everyone.

What does commingling mean? In real world terms? I ask because I'm unclear if shared SKU is a physical thing, a logical implementation detail, or some mix. Is there a bin full of white 3' USB cables of the same type, regardless of supplier? I had the impression that fulfillment centers weren't organized by product. Everything is everywhere. The robots retrieve the bins of whatever from wherever for the pickers to gra…

>Is there a bin full of white 3' USB cables of the same type, regardless of supplier?

This is my understanding, yes. If something is "fulfilled by amazon" common stock has one bin/location and is not differentiated.

Re: Amazon Changed Search Algorithm in Ways That Boost Its Own Products

#339

Post by LegitShady »

hahamrfunnyguy wrote: post #215
gambiting wrote: post #205

Earlier quoted context omitted.

(I can only guess you are American) - American experiences with Amazon are so different to mine over here in the UK it's incredible. I buy tonnes of different stuff from Amazon(multiple hundred orders last year) and I have never ever gotten anything counterfeit or had any issues. In fact every time when their 1-day delivery arrives late they just extend my prime by a month, no questions asked. And yet every time I go…

US Prime member here. Never had any problems with fake stuff. One time, my order was stolen and replaced with something of similar weight. I called Amazon right away, and they refunded my purchase. When I need to return something, it's easy.

Its interesting. I bet it also has to do with what you're buying that makes you more or less likely to hit a fake.

Re: Amazon Changed Search Algorithm in Ways That Boost Its Own Products

#340

Post by soVeryTired »

ReverseCold wrote: post #321

The only reason I still use Amazon is because it's so easy to buy things using Bitcoin/Ethereum on it. I can get giftcards from literally hundreds of vendors (some even at a discount), or use a service like Moon which makes the gift card buying fully transparent (I just click checkout and scan the qr code with my phone), and I can buy almost anything on Amazon. Everywhere else requires me to convert coin into USD and…

Aren't you effectively converting to USD by buying gift cards?
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