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Amazon starts flagging frequently returned products that you maybe shouldn’t buy

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Re: Amazon starts flagging frequently returned products that you maybe shouldn’t buy

#41

Post by mortenjorck »

sofixa wrote: post #22
srmarm wrote: post #9

I don't get they don't crack down on the product switcheroo scam [0] - it seems like a trivial problem to solve. I've reported items to them before and they don't care. [0] this product for example, loads of the reviews are for something totally different - https://www.amazon.co.uk/WERPOWER-Windscreen-Invisible-Winds...

How is it trivial to solve? They either need to prevent sellers from modifying product pages (which would be a disaster because any mistakes could no longer be fixed without losing all reviews) or gate it behind human intervention(slow) /algorithm (complex). There's nothing trivial about the issue.

Trivial is an overstatement, but the solution space is far broader than the two options you propose. I can think of one off the top of my head: Give each listing a change score, where changing a description is a point, changing a photo is a point, perhaps changing categories is 2 or 3 points… At a certain threshold of points (tweaked over time to calibrate against false positives) the listing is flagged for human review.

Re: Amazon starts flagging frequently returned products that you maybe shouldn’t buy

#42

Post by Cyykratahk »

sofixa wrote: post #22
srmarm wrote: post #9

I don't get they don't crack down on the product switcheroo scam [0] - it seems like a trivial problem to solve. I've reported items to them before and they don't care. [0] this product for example, loads of the reviews are for something totally different - https://www.amazon.co.uk/WERPOWER-Windscreen-Invisible-Winds...

How is it trivial to solve? They either need to prevent sellers from modifying product pages (which would be a disaster because any mistakes could no longer be fixed without losing all reviews) or gate it behind human intervention(slow) /algorithm (complex). There's nothing trivial about the issue.

Even if it's not trivial to solve perfectly, there are easy wins to be had.

For example: prevent changing the top-level category of a product. E.g. Shoes should not be allowed to become camera gear.

Re: Amazon starts flagging frequently returned products that you maybe shouldn’t buy

#43

Post by Symbiote »

we_never_see_it wrote: post #29

The thing I like most about Amazon is its dedication to customers. This is a very long awaited feature and Amazon has delivered it. Amazon could have let users buy from its marketplace and make profit. Instead Amazon has made the right call and decided to protect its customers.

I can't tell if this is sarcasm or you really belive it.

Re: Amazon starts flagging frequently returned products that you maybe shouldn’t buy

#44

Post by pmlnr »

sofixa wrote: post #22
srmarm wrote: post #9

I don't get they don't crack down on the product switcheroo scam [0] - it seems like a trivial problem to solve. I've reported items to them before and they don't care. [0] this product for example, loads of the reviews are for something totally different - https://www.amazon.co.uk/WERPOWER-Windscreen-Invisible-Winds...

How is it trivial to solve? They either need to prevent sellers from modifying product pages (which would be a disaster because any mistakes could no longer be fixed without losing all reviews) or gate it behind human intervention(slow) /algorithm (complex). There's nothing trivial about the issue.

Hardcode the original product in the review, match it against the current?

Re: Amazon starts flagging frequently returned products that you maybe shouldn’t buy

#45

Post by blendergeek »

PurpleRamen wrote: post #36
blendergeek wrote: post #7

Edit: It seems that it is easier now to see the feedback broken down by seller than when I had last used Amazon or I didn't fully understand how it worked previously. Will these be separated by seller? Last I checked there was no way to review a seller on Amazon (or if there was, it was so well hidden that a week of effort and calling customer support only got me a refund). Rather Amazon lets you review "products". G…

> Last I checked there was no way to review a seller on Amazon What do you mean? Just click the Sellers name on the product-site, to get to their profile with all the reviews about them. There you will find a button to review them. Maybe there is an edgecase where it's not available? EDIT And looking through my order-history, the review-buttons appears there too for older orders. Maybe when the date of return is up?

Well, like I said, I couldn't find it. And the reviews under a product seem to be for the general concept of the product and not for X product from Y seller. And maybe its different for "Fulfilled by Amazon" and regular products. I don't know. It is all inscrutable.

Re: Amazon starts flagging frequently returned products that you maybe shouldn’t buy

#46

Post by mint2 »

kingforaday wrote: post #5

Amazon's product management criteria has a threshold of (number of returns) / (number sold) within time-frames and if you hit the threshold (which is about 10% iirc), your product is automatically removed until you file an appeal. I guess that isn't sufficient enough.

I thought clothing bought online normally had return rates far higher than that?

Re: Amazon starts flagging frequently returned products that you maybe shouldn’t buy

#48

Post by miahi »

blendergeek wrote: post #7

Edit: It seems that it is easier now to see the feedback broken down by seller than when I had last used Amazon or I didn't fully understand how it worked previously. Will these be separated by seller? Last I checked there was no way to review a seller on Amazon (or if there was, it was so well hidden that a week of effort and calling customer support only got me a refund). Rather Amazon lets you review "products". G…

The way Amazon works now (or at least my understanding from past articles and seller interactions outside of the platform), for some of the items you are not guaranteed that you received the item that your specific seller sent to the fulfillment center. If an item has multiple vendors, you will receive probably the closest one, not the one from the seller you selected. If that item is fake (even though the seller you selected is selling original items), reviewing the seller would mean penalizing the good actor.

I had an interaction ~10 years ago with an Amazon seller that kept also their online store. They did not deliver directly to my country but directed me to their Amazon store that did deliver. I ended up getting a slightly different version (same item but a different revision). Talking to the seller, it was not one that they sent to Amazon; it also came from a warehouse in a different country.

Re: Amazon starts flagging frequently returned products that you maybe shouldn’t buy

#49

Post by coding123 »

srmarm wrote: post #9

I don't get they don't crack down on the product switcheroo scam [0] - it seems like a trivial problem to solve. I've reported items to them before and they don't care. [0] this product for example, loads of the reviews are for something totally different - https://www.amazon.co.uk/WERPOWER-Windscreen-Invisible-Winds...

The product switcheroo thing should be fixed with AI. Chatbot, is this product update similar to the previous product that was posted here?

Re: Amazon starts flagging frequently returned products that you maybe shouldn’t buy

#50

Post by d23 »

sofixa wrote: post #22
srmarm wrote: post #9

I don't get they don't crack down on the product switcheroo scam [0] - it seems like a trivial problem to solve. I've reported items to them before and they don't care. [0] this product for example, loads of the reviews are for something totally different - https://www.amazon.co.uk/WERPOWER-Windscreen-Invisible-Winds...

How is it trivial to solve? They either need to prevent sellers from modifying product pages (which would be a disaster because any mistakes could no longer be fixed without losing all reviews) or gate it behind human intervention(slow) /algorithm (complex). There's nothing trivial about the issue.

They could start by letting users report them. The fact they still don't have functionality like this makes me think they're purposefully putting their heads in the sand.
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