Google AI Mode shows same products 21.6% more expensive than traditional search
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Re: Google AI Mode shows same products 21.6% more expensive than traditional search
#2At least in a few examples it looks like it is surfacing the manufacturers page, and then random 3rd parties have it cheaper, which is pretty commmon.
Re: Google AI Mode shows same products 21.6% more expensive than traditional search
#3That is interesting.
The next question I'd ask is what the quality / reliability signal looks like. It is entirely possible that the results differ, but the organic search results are SEO'd garbage that lead to knock-offs, fell-off-the-trucks, or refurbs-sold-as-new.
But nonetheless, the fact they differ at all is an intriguing result.
Re: Google AI Mode shows same products 21.6% more expensive than traditional search
#4Hey, that's actually a pretty useful feature if it helps discourage people from buying so much stuff!
Re: Google AI Mode shows same products 21.6% more expensive than traditional search
#5My guess is that there are two different teams working on these.
Re: Google AI Mode shows same products 21.6% more expensive than traditional search
#6At least in a few examples it looks like it is surfacing the manufacturers page, and then random 3rd parties have it cheaper, which is pretty commmon.
Then again, that makes it more expensive for the inconspicuous buyer who has no idea, which is a considerably larger population than HN readers.
Re: Google AI Mode shows same products 21.6% more expensive than traditional search
#7At least in a few examples it looks like it is surfacing the manufacturers page, and then random 3rd parties have it cheaper, which is pretty commmon.
Yeah and I know one issue with this is that sites like Amazon tend to have greater protections against scraping from AIs, so there is not much AI providers could do if they wanted to find the true lowest price.
Re: Google AI Mode shows same products 21.6% more expensive than traditional search
#8[deleted]
Re: Google AI Mode shows same products 21.6% more expensive than traditional search
#9[deleted]
Re: Google AI Mode shows same products 21.6% more expensive than traditional search
#10At least in a few examples it looks like it is surfacing the manufacturers page, and then random 3rd parties have it cheaper, which is pretty commmon.
Then again, that makes it more expensive for the inconspicuous buyer who has no idea, which is a considerably larger population than HN readers.
Sure but in my own experience, the cheapest seller often means you are setting yourself up for headache if anything goes wrong.
It's easy to envision a parallel story about AI recommending sketchy vendors with no protections.