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> If I started Sokoloff Cola today, I don’t see any reason that I should be granted as much ad reach as each of Coke and Pepsi. That is exactly how third party

> If I started Sokoloff Cola today, I don’t see any reason that I should be granted as much ad reach as each of Coke and Pepsi. That is exactly how third party product comparisons and reviews works though. I don't think the world would be worse of if all product discoverability happened in such third party environments.

sokoloff 5y ago
Are they obligated to review every product in a category? The few review sites that I follow don’t seem to cover anywhere near the full breadth of SKUs, but the N most popular, which would become self-fulfilling if this was the primary mode of discovery.
- username90 5y ago
  The people who care would go to more specialized third party sites that covers more stuff. It already happens today, and if we shifted resources from marketing to such efforts they would become more common and popular.
  - sokoloff 5y ago
    We might be thinking about a very different scale of problem. Search “usb 16gb flash drive” on AliExpress. Who’s going to meaningfully review all those results? If we (effectively) don’t allow new entrants, that seems like a massive giveaway to Sandisk, Samsung, Kingston, and the other existing players.
    - username90 5y ago
      I don't see how all those results are better of with Sandisk, Samsung etc constantly bombarding everyone with their marketing material. It isn't like you see ads for the small players here.
      - sokoloff 5y ago
        What are you seeing when you see those search results if not ads? Sure it’s not a 30-second TV spot or 15 second pre-roll video, but there is money changing hands from the seller to AliExpress in exchange for that relationship (same as for Amazon, EBay, Etsy, Tindie, Newegg, etc...) When you go into a grocery store and see Tide on the entrance end cap this week where Coke was last week: that’s a paid ad.
        username90 5y ago
        No they are not. Product listings are not marketing, now you are reaching at straws. Technically they could be considered marketing, yes, but in practice that isn't what people talk about when they discuss marketing. Bringing that up in a discussion about ethics of marketing is bad faith.
        sokoloff 5y ago
        If I pay to place my product in a catalog (paper or online) where it will get exposure to shoppers who will hopefully buy it, what else would you call that expense if not marketing? What you’re calling a bad faith argument is a straightforward use of standard business terminology as far as I can see. I’m not even bending the definition a little bit.
    - amelius 5y ago
      You can always go to the Sandisk website and browse their full catalog?
      - sokoloff 5y ago
        Of course I can go to the website of the biggest brand-name company I can think of and look through their catalog. How does that help me learn about a new entrant to the flash drive market (or help them get me to see their catalog), though?

sokoloff 5y ago

Are they obligated to review every product in a category? The few review sites that I follow don’t seem to cover anywhere near the full breadth of SKUs, but the N most popular, which would become self-fulfilling if this was the primary mode of discovery.

username90 5y ago
The people who care would go to more specialized third party sites that covers more stuff. It already happens today, and if we shifted resources from marketing to such efforts they would become more common and popular.
- sokoloff 5y ago
  We might be thinking about a very different scale of problem. Search “usb 16gb flash drive” on AliExpress. Who’s going to meaningfully review all those results? If we (effectively) don’t allow new entrants, that seems like a massive giveaway to Sandisk, Samsung, Kingston, and the other existing players.
  - username90 5y ago
    I don't see how all those results are better of with Sandisk, Samsung etc constantly bombarding everyone with their marketing material. It isn't like you see ads for the small players here.
    - sokoloff 5y ago
      What are you seeing when you see those search results if not ads? Sure it’s not a 30-second TV spot or 15 second pre-roll video, but there is money changing hands from the seller to AliExpress in exchange for that relationship (same as for Amazon, EBay, Etsy, Tindie, Newegg, etc...) When you go into a grocery store and see Tide on the entrance end cap this week where Coke was last week: that’s a paid ad.
      - username90 5y ago
        No they are not. Product listings are not marketing, now you are reaching at straws. Technically they could be considered marketing, yes, but in practice that isn't what people talk about when they discuss marketing. Bringing that up in a discussion about ethics of marketing is bad faith.
        sokoloff 5y ago
        If I pay to place my product in a catalog (paper or online) where it will get exposure to shoppers who will hopefully buy it, what else would you call that expense if not marketing? What you’re calling a bad faith argument is a straightforward use of standard business terminology as far as I can see. I’m not even bending the definition a little bit.
  - amelius 5y ago
    You can always go to the Sandisk website and browse their full catalog?
    - sokoloff 5y ago
      Of course I can go to the website of the biggest brand-name company I can think of and look through their catalog. How does that help me learn about a new entrant to the flash drive market (or help them get me to see their catalog), though?