4 ms·

They have buy competition though. I have read (and it seems plausible to me) that most people go directly to Amazon.com when they know what they want to buy alr

They have buy competition though. I have read (and it seems plausible to me) that most people go directly to Amazon.com when they know what they want to buy already, and they only search Google for things to buy when they don't know. I myself limit my online buys to Amazon because it's more convenient than setting up a new account for each individual vendor. I don't even care if I pay more at Amazon. It's safer and more convenient.

DanBC 11y ago
...and one of the reason people search Google is because searching Amazon is weirdly and totally broken. I know Amazon is chock full of people who know what they're doing so it's always surprising that the search is so bad.
- TazeTSchnitzel 11y ago
  Huh, what? Amazon search works great.
- mreiland 11y ago
  what? I've never ever ever had an issue with amazon search, can you explain what you mean?
  - DanBC 11y ago
    Search for [Pure One Mini] (pure is the manufacturer, one mini is the product name, of a DABS portable radio.) you get a bunch of results that just aren't relevant. You get accessories for this device, you get accessories for other devices from this manufacturer, you get other devices from this manufacturer, you get devices and accessories from other manufacturers. You have to use the side bar to restrict the products to those from Pure. But you still get all the Pure product line, and there's no way to further restrict the selection. Back when people were still selling the Sansa Fuze: Search for eg [sansa fuze 8GB] then sort by price. You get dozens of pages of cases, then leads, then chargers for the sansa fuze. And Amazon's next page only allows you to advance by single pages, you can't jump forward by 5 pages at a time. Search for [microwave oven], chose a department, and search by price, and you'll get a billion things that can be used with a microwave oven (timers, cookware, books) and then actual microwave ovens. You have to do further refinement using the side bar.
    - mreiland 11y ago
      Sansa Fuze http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=sansa+fuze http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3D... The top 3 results, in order, - 4 GB sansa Fuze player - sansa Fuze player clip - 8 GB sansa Fuze player Here's a search that finds the portable radio using the search terms "pure one mini portable radio" http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=pure+one+mini+portable+radio&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Apure+one+mini+portable+radio http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dap... and a search for "microwave" http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=microwave&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Amicrowave http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3D... All 3 searches have the relevant items at the top. I'm not saying Amazon search is perfect, but you know, sometimes I have to modify my search in order to find what I want on google too.

DanBC 11y ago

...and one of the reason people search Google is because searching Amazon is weirdly and totally broken. I know Amazon is chock full of people who know what they're doing so it's always surprising that the search is so bad.

TazeTSchnitzel 11y ago
Huh, what? Amazon search works great.
mreiland 11y ago
what? I've never ever ever had an issue with amazon search, can you explain what you mean?
- DanBC 11y ago
  Search for [Pure One Mini] (pure is the manufacturer, one mini is the product name, of a DABS portable radio.) you get a bunch of results that just aren't relevant. You get accessories for this device, you get accessories for other devices from this manufacturer, you get other devices from this manufacturer, you get devices and accessories from other manufacturers. You have to use the side bar to restrict the products to those from Pure. But you still get all the Pure product line, and there's no way to further restrict the selection. Back when people were still selling the Sansa Fuze: Search for eg [sansa fuze 8GB] then sort by price. You get dozens of pages of cases, then leads, then chargers for the sansa fuze. And Amazon's next page only allows you to advance by single pages, you can't jump forward by 5 pages at a time. Search for [microwave oven], chose a department, and search by price, and you'll get a billion things that can be used with a microwave oven (timers, cookware, books) and then actual microwave ovens. You have to do further refinement using the side bar.
  - mreiland 11y ago
    Sansa Fuze http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=sansa+fuze http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3D... The top 3 results, in order, - 4 GB sansa Fuze player - sansa Fuze player clip - 8 GB sansa Fuze player Here's a search that finds the portable radio using the search terms "pure one mini portable radio" http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=pure+one+mini+portable+radio&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Apure+one+mini+portable+radio http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dap... and a search for "microwave" http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=microwave&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Amicrowave http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3D... All 3 searches have the relevant items at the top. I'm not saying Amazon search is perfect, but you know, sometimes I have to modify my search in order to find what I want on google too.