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Ask HN: Product managers making products worse on purpose, why?

3 points by timnetworks ↗ HN
I noticed that searching for a specific item on Amazon would always net me the exact wrong results, causing me to purchase the wrong thing (profit motive) but then abandon the shitshow of a platform.

I noticed that Google Shopping and Walmart are doing the same, I can search for (e.g.)4.0 and get results for 3.0, and it's not by accident.

I can imagine the people implementing these (predatory) changes are not stupid, mistaken or fooled, but are doing this on purpose knowing full well they're pissing in the well that they will then be forced to drink from.

I only ask, why?

4 comments

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ofalkaed
Search results are weighted against what people who searched for similar things clicked on, more clicks higher it is in the results. When 4.0 came out 3.0 had already been around for years and 90% of people who searched for the product clicked on 3.0 and almost no one has clicked on 2.0 since 3.0 came out, so the results have 3.0 on top.

>causing me to purchase the wrong thing

That really is your own fault and has nothing to do with Amazon or Google, read the description before buying.

timnetworks
I see, it's my fault that listings are allowed to go up vague, and it's my fault that when I search for a specific item, since the platform already swindled a hundred thousand, I must be in line for the same.

It's also my fault when I search google images for a plastic jumper, I get molex connectors, I guess.

It's also my fault that when I get tired of not finding what I need, the last thing I clicked on gets shown to the next person.

I somehow don't think I'm at fault here.

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