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Amazon is Stuffing Its Search Results Pages With Ads (recode.net)

If it feels like Amazon's site is increasingly stuffed with ads, that's because it is. And it looks like that's working -- at least for brands that are willing to fork over ad dollars as part of their strategy to sell on Amazon. From a report: Amazon-sponsored product ads have been around since 2012. But lately, as the company has invested in growing its advertising business, they've become more aggressive. See, for example, our search below for "cereal." The first three results, which take up the whole screen above the fold -- everything visible before you scroll -- are sponsored placements that appear as search results: Ads for Kellogg's Special K, Quaker Life and Cap'n Crunch. (It's similarly dramatic on mobile, where it takes up the entire first screen.) This is followed by a section featuring Amazon's own brand, 365 Everyday Value, which was part of its Whole Foods acquisition. Not until scrolling down halfway on the next browser "page" do organic search results -- non-paid, non-Amazon brands -- come up: Post's Honey Bunches of Oats and Kellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats and Frosted Flakes.

158 comments

  1. Not news by DarkRookie · · Score: 2

    This has been going quite a while now.
    But it getting to the point where ublock is having troubles with the page.

    --
    The millennial that doesn't like most of the stuff designed for millennials.
    1. Re:Not news by Moof123 · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Amazon search has been increasingly ignoring the input and just barfing out SPAM. Even very specific searches mix in both sponsored and otherwise promoted items to the point where exact matches often are excluded. I went looking for a bicycle chain ring I have previously bought. Multiple exact name searches and variants turned up nothing but SPAM and semi-related bicycle garbage. I figured it was no longer carriered, wrong. Google found it on Amazon and it was still quite actively sold, just not discoverable through Amazon's search. Screw Bezos.

    2. Re:Not news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Don't buy from Amazon.

      Problem solved.

      You're welcome.

    3. Re:Not news by Gilgaron · · Score: 2, Insightful

      It has been bizarre searching for specific items and seeing the first results have nothing to do with the query, until you realize they're ads. It will be disappointing if we end up depending on Google's index of Amazon's pages to find items...

    4. Re:Not news by rudy_wayne · · Score: 2, Funny

      Amazon search has been increasingly ignoring the input and just barfing out SPAM.

      So, just like Google for the last 10+ years.

    5. Re:Not news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I always assume this kind of thing goes on. Why wouldn't it?

      One would have to be pretty daft to find any of this surprising.

    6. Re: Not news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Exactly. Even my retired parents have started buying on AliExpress.

    7. Re:Not news by cascadingstylesheet · · Score: 1

      It has been bizarre searching for specific items and seeing the first results have nothing to do with the query, until you realize they're ads. It will be disappointing if we end up depending on Google's index of Amazon's pages to find items...

      I already do that ... or increasingly DuckDuckGo.

    8. Re:Not news by Moof123 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Product name from previous order: "SHIMANO FC-CX70 Chainring"
      Link to still sold product: https://www.amazon.com/gp/prod...
      Link costs $39. Search result finds only a $60 option. Why am I paying for Prime, yet I get Reamed instead?

    9. Re:Not news by fermion · · Score: 2
      It is because Amazon is seen to risk alienating customers by not only promoting products the are only ancillary interesting to the person looking for a product, but by cross promoting it's own products.

      I can tell you it is now not all that easy for me just to browse search results. I have to remember that may results are not going to be what I need, but what advertiser want me to see. For instance, if I am looking for toner, there are going to be results that do not work with my printer, and those results are no longer clearly separated.

      Beyond this Amazon is making generally usability more difficult in the name of cross marketing. The amazon home page usually has some moving intrusive ad that has to be scrolled past to buy product. On IMDB, an Amazon property, content is often obscured by an ad. As a Amazon customer who uses these other services, it does not fill me a sense of loyalty.

      Amazon is opening itself up for competition. I know that everyone is saying who is going to compete, but that is what Toys R US said, and I can tell you that by that 40 years after it was formed it was already going downhill, I knew no one that shopped there, because it was skanky and expensive. Amazon has a decade or so to middle age, and if it is not careful, it will looking at a downhill slide to oblivion. There is very little friction in people going to another web site to buy stuff, and I see a future where retail is as decentralized as Uber.

      --
      "She's a scientist and a lesbian. She's not going to let it slide." Orphan Black
    10. Re:Not news by JaredOfEuropa · · Score: 1

      If they think you can afford to pay more, they will charge more. And you can afford Prime... This is already very much the case with airlines but probably the future of online retailing as well. If you can come up with an algorithm that makes a reasonable guess at what a person would be willing to pay for an item, based on all the information they raped from them previously, Amazon and friends will be beating a path to your door.

      --
      If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
    11. Re:Not news by CastrTroy · · Score: 2

      This has been going on even before online shopping existed. Walmart and other retailers charge manufacturers for premium shelf space. The products at the end of the aisle where you are more likely to see them are only there because the manufacturers pay for it. The stuff you see in the weekly flyer is also paid for by the manufacturer. The retailers have a lot of power. The way they present products to the conumsers has a huge impact on how well they sell.

      --

      Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
    12. Re:Not news by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 1

      The shared panopticon of everything you have bought or searched for or viewed generates not just things you like or may be interested in, but estimates of how much you may be willing to (over)pay for because you are too lazy to comparison shop.

      Quelle surprise they take advantage of it.

      --
      (-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
    13. Re:Not news by Thelasko · · Score: 1

      Amazon search has been increasingly ignoring the input and just barfing out SPAM.

      SpAmazon

      --
      One of our competitors trademarked the term "hypothesis". From now on, we will call them "boneheaded ideas".
    14. Re:Not news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Alibaba had this kind of crap when I was living in Asia - on top of even more shady looking items all over the site. I thought it would be the biggest failure.

      I forgot all the idiots would use it anyway. Same thing here - it will keep on trucking.

    15. Re:Not news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Search result finds only a $60 option.

      Yes, searching for your text exactly finds just a $60 option.

      But get rid of the "FC-" part and your link is the first in the list.

      So it seems more like their search just plain sucks instead of actual malice.

    16. Re:Not news by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

      I really like that point, I'm a prime member also. Shouldn't I have the option to disable ads? I'm already paying extra for the service.

      --
      "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    17. Re:Not news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      You know what the trick is for finding good prices on Amazon? Search for the product you want to find in Google with "site:amazon.com shimano fc-cx70 chainring"

    18. Re: Not news by dunkelfalke · · Score: 1

      Amazon is the wrong place for bike parts. The prices are way too high. Bike part shops are cheaper, even with the added shipping cost.

      --
      "It's such a fine line between stupid and clever" -- David St. Hubbins, Spinal Tap
    19. Re:Not news by commodore64_love · · Score: 4, Insightful

      > Amazon search has been increasingly ignoring the input and just barfing out SPAM

      Precisely. In the article they search for "Justin's peanut butter" because they want that specific item, but instead Amazon returns results for a bunch of Other peanut butters irrelevant to want the customer wants.

      Just now I searched for "Bounty Basic towels" and instead I was hit with a bunch of brands I care nothing about. When I want cheap Basic Bounty, that's EXACTLY what I want.... not other junk,.

      --
      "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
    20. Re: Not news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Exactly. Even my retired parents have started buying on AliExpress.

      I read that as "retarded parents" and thought you were being funny.

      Waiting 6 weeks for shipping isn't really that funny though.

    21. Re:Not news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Different AC. Can confirm, google searches amazon store better than amazon does. And amazon's search favors the more expensive variants.

      The GP asked "Why am I paying for Prime?" I will answer: you mistakenly believe that the service is worth the price.

      I haven't paid for prime in years. The streaming selection is laughable, and I can get free shipping just by grouping my orders together. These days I buy from non-amazon vendors whenever I can, anyway, just because of crap like the above.

      Primary takeaway: use google to search for products on amazon, you get better prices that way.

    22. Re:Not news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So you see EBay?

    23. Re:Not news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh bullshit. Quit with the fake rage... and just shut the fuck up.

    24. Re:Not news by Whorhay · · Score: 1

      I was recently shopping for a new desk chair. Because I'm a fat ass I specifically entered a minimum weight limit into google. Google pointed me to an Amazon search for essentially the same thing but with slightly different wording, although still with the same weight capacity as a minimum. The first several chairs listed specified max weights 50 lbs lower than I required. To add insult the top result actually had an even lower capacity if you read the technical details as opposed to the item summary at the top. And that was an Amazon branded chair.

      I don't think I'd mind the adds so much if they were actually labeled as advertisements, like they are on Googles search results.

    25. Re:Not news by nitehawk214 · · Score: 1

      I have never shopped for a bicycle parts. The link he shows simply does not show up in the search results for anyone. My guess is sellers need to pay amazon to show up in search results now.

      --
      I'm a good cook. I'm a fantastic eater. - Steven Brust
    26. Re:Not news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Same problem here, Amazon search can't find exact item with specific title, Google search finds it on Amazon no problem. Or that Amazon search shows my friend of set of items, and a different set to me.

    27. Re:Not news by srmalloy · · Score: 1

      And I've given up trying to make sense out of the items that appear in the 'Recommneded for you' categories. Rubbermaid storage container sets in the 'Office' category, Tamiya model masking tape in the 'Home Improvement Hardware' category, joysticks, mice, trackballs, and mouse pads in the 'Cell Phones & Accessories' category, or the fact that you will almost never see an actual physical book or DVD in 'New Releases', any 'xxxxx Books' category, or any 'xxxxx Video' category -- they're 99.99% Kindle e-books or Amazon Video streams. For e-books, it's usually possible to click on the link to the digital product and then use the 'alternate formats' choices to get a physical product, but even though I understand that Amazon wants to push its digital products to maximize its profit margin (no inventory, packaging, shipping, etc.), but you would think that with all of the datamining they do to detect your purchasing patterns so they can push things in front of you that you might like that they would recognize when someone has a strong preference for physical media and stop trying to push digital versions to the exclusion of all else.

    28. Re:Not news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Holy crap. What a bunch of assholes.

      So much for Amazon's Customer Obsession' core value.

      I worked there briefly years ago and, at least back then, they really did care about doing right by the customer. I guess they've been hiring too many Silicon Valley types and greed has overtaken them.

  2. Re:We have more important topics. by magarity · · Score: 1

    There's no hurricane coming where I am.

  3. Re:We have more important topics. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I agree 115%!!

    That's why we're all here!
    We're here to get news and updates on the weather, and math lessons!!!

  4. Re:We have more important topics. by reboot246 · · Score: 1

    Lighten up, Francis. It's just a hurricane and the people affected know what to do. The east coast of the United States has been hit by hurricanes for thousands of years and this one is no different; in fact, it's not even the largest to hit in living memory.

  5. Once upon a time by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    you walked into a physical store and bought products off the shelf but now amazon is stuffing ads in your face, literally stuffing ads in your face, and stuffing ads in your shoes and stuffing ads in your turkeys and stuffing ads in your pillows

    stuffing ads, stuffing ads, stuffing ads, stuffing ads, stuffing ads

    1. Re:Once upon a time by drstevep · · Score: 3, Insightful

      When you go into the store, you see a lot of items on endcaps of the aisles. They are highly visible. You see items on shelves at eye level and other items that are shelved high up or at the floor.

      Why do you think some items are on endcaps, and some are shelved at eye-level as opposed to floor-level? That's right. Companies PAY to have their products placed at more desirable locations.

      As you were saying, ads, ads, ads, ads, ads.

    2. Re:Once upon a time by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Also, the stores play commercials over their loud speakers. Loudly. It's annoying as hell.

    3. Re: Once upon a time by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      +1 was seriously thinking the other day about packing my noise canceling headphones on my next shopping trip

  6. Re:We have more important topics. by technothrasher · · Score: 1

    There is a fucking HURRICANE coming, why are we wasting time with this?

    https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/...

  7. Does this stuff affect what alexa picks? by magarity · · Score: 2

    I know better than to take it's suggestion to "next time, just ask Alexa to order x" since whatever I've searched for is frequently topped by some cheap knockoff that's "sponsored". Does anyone who actually uses alexa to order stuff get that or what?

    1. Re:Does this stuff affect what alexa picks? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There was a story awhile ago when Amazon first started the subscription orders. If you kept a subscription the cost of the item you were automatically reordering went up. You should assume any type of subscription service will do the same and any product selection not done by you is ranked by which is more profitable to the site. The cost of gaining a new customer is more than keeping existing ones, which is why everyone does intro offers rather than offers for 5+ year customers and the like. Loyalty costs you money and gives you inferior products. Longtime customers get the worse products because you continually think of the item when it gave you your first impressions. You don't notice the quality decline. If your favorite item isn't working as well as it once was, well, you'll still believe all the others would be even worse.

  8. Interesting by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This will be interesting to watch. With general search, usage declines if relevance isn't kept high. If Amazon is showing irrelevant things for search results it may result in reduced sales. I have anecdotally seen some searches I have done recently showing up things that are pretty far from the specific thing I searched for. I imagine there is some inflection point where the advertising of brands against search terms becomes too much and sales drop. Easy enough for Amazon to detect though and then I imagine they just ratchet down a bit and hold where it is most profitable.

  9. Search on Amazon Useless by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I use other tools to determine what products I'm interested in, then search specifically for them and ignore all the "sponsored" crap.

  10. amazon ads & poisoned search finds by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Buying tools & parts via amazon has become more difficult due to ads & poisoned search results, Searching by part # only, just the number, usually gets 1st find with wrong #. Correct # in 2nd find shows amazon intentionally poisons finds.
    Trying to buy a $200 Tool while amazon tries to divert me to some $9 POS, has caused me to quit Prime.

  11. Dork Cocky here is a fucking moron by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You can't evacuate 30 million people you abject retard and hurricanes hitting economically depressed areas and flooding entire states means nobody in them has simple, cocksure retard contingency plans like you seem to.

    1. Re:Dork Cocky here is a fucking moron by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 1

      You can't evacuate 30 million people

      Nor do you need to. Only the outer islands need to be evacuated.

      People living inland, but too close to rivers or creeks need to move to higher ground, but they can still stay local.

      Everyone else can shelter in place.

      This is being compared to Harvey, which for flooding was a worst case scenario. It stalled over a major city on a plain. The death toll was 82. That is equivalent to a weekend of traffic deaths.

  12. Re:We have more important topics. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Do I have time to stock up on cereal from Amazon? I'm a Prime member. kthxbye

  13. I never click on links above the 'line' by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If it's above the line - I ignore it. Same with the little 'Ad' icon in Google. I try to never click on the ad links - even if the ad and regular links are the same... skip the add and use the regular.

  14. Sorry for the typos. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It is of course "a good thing”.
    And there should be a "*” in front of "dons".
    I am truly sorry, and hope ye can look past those ravaging thorns in ye eyes, revered reader of yonder scripture of mine.

  15. uBlock by shaksys · · Score: 0

    If you have uBlock, and still see these, then google a solution to get rid of them with a uBlock filter

  16. Re:We have more important topics. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Lighten up, Francis. It's just a hurricane and the people affected know what to do.

    I'm not so sure I believe that, since nobody ever seems to take the warnings seriously and evacuate ... and then they're all complaining that it took too long for them to be rescued.

    And then FEMA comes in and blunders around doing random shit trying to look like they're helping while trying to make sure they get as much press coverage as possible.

    Honestly, I expect to see Trump throwing paper towels out into crowds again.

  17. Re:We have more important topics. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Me too. I'm safe in the wildfire/earthquake zone of NoCal. Still need that Amazon Prime cereal delivery though.

  18. Re:We have more important topics. by gnick · · Score: 2

    Landfall isn't until Thursday. As long as you ship overnight, you should be fine. I'm ordering plywood for my windows and a couple of board games. Shame on people who didn't prepare for the hurricane by signing up for Prime.

    --
    He's getting rather old, but he's a good mouse.
  19. I use google to search amazon by ljw1004 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I've found the quality/ranking of amazon results to be TERRIBLE. I always do a google search when I want to find products on amazon.

    1. Re:I use google to search amazon by Dan667 · · Score: 1

      I do too. I gave up on amazon search results and having an relatively independent index of amazon's content made sense to me to find what I want. Word needs to get out I guess.

  20. Re:We have more important topics. by DarkRookie · · Score: 0

    Yes I am.
    They should have their supplies already.
    They spend a month down here reminding you to do it.

    --
    The millennial that doesn't like most of the stuff designed for millennials.
  21. Wet Dream Ads by Drethon · · Score: 1

    I pretty much only click ads for products I only wish I could buy, maybe if I win the lottery. Makes me a little curious what that does to their add algorithms...

  22. Re:We have more important topics. by Scarletdown · · Score: 0

    Why the fuck should people across the country and around the world focus all their thoughts on this hurricane, over which they have absolutely zero influence.

    Are you so fucking feeble minded that you only have space in your tiny little brain for one thought at a time?

    --
    This space unintentionally left blank.
  23. Re: We have more important topics. by c6gunner · · Score: 0

    Seeing as how every time there is a hurricane forecast to hit land in the US there are hardware stores out of plywood and generators and grocery stores out of bottled water and many food items and runs on gas stations, etc. I guess what you are saying is that they are all idiots. That actually isn't possible since the person of average intelligence by definition is not an idiot.

    That's a non-sequitur. Shortages don't require everyone to be idiots; they only require enough idiots to cause a shortage.

  24. All in a days work by thunderclees · · Score: 1

    Amazon receives 40% of online purchases and Bezos is supposed to be worth $159 billion and earns $275MM per day.
    All of that has to come from somewhere, right?

  25. Re:We have more important topics. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You should prolly get some cereal too. Just saying. Survivors luv them some cereal! I can't recommend it enough.

  26. To quote the band "The RODS"... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    See subject: "My wheels of fire - I'm like the wind: You TRY to catch me, but you JUST CAN'T CATCH A HURRICANE!" - The Rods & https://news.slashdot.org/comm... ("'400 horses under the hood - my machine & I are THUNDER!!!")

    * :)

    (... & your system can't "catch a cold" using what I made that's in that link too!)

    APK

    P.S.=> Enjoy - & yes, I'm w/ you on what you're saying BUT forces of nature like REAL Hurricanes I can't write a software vs. that (OR do a damn thing from up here in NY State either)... apk

    1. Re:To quote the band "The RODS"... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What the hell is that unmedicated bullshit?

    2. Re:To quote the band "The RODS"... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Better than "medication methods" you projected YOU use at the truckstop apk exposed you in here https://news.slashdot.org/comm... ROTFLMAO!

    3. Re:To quote the band "The RODS"... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If you aren't APK pretending he has support then you are an even bigger fucking retard than that giant pussy APK who can't backup anything he says. Face it APK everyone can see that you are a loser who needs to pretend that people support you. Maybe you should work on learning English instead of spamming your bullshit work.

    4. Re:To quote the band "The RODS"... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Where are your manners? It's impolite to talk w/ your mouth full (of trucker cock apk busted you in https://news.slashdot.org/comm... *snicker* *chortle*)

    5. Re:To quote the band "The RODS"... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Your ex-marine roommate treats your asshole just fine, APK? Does he need help? I'm available..

  27. Different than physical stores? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Please explain to me how this is fundamentally different than physical retail stores which often place higher priced items and items they want to liquidate at eye level and at the end of aisle in their stores? Also it is not uncommon for major grocery chains to sell prime self space to specific companies or agree to a specific placement for price breaks on their bulk purchases.

  28. Re:We have more important topics. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    There is a fucking HURRICANE coming, why are we wasting time with this? This storm will be a Cat 5 blasting into the Carolinas with the force of thousands of nuclear bombs

    "We" don't all live in the Carolinas, "We" don't all have skin in the game, "We" aren't all affected by it, and "We" don't all give a damn.

    It may surprise you to learn this, but the world doesn't stop because there's a storm somewhere.

    I've been to the Carolinas, nice place, nice people ... but my life is in no way impacted by this, and I'd rather every news source not be overtaken with breathless drama about things which don't impact me.

    Did you run around shrieking like this when Japan was getting hit with a typhoon last week?

  29. Re:We have more important topics. by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 1, Insightful

    there are hardware stores out of plywood and generators and grocery stores out of bottled water and many food items and runs on gas stations, etc.

    Obvious solution: Raise prices.

    The higher prices will:
    1. Ensure the products go to those that need them the most.
    2. Penalize hoarding.
    3. Eliminate queuing, so people can focus their time on other priorities.
    4. Incentivize sellers to expedite new supplies so they can cash in.
    5. Incentivize residents to prepare better next time.

  30. OMG! Web sales site wants to sell stuff! by mspohr · · Score: 1

    Really?
    Why is this even news that Amazon wants to sell you stuff?
    It's not some secret plot. It's their whole raison d'etre.
    If you don't want to buy stuff, don't go there.
    Is that hard to understand?

    --
    I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
    1. Re:OMG! Web sales site wants to sell stuff! by LynnwoodRooster · · Score: 1

      Totally agree! The next thing you know, people will be upset that walking into a Safeway store, you'll see prices and boxes of dozens of different cereals when all I really wanted was Raisin Bran! How dare a store advertise and push other products to consumers!

      --
      Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
    2. Re:OMG! Web sales site wants to sell stuff! by Kohath · · Score: 1

      Crass commercialization sours my Amazon browsing experience. We live in a fallen world.

    3. Re:OMG! Web sales site wants to sell stuff! by mspohr · · Score: 1

      I think it's naive to believe that Amazon has ever been about anything other than crass commercialization.

      --
      I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
    4. Re:OMG! Web sales site wants to sell stuff! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's more like the door attendant asks what you're planning on buying today, then keeps you at the door while the staff rearranges the store so what you said you wanted to buy is the hardest thing to find. Advertise? Sure. Push? Hell no.

    5. Re:OMG! Web sales site wants to sell stuff! by oogoliegoogolie · · Score: 1

      It's not just about advertising, but this story describes an issue that is a subset of a much larger and growing issue: generally lousy search engines on retail sites that return either not enough or way too many results. It's not just amazon, but many of the big retailers have searches that if they do return items results specific to my search, and pad my results with dozens or hundreds results from departments and categories that have no relation to my search terms.

      One one site I search for WASHERS and I did get washers in the results, plus WASHing machines, items related to WASHing clothes, babies, pets, or cars, and best of all, items for fans of the WASHington Capitals hockey team. Pretty much everything that has WASH as it's root word. What the hell?

      Another large retail site I searched for drip pan and the results contain mostly anything to fix leaks from DRIPping roofs, faucets, eaves-troughs, plumbing, plus a wide assortment of fryPANs, a few lovely PANties, and drip plans were waaay down in the results.

      Too many sites today are designed around business decisions with less regard to technical or usability decisions.

  31. Not everyone is as rich as you by sjbe · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    Obvious solution: Raise prices.

    The term for that is price gouging when it happens around the time of a natural disaster. Some price fluctuation is to be expected but there is a limit to what is appropriate.

    The higher prices will: 1. Ensure the products go to those that need them the most.

    Ummm... no. It goes to those who can afford them. Not everyone has an equal ability to pay and price gouging during a natural disaster is a dick move.

    1. Re:Not everyone is as rich as you by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 4, Informative

      The term for that is price gouging when it happens around the time of a natural disaster.

      It is only called "gouging" by people that don't understand markets. The likely storm track has been known for days. So why didn't the suppliers run extra overtime shifts to bring in more supplies? Answer: Because they knew they would not be allowed to recoup the extra costs, since NC has price control laws.

      So anti-market laws were the reason for the shortage. "Price gouging" is the solution. Sure, prices would be higher, but not by as much as you think, since extra supplies would limit the rise. But there would have been far fewer shortages.

    2. Re:Not everyone is as rich as you by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      The term for that is price gouging when it happens around the time of a natural disaster. Some price fluctuation is to be expected but there is a limit to what is appropriate.

      Why? If you keep the price artificially low you stop the market's natural forces from preventing hording. The reason for price spikes in times of extreme scarcity is precisely to prevent hording.

      Ummm... no. It goes to those who can afford them. Not everyone has an equal ability to pay and price gouging during a natural disaster is a dick move.

      I have news for you: keeping prices artificially low doesn't help your hypothetical poor person, in fact it makes their plight even worse. Now rich people can afford to horde scarce supplies by purchasing 20 of them instead of 5. Now the poor person who might have been able to scrape up the money for the high prices doesn't even have that option. They have nothing.

      You cannot legislate away human nature any more than you could make cars more efficient by outlawing friction. The only hope of placing some kind of constraints on human nature are to create checks and balances that tend to work in opposition to each other. In the market, that's supply and demand, which is moderated by pricing.

    3. Re:Not everyone is as rich as you by jpaine619 · · Score: 1

      Ummm... no. It goes to those who can afford them. Not everyone has an equal ability to pay and price gouging during a natural disaster is a dick move.

      The term for that is price gouging when it happens around the time of a natural disaster. Some price fluctuation is to be expected but there is a limit to what is appropriate.

      Back to this, are we? Same loads of bullshit over and over again. There have been studies that show that when prices are raised, during a disaster, people don't binge buy items..

      Why does all logic escape you lefties? There is a shortage of items... They have become more valuable... Said items may not be replaced until the disaster is over... So your solution is that the first person to get to them can buy them all?

      Or.... we could let the shop owners raise the prices so it becomes economically feasible to only buy "some" items. Thus leaving some for others.

      Let's take batteries, just as an example.. Every time there is some storm, or earthquake, or whatever, the first thing people try to hoard are batteries.. (well, that and bottled water). So, if the prices of the batteries aren't allowed to change, then the first person to get to the store can make a huge dent in the inventory. By the time the 10th person comes along, the batteries are probably wiped out.. (I'm using the amount of inventory I see at my local grocery store as my reference).

      Now let's jump over to a system that doesn't micromange, and allows stores to charge whatever the fuck they want..

      How much is the store going to raise the prices? Probably not to insane levels, but let's say they do, for a moment.. They're gonna have to deal with that negative publicity after the disaster.. Not good in the long run. They'll be punished by the public.. I've seen this happen with my own eyes..

      So let's say the store triples the prices on batteries... Now the first guy to the store can only buy 1/3 of what he was planning.. Assuming everyone has his amount of money, the batteries are going to last 3x longer.. 3x more people will be able to purchase batteries.. Those batteries are also going to be conserved.. They were expensive and they may not be replaceable for a long time.

      Under your stupid ass system, we ignore supply and demand, and instead let the first few people buy up all the inventory.. AND if it's a rich person (whom you seem to hate) it's even easier for them to buy ALL the batteries, under your system.. We're keeping the prices low..

      Water and batteries... Not expensive items, but very important during an emergency.. I could buy every goddamn battery at my local supermarket (which is a big one) for less than a grand.. Under your price control system, this is fine. I alone should have batteries during an emergency.. Every poor person, behind me, can fuck off if they want batteries.. yeah?

      Or... the store could adjust prices, and I can't buy all the batteries.. They aren't gonna price them so high that nobody can buy them.. They'll be shooting for a reasonable target.. High enough to make a nice profit, but not so high that the public turns on them. This will have a nice side-effect of minimizing hoarding and binge buying.

      Neither system prevents the "rich" from buying whatever they want, but at least under the system I favor the middle class loses the ability to binge buy and hoard. More people will be able to buy those items they need in an emergency.

      The poor are always going to be in a bad position. They're poor.. It sucks, but it's reality. I've been poor. I also knew I was poor and planned accordingly.. The last thing I wanted to do was try to buy disaster supplies during a disaster..

    4. Re:Not everyone is as rich as you by N1AK · · Score: 1

      The likely storm track has been known for days. So why didn't the suppliers run extra overtime shifts to bring in more supplies? Answer: Because they knew they would not be allowed to recoup the extra costs, since NC has price control laws

      Where's the evidence to backup the hypothesis you state as though it is fact. The UK doesn't have any anti-gouging laws, but negative publicity when petrol stations or similar increase prices in a way that would be termed "gouging" by some means that companies don't do it. Thus at a minimum you laws aren't always the reason for a shortage.

      Personally I'm not a big fan of price controls, and agree that they can lead to non-optimal behaviour but when you start arguments with things like claiming that higher prices ensure things go to those that need them most then it undermines your other more valid points. The person who needs it most doesn't always have the ability to pay inflated prices. There's people starving in the world, do you think if we increased prices enough they'd be able to get food because they "need" it most?

    5. Re:Not everyone is as rich as you by grep+-v+'.*'+* · · Score: 1

      they would not be allowed to recoup the extra costs, since NC has price control laws

      So anti-market laws were the reason for the shortage.

      Hey, we're the government. Anything we can do, just ask -- we're here to help (Ourselves if possible.)

      Unintended consequences? No worries, we'll just pass another law. That way you don't have to worry, you'll always be guilty of something. And what more can your government do than provide you with that nice, warm feeling of being wanted?

      --
      If the universe is someone's simulation -- does that mean the stars are just stuck pixels?
    6. Re:Not everyone is as rich as you by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 1

      There's people starving in the world, do you think if we increased prices enough they'd be able to get food ...?

      Yes. Most starving people in the world are farmers, who grow food. But because of price controls on food in many 3rd world countries, they don't earn much, have little incentive to plant more than they need to survive, and are unable to accumulate any savings. Then when weather or war disrupt this lives, they have nothing to fall back on.

      Do artificially low food prices cause starvation? They certainly do.

  32. Re:We have more important topics. by JaredOfEuropa · · Score: 5, Funny

    I tried to buy plywood and supplies on Amazon but I couldnt find any because of all the damn ads!

    --
    If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
  33. Amazon is Stuffing Its Search Results Pages With A by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hi,
    I loved the way you shared everything so well with us – the way you have gone about doing things – it’s surely an eye-opener for me and for many others too.
    Thanks,
    Let's Go

  34. Newsflash! by EmagGeek · · Score: 1

    Newsflash! Guy who owns website likes making money selling parts of it. News at 11!

  35. uBlock Origin FTW by rpresser · · Score: 2

    uBlock Origin hides the sponsored listings for me, and now that I've told it, will hide the Amazon brands too.

    1. Re:uBlock Origin FTW by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Every use of amazon gets at least 1 more ublock rule added. Sponsored ads keep coming back. Maybe blocking the sorry amazon brand stuff will help stop sponsored ads?
      Ebay gets 9 of 10 purchases I make now.

    2. Re:uBlock Origin FTW by xeoron · · Score: 1

      Same here... Also, Safescript blocks and lists javascript sources that want to run on a page, I have noticed more and more sites using amazon ads that I keep blocking banning the javascript running.

  36. Re:Registered /.ers review of the Win64 model by rpresser · · Score: 1

    Just great. Fucking ads on a story about ads.

  37. Don't search for something so general by CanadianMacFan · · Score: 1

    When you search for something so general like cereal then there are going to be a lot of sponsored items to go along with it. All of my searches are for something specific that I know I want and so the sponsored content goes down dramatically. Usually I see the top row of sponsored items and then search results start.

    1. Re:Don't search for something so general by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Exactly.

      If your search indicates that you have only the vaguest idea of what you want, why would Amazon not steer you in the most profitable direction? What is a high quality response to such a request?

      If you know what you want, there is less incentive to not show you relevant results. Also, you are less likely to click or even notice ads instead of what you are looking for.

  38. Re:We have more important topics. by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 1

    There is a fucking HURRICANE coming, why are we wasting time with this? This storm will be a Cat 5 blasting into the Carolinas with the force of thousands of nuclear bombs. Are there nuclear power plants that need to be secured? Chemical facilities? Low lying areas where people live, barrier islands, etc? Can we get started early on recovery planning, such as food, water, body bags, sanitation, etc? We shouldn't forget about the animals - we have a good amount of warning that we could be using to evacuate animals as well as people. We should take this as a call to action to accelerate global climate change amelioration efforts and a rapid transition to renewable and carbon-neutral energy as it is obvious to everyone that this monster storm is a direct result of global warming and is only the first of several pointed right at the US like bullets in the barrel of a gun. Up until now, much of the damage due to global climate change has been in faraway places like low-lying islands in the Pacific - this is climate change writ large, come home to roost. We all know that the greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere probably cannot be removed, but the least we can do is make a serious attempt to cut back on new emissions and we can and do have the technology to do it, we simply need to find the willpower. What we do NOT need is imbeciles like the current occupants of the White House doing things like this to actively make the problem worse but put a few extra pennies in the pockets of their big oil campaign contributors. This hurricane, which promises to be ultra-destructive as it barrels towards landfall and then stalls out over the coast due to changed weather and climate patterns needs to serve as a clarion call to arms for all climate warriors to remove by any and all means necessary, even force, people who are trying to destroy our world and our children's world. The time for action has come, and the time for discussion is over. We have tried reason and it has not worked because they will not listen. Nobody can say we didn't try.

    I'm gonna study this paragraph and break out all your points into actionable line items and prepare for its arrival and shit the hurricane's up by Idaho already.

    --
    (-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
  39. Um thatâ(TM)s what Amazon does by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Not sure why this is a shock to anyone. Amazon is a retailer of products so I am not surprised they inject ads into their search results. I certainly get them on Alexa Echo and the world turns as always.

  40. Californian here and I'm prepared by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    In my Californian home I have stored in my closet: emergency commode, 4 gallons of water, and vegetarian, non-dairy, gluten-free emergency food.

    (not even joking, we really have this stuff. it needs a lot of salt but otherwise it tastes OK)

    1. Re:Californian here and I'm prepared by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bro, you need to get some cereal. Amazon has it. It's the bomb.

    2. Re:Californian here and I'm prepared by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ...and vegetarian, non-dairy, gluten-free emergency food.

      If it's not vegetarian, non-dairy, gluten-free, pesticide-free, organic, free-range, cruelty-free, carbon-neutral emergency food, you're not a real Californian; you have to get all the feel-good buzzwords in there to get the proper nose-in-the-air sense of moral superiority.

    3. Re:Californian here and I'm prepared by magarity · · Score: 1

      ...and vegetarian, non-dairy, gluten-free emergency food.

      If it's not vegetarian, non-dairy, gluten-free, pesticide-free, organic, free-range, cruelty-free, carbon-neutral emergency food, you're not a real Californian; you have to get all the feel-good buzzwords in there to get the proper nose-in-the-air sense of moral superiority.

      You forgot non-GMO. But I can't figure out how "vegetarian" can possibly be combined with "free-range, cruelty free".

    4. Re: Californian here and I'm prepared by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Let the bananas grow where they like and stop torturing them. They don't want to be fenced in, and they're tired of being exploited for porn videos.

    5. Re:Californian here and I'm prepared by Areyoukiddingme · · Score: 2

      You forgot non-GMO. But I can't figure out how "vegetarian" can possibly be combined with "free-range, cruelty free".

      Listen up brothers and sisters, come hear my desperate tale.
      I speak of our friends of nature trapped in the dirt like a jail.
      Vegetables live in oppression, served on our tables each night.
      This killing of veggies is madness—I say we take up the fight!
      Salads are only for murderers; coleslaw's a facist regime.
      Don't think that they don't have feelings, just cause a radish can't scream.

      I've heard the screams of the vegetables (scream, scream, scream),
      watching their skins being peeled (having their insides revealed),
      grated and steamed with no mercy (burning off calories),
      how do you think that feels? (Bet it hurts really bad.)
      Carrot juice constitutes murder. (And that's a real crime.)
      Greenhouses prisons for slaves. (Let my vegetables go!)
      It's time to stop all this gardening. (It's dirty as hell.)
      Let's call a spade a spade (is a spade is a spade is a spade).

      —Arrogant Worms

    6. Re: Californian here and I'm prepared by brokie · · Score: 1

      Let the celery grow where it wants, and don't toture it. Cut it down humanely, with naked singing farmers, and extremely sharp sheers.

  41. Dear hypocrite: Nobody touches my hurricane by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    See subject Mr. Hypocrite & YOUR ad for INFERIOR (copied me too by using hosts AFTER me doing NO dns benefits hosts do themself) UBlock https://news.slashdot.org/comm...

    UBlock, like ALL Addons, is BLATANTLY inferior (resource hog & exploitable + easily DETECTED + BLOCKED by webmasters as browsers have native methods for dumping addons in use) vs. NATIVE to the IP stack kernelmode faster hosts files (a native solution vs. ILLOGIC-LOGIC "Bolt-on-'MoAr'" INFERIOR in abilities addons per proofs in FACTS here https://news.slashdot.org/comm... backing me...)

    * :)

    (Addons = REDUNDANT stupidity vs. hosts... period!)

    APK

    P.S.=> To quote my other post & the band "The RODS"? "NOBODY TOUCHES, my HURRICANE (nobody DARES to even TRY)" https://news.slashdot.org/comm... ... apk

  42. Re:We have more important topics. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    And then FEMA comes in and blunders around doing random shit trying to look like they're helping while trying to make sure they get as much press coverage as possible.

    FEMA is not there to manage the entire recovery process. FEMAs job is to obtain resources (food/water, rescue workers, repair crews, etc), and get those resources to those who need them the most. It is the the job of the local government to know the community and let FEMA know what and where these resources are needed. The governor didn't even know how to contact each mayor, what hospital were open, where shelters were, or even what the heck he was doing; and it showed!

    Go back and review the news, the people trying to get news coverage wasn't FEMA, it was the San Juan mayor who cried a swan song all the while in front of one of the few buildings with power/water/food. FEMA had supplies on the docks within a few days, the local government couldn't find trucks or drivers to deliver the goods; not until local truck drivers pounded down the governors door begging for routes. FEMA had rescue workers within hours of the storm passing, the local government didn't even know where to look and where to take people who needed aid. FEMA just finally found 6 trailers they gave to the government full of supplies, still loaded on the private property of a friend of a local official.

    You want to know why PR is still in need, look at the government officials that were/are just looking after friends and neighbors instead of the entire community they represent. And yes, this is still going on which is why its still an issue.

  43. I thought that all the tracking that occurs... by QuietLagoon · · Score: 1

    ... was supposed to have the result of me being presented with ads for items I am interested in. Here it looks as if Amazon is instead trying to trick its customers into buying something that may not represent what the customer is really interested in.

  44. Re:Dear hypocrite: Nobody touches my hurricane by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Cool story bro

  45. Re:Shanghai faggot Bill excuses 82 preventable dea by Paul+Carver · · Score: 0

    unpreventable traffic deaths

    If you think traffic deaths are unpreventable then you are part of the problem, not part of the solution.

    Traffic deaths are exactly as preventable as hurricane deaths. That is to say, 100% preventable if you take extreme, unrealistic and oppressive steps to override all other concerns; mostly preventable if people just exercise caution, preplanning and don't behave like idiots (but of course some percentage WILL behave like idiots if someone else doesn't take authoritarian steps to deprive them of the ability to make dumb decisions).

    Some people will die as a consequence of not adequately anticipating the stupidity of other people, some people will die due to their own stupidity, and some people will die due to the fact that they made the reasonable choice to not go to the extremes necessary to guarantee 100% safety. Because the extremes necessary to absolutely guarantee 0% risks are unreasonably extreme and the percentage chance of being one of the unlucky ones is so low, it's reasonable to say that on a planet with the population of Earth a lot of people are going to die every single day and there just aren't enough minutes in the day to feel bad about every single person who came up on the unlucky side of long shot odds.

  46. Re: That is an idiotic definition of "idiot",you i by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Idiot is greek, not english.
    It describes a person who thinks and acts like they are more important than everyone else, even collectively.

    Now I know why Americans don't want to use the word properly. They really want you to think it means "a stupid person."

  47. So what? by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

    Oh noes, you're being shown ads to buy stuff!

    But wait, stupid, you're on a website that sells stuff. Unless you didn't already know what you wanted to buy, how could ads for other probably similar products be a problem?

    --
    #DeleteFacebook
  48. APK stuff ads like truckers stuff his ass by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    APK stuff ads in slashdot stories like truckers stuff smelly cock in his ass and mouth while manning the glory hole at the Pilot Travel Center off of I81.

  49. Re: We have more important topics. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Creimer affiliate link. Kindly ignore.

  50. ebay by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Multiple exact name searches and variants turned up nothing but SPAM and semi-related bicycle garbage.

    Ebay has gotten really bad about this. I often can't find what I'm looking for, and I pick something related, and under it is a bunch of related stuff, including the exact item I'm looking for.

  51. Registered /.ers review of the Win64 model by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Your software is just fine - well written, functional... I'm going to continue using the Host File Engine by mmell February 17, 2017

    Your premise that hostfiles are a good way to deal with advertising and malvertising is quite valid - by JazzLad April 20, 2016

    his hosts program is actually pretty good by xenotransplant August 10 2015

    his hosts tool is actually useful for those cases in which one does indeed want to locally block stuff outright while consuming minimum system resources by alexgieg September 25 2015

    I like your host file system by Karmashock September 09 2015

    that APK guy, I use his host file by rogoshen1 Tuesday March 03, 2015

    I personally use a HOSTS file blocker produced from a genius called APK by 110010001000 October 27 2017

    * Linux model = faster/more efficient...

    APK

    P.S.=> APK Hosts File Engine 9.0++ SR-1 32/64-bit for Windows https://www.google.comsearch?s...

  52. suprise! search is not their strong point. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    they are shopping and fulfillment, not a search provider.

    Seriously what do you expect, they are only trying to maximize their revenue streams. Why do you act as if this is new and surprising, its been the MBA's MO since the beginning. There is nothing you can do about it because they do not care and they will not care until more and more people leave their platform for the next platform, just like everyone left Ebay for amazon. It will only continue to get worse because people put up with it

  53. YOU have "StRaNgE" phantasies... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    See subject: I see you're projecting & clue: You're supposed to APPLY preparation H to yourself, not DRINK or SMOKE it (as you do, which EXPLAINS your "issues").

    * So, do you DRINK or SMOKE your Preparation H you use for your hemorrhoids due to your "odd activities" @ TRUCKSTOPS you projected?

    APK

    P.S.=> YOU probably INJECT IT - AGAIN: You're NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THOSE THINGS - LOL! apk

    1. Re:YOU have "StRaNgE" phantasies... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ROTFLMAO!

    2. Re:YOU have "StRaNgE" phantasies... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes APK we understand that you are the only person who laughs at your own comments because you are a fucking retard. So much so that you even pretend that people support you when your regular bullshit has run out.

    3. Re:YOU have "StRaNgE" phantasies... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Where are your manners? It's impolite to talk w/ your mouth full (of trucker cock apk busted you in https://news.slashdot.org/comm... *snicker* *chortle*)

    4. Re:YOU have "StRaNgE" phantasies... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      APK is the one that likes the trucker cock which is why his is indisposed and cannot reply. Either that or he is a retard pretending that he has even more retarded supporters who talk just like him. APK got busted again.

    5. Re:YOU have "StRaNgE" phantasies... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, I got to go APK's way on this. He caught YOU projecting you like it up the ass from truckers https://news.slashdot.org/comm... now wipe the smegma off your chin boy. Hahahaha!

  54. no different than brick and mortar by renegade600 · · Score: 1

    brick and mortar stores does the exact same thing. they also have paid product placement and will place their own brands above others on the shelves. Quite a few displays at the front of the stores, at the register, end caps, or in the middle of the aisles are paid product placements whether it is through special discounts or payments. I really see nothing wrong with Amazon doing it other than it can be frustrating at times when looking for something specific and cheaper.

  55. Not sell. STEAL from you! DEFRAUD you. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This isn't your mom and pop store "let's trade x of value X for y which is also around value X".
    This is intentional and deliberate "psy-ops" NLP manipulation for the sole and exclusive purpose of stealing as much money as humanly possible from their victims, while giving as little of any worth back to anyone as is physically possible in this universe.
    And even if what is actually fairly exchanged in a $999 sale, is about $9, then the other $990 of "profit" are still nothing other than pure THEFT.

    Call it fraud, theft, daylight robbery, or whatever. It is criminal, and having criminals write "laws" that say it isn't, is like a liar saying he's not lying. It only adds to the crime!

    Yeah, I do realize that that is utterly outside of the mentally processable world of the American mindset. I do realize that you consider profit to be perfectly all-right.
    Well, it isn't. You just grew into it, and think it is normal, the way a rape child thinks it is normal to get it up the ass all day, every day. It's still literal stealing from you. A crime.

    And no, you can also throw your American mindset of "free will" and "responsible for your own actions" in the trash. The brain doesn't work that way. We are nothing but machines acting based on external input biased by the accumulation of previous external input. That is what you and I are. That's OK too. But it's not like we are independent. Manipulating us for whatever purpose is almost trivial.

  56. Re:We have more important topics. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Obvious solution: Raise prices.

    The higher prices will:
    1. Ensure the products go to those that need them the most.

    Lemme guess. Libertarian?

  57. Web ads LOL by p51d007 · · Score: 1

    I white list a few places (like here) but, everything else gets run though a VPN, uBlock and Adblock pro. WHAT ads?

  58. I mostly ignore sponsored results. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I see them all the time in listings on Amazon. I made a decision a while back NOT to buy anything that is sponsored, and not to click on ads on Amazon, or indeed in general.

    Anyone wanting to take issue with this, any advertiser or person benefiting from advertising, if this pisses you off that there are people who are mostly if not entirely immune to advertisements, take it up with the fuckers who have for decades tried to exploit psychology and circumvent our ability to make economic and financial decisions for ourselves, by trying to get us to buy shit we do not need, cannot afford, and which are often designed with planned obsolescence so they fail to last as long as they could or even should, and who try to use a combination of exploitation and irritation to try to get us to prefer their products even when they are not distinguishable, let alone a superior value, to their competitors, and by often making claims that are somewhere on the truth-spectrum between wildly exaggerated and outright lies... they fucked it up for you, go bitch at them about the fact that I use ad-blockers and refuse to watch, read, hear, or click on ads.

    PS... there IS an exception to my refusal to watch ads; being aware that there is a phenomenon of memorial decay, (I forget the technical term,) in which you can annoy someone into remembering something and then expect that over time, the annoyance will fade but the memory (recognition of, for example, the brand, name or logo, product name, etc.,) will remain causing their brand to be more likely to stand out, I make it a POINT when I hear or see a PARTICULARLY ANNOYING or OFFENSIVE advertisement, to make note of it, and I make it a point to remember how annoyed I am at them... I even have a file on my computer called Shit List, for companies, brands, etc., with whom I shall never again do business of any kind, lest I forget. Notable entries are ANY AD THAT REPEATS A NAME OR A PHONE NUMBER MORE THAN ONCE. You can give it, then repeat it at the end lest anyone missed it. You say it a third time, BAM, you go on my shit-list.

    To avoid the list growing unnecessarily or obnoxiously long, I do not listen to or watch ads anymore.

    The prevalence of the MUTE button implies, I feel, that I am not alone in this.

    Again, if this bugs you, take it up with the abusive, obnoxious, makers of past advertisement who put me, as a consumer, basically beyond your reach.

  59. Re:Dear hypocrite: Nobody touches my hurricane by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You know, If I ever would have used your software, I wouldn't now because you're such a loony.

    I just can''t trust my important data and PC security to a nutcase who:

    1. Posts an ad in a non-ad forum - I HATE unwanted ads.
    2. Replies to himself as 1st post after that, fake shilling yourself.
    3. Waits for someone to react, usually negatively.
    4. insults them for having the temerity to comment.

    Nope, too crazy for me, thanks for playing!

  60. Re: That is an idiotic definition of "idiot",you by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Giant nothingburger...how is this any different from brands paying for preferential shelf placement in brick-mortar stores?

  61. Re:We have more important topics. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Just searched for "plywood" with no modifiers. Got a page full.

  62. +1 for adblockers by zukakog · · Score: 1

    I never noticed the first page of ads because my blocker eliminates them. I do see the house brand first still, but that doesn't really bother me.

  63. UNIDENTIFIABLE ac you = outnumbered by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    UNIDENTIFIABLE anonymous you = outnumbered DOZENS to your 1 by REGISTERED users Here's 30 reviews by registered /.ers on quality/efficacy of Win32/64 model (Linux one's faster too) https://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=12478398&cid=57130680/ https://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=12478398&cid=57137806/ https://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=12478398&cid=57137868/ https://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=12478398&cid=57137916/ https://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=12478398&cid=57137944/

    * Want more? Ask & "ye shall receive" (like 100,000++ users of my program WORLDWIDE...)

    APK

    P.S.=> Lastly - Quit playing "victim" - it's not effective... apk

  64. Re:We have more important topics. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Everyone else who is likely to be severely impacted by this is taking action now, they are not posting / reading slashdot. I suggest you do the same.

  65. Brick-and-mortar stores do it too by Tony+Isaac · · Score: 1

    It's called paid product placement. If Pillsbury wants their products at eye level at your local Kroger, they have to pay Kroger "slotting fees" for that prime placement. If they don't pay, their product goes to the very bottom or very top shelf, where it's hard to see and find.

    So if you're looking for better prices, look high and low on the grocery store shelves.

    Amazon is doing the exact same thing, but with virtual shelf space.

  66. Dear Slashdot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If any of you have a dream to dethrone Amazon, start today. Because this is how giants fall -- by failing the market that made them.

  67. Blow ads/threats/trackers away by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    See subject: Via APK Hosts File Engine 2.0++ 64-bit for Linux/BSD h t t p : / / a p k . i t - m a t e . c o . u k / A P K H o s t s F i l e E n g i n e F o r L i n u x . z i p

    Yields more security/speed/reliability/anonymity vs. any 1 solution (99% of threats use hostnames vs. IP address most firewalls use) more efficiently/FASTER + NATIVELY 4 less.

    Vs. "Bolt on 'MoAr' illogic-logic" slowing you hosts speed u up 2 ways: Adblocks + Hardcode fav. sites u spend most time @ vs. competition loaded w/ security bugs (DNS/AntiVir) + overheads slowing u (messagepass 'souled-out' to advertisers easily detected & blocked addons + firewall filtering drivers) & their complexity leads to exploitation!

    * ONLY 1 of its kind in GUI 4 Linux/BSD!

    (Better vs. Windows model in speed/efficiency/merge)

    APK

    P.S.=> Protects vs. script trackers/ads/DNS request tracking + redirect poisoned or downed DNS/botnets/malware downloads/malcript/email malicious payloads... apk

  68. Registered /.ers review of the Win64 model by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Your software is just fine - well written, functional... I'm going to continue using the Host File Engine by mmell February 17, 2017

    Your premise that hostfiles are a good way to deal with advertising and malvertising is quite valid - by JazzLad April 20, 2016

    his hosts program is actually pretty good by xenotransplant August 10 2015

    his hosts tool is actually useful for those cases in which one does indeed want to locally block stuff outright while consuming minimum system resources by alexgieg September 25 2015

    I like your host file system by Karmashock September 09 2015

    that APK guy, I use his host file by rogoshen1 Tuesday March 03, 2015

    I personally use a HOSTS file blocker produced from a genius called APK by 110010001000 October 27 2017

    * Linux model = faster/more efficient

    APK

    P.S.=> APK Hosts File Engine 9.0++ SR-1 32/64-bit for Windows https://www.google.comsearch?s...

  69. Addons=inferior/inefficient/faulty vs. hosts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hosts protect when addons can't (or as well):

    Bad sites (past ads)
    Botnet C&Cs
    DNS down/poisoned
    Trackers (dns logs/ads/transparent ISP proxy)
    Dns blocks
    Spam/phish payload
    Ads in videostreams
    Slowdown 2 ways: adblocks & hardcodes
    Hosts = Ez edit.

    AB+ 151mb https://www.google.com/search?q=Adblock+memory+consumption&btnG=Search&hl=en&gbv=1/

    UBlock 64MB https://www.google.com/search?q=UBlock+memory+consumption&btnG=Search&hl=en&gbv=1/

    Hosts~16mb

    Addons = ClarityRay defeatable & crippled http://www.businessinsider.com/google-microsoft-amazon-taboola-pay-adblock-plus-to-stop-blocking-their-ads-2015-2/

    NoScript tag parses. Hosts block script prior to it!

    No 1 addon does as much.

    Stacked addons slowup.

    ADDONS = EXPLOITABLE https://news.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=11166303&cid=55266729/

    APK

    P.S.=> Try THIS instead (hosts files) https://news.slashdot.org/comm... (multiplatform)

  70. Re:Dear hypocrite: Nobody touches my hurricane by rpresser · · Score: 1

    YOU ARE ADVERTISING, MANY MANY TIMES ON SLASHDOT OVER AND OVER, and you don't even have the guts to use your name.

    You're an asshole and you should be ashamed.

  71. Ugh! NO THANKS Homo... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    See subject & get this straight: "You TRY to catch me, but you JUST CAN'T CATCH A HURRICANE (me)" - The RODS https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

    * ... & your system CAN'T "CATCH A COLD" via my creation here https://news.slashdot.org/comm...

    APK

    P.S.=> UNIDENTIFIABLE anonymous LOSER who STALKS me like the obsessed SICKO you clearly are? YOU truly WISH you were ME (but a waste of time & life like YOU? Never EVER can be, lol - & you KNOW it)... apk

  72. Dont care about the ads; fix your reviews Amazon by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It's unclear now if a review is for the specific product youre looking at, or a similar product made by the same manufacturer (e.g., you're looking at a small rice cooker, but youre presented reviews for the large version which includes additional features and possibly different construction materials).

    Congrats Amazon -- your review section is now basically useless to me.