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varispeedyesterday at 10:20 PM3 repliesview on HN

Why it would be a threat? Unless Amazon is manipulating the marketplace for the customer to buy a product different from what they want. In that case such practice surely should attract a look from regulators?


Replies

cushyesterday at 10:31 PM

> Amazon is manipulating the marketplace for the customer to buy a product different from what they want

There is no expectation or regulation that a store is supposed to only show customers what they want. A retailer is going to sell you the items you're willing to buy based on what they think will help them drive the most profits.

Imagine for a moment you're a store that sells millions of different products. Now, imagine a customer walks into your store, and as per some government regulation "you're expected only to show the customers who walk into your store products that they want". It's a fairly ridiculous expectation.

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peri-clyesterday at 10:25 PM

Tricking customers into buying things they otherwise wouldn't is the core concept of adtech.

If you insulate humans from the manipulative dark patterns (though agent intermediaries), it's possible for them to spend less, spend more efficiently, optimize out information-asymmetries that are profit centers for entities like Amazon. Of course Amazon will fight this.

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jmspringyesterday at 10:37 PM

Amazon has generally been a shadow of itself. Fakes and less than reputable options. An opensource / legit sourced marketplace could be useful.