7/16/2004

A Plog?

Anyone seen Amazon's new Plog service?  It's like a Blog, but they've bastardized it into a shopping tool.  It's explained here.
 
Fundamentally, I don't have a problem with the idea behind what Amazon is trying to do.  It's just taking their recommendation service a step further.  The problem I have, though, is that their recommendation service should be further refined before they try to advance it because it's pretty whacked as it is today.  For example, recommending a Logitech mouse to me because I rated a Microsoft mouse isn't helpful.  I can only use one at a time.  Or recommending me red ethernet cable, and then yellow ethernet cable, and then different lengths of different color cables is ridiculous.  I bought cable, I used it, I don't need anymore.  They did the same with ethernet routers, laptops, and keyboards.  These are one time purchases people, once you've bought one you're no longer in the market for another.
 
Now, I like the fact that they recommended the Velvet Revolver CD to me since I rated the Audioslave CD.  That I like, but recommending a random computer program to me because I rated a PC game doesn't make sense.  Just because I liked Rise of Nations doesn't mean I need some photo editing software.  The link just isn't there.  Or, recommending a chick flick DVD to me because I rated an action DVD is just stupid.  I can go on and on and I'm sure anyone who's paid attention to their Amazon recommendations has seen the same thing.
 
Dear Amazon employee:  I like your company, I like what you're doing, and I like where you're trying to go, but please, please, PLEASE, stop recommending CRAP to me just because it's electronic and I've indicated a preference for electronic things.  They're not necessarily related.  Your company could provide me a much better service if they noted that I tend to like heavier alternative/industrial music and recommended more music like that than just any new music that comes out because it's music (i.e., Wilco).  Alternatively, allow us to exclude product types from our recommendations because we're no longer in the market for them, like cables, mice, laptops, etc. would be useful.  I've got one, I'm good.  Anyways, I hope you see the point I'm making here.  If you would like add'l feedback, contact me, I'm glad to help.  I'm posting this here because I tried emailing your customer service with this advise, but they didn't seem to care.  Good luck and please, no more cables.