Way past its prime: how did Amazon get so rubbish? (Guardian)

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9. Wish I could help.

The one thing I rarely buy on Amazon is clothes. Unfortunately I'm now forced (I think) to buy my sneakers on Amazon because the chain store where I bought them - and I prefer to buy them in a store, where I can try on a pair - has stopped selling the ONE brand that fits my feet well.

I tried your query and didn't have the experience you describe. But I don't usually buy clothes online. Maybe Amazon thinks it knows what you like so is trying to "jump" to that. If that's what's going on, sounds like their algorithm needs some work.

My biggest issue with search on Amazon is that I can enter a specific brand, and it will often show me a lot of other brands, and not necessarily list the brand I asked for first. Or even have the brand I want as an option in the filter. Aaargh. Still, for routine purchases of household supplies, they beat the regular stores hands-down. Especially since brick and mortar stores have a very bad habit of discontinuing stuff I like. When they do that it usually drives me to look for the option I like on Amazon, rather than trying whatever "alternative" the store is now offering.