General Discussion

dwayneb

(1,060 posts)

110. How to search for something on Amazon like the old days

Mon Oct 6, 2025, 10:57 AM

Monday

About 2 years ago, Amazon decided to get rid of their boolean operators in the search (like putting a - sign in front of things you wished to exclude). This was deliberate. This way they can force you to look at a lot of crap that they are trying to steer you to buy. They don't WANT you to filter down to the exact item you want, because they can't extract as many $$$ of obscene profit from you that way.

For now you can get around this by searching on Google and using the boolean operators the way you used to on Amazon, just search in the domain Amazon.com.

FOR NOW. Because Google is dumbing down their search engine and will surely get rid of that ability at some point in the future too. It gives far too much power to users.

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love_katz Emrys

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Highlight:

Way past its prime: how did Amazon get so rubbish? (Guardian) [View all] mdbl Sunday OP

I think it was Joseph Conrad, who said this about capitalists Walleye Sunday #1

Adam Smith had a few things to say about that ... eppur_se_muova Sunday #5

Nice to trash it from on high but those of us in a real world appreciate not having to Srkdqltr Sunday #2

I agree. mdbl Sunday #4

Way back when amazon started i was suprised that Sears or Pennys didn't take over as Srkdqltr Sunday #6

A Pet Peeve ProfessorGAC Sunday #13

Yes . They messed up a long term gain for quick money. Srkdqltr Sunday #16

Sears made quality products also. ananda Sunday #55

The other problem was Amazon started it's first years purposely working at a loss mdbl Sunday #92

Yeah, And The Execs At Sears... ProfessorGAC Sunday #98

Sears blew it in the 1990s IbogaProject Sunday #36

I seem to remember Sears hiring a CEO who set executives and managers against each other in life-or-death competition, RVN VET71 Monday #107

There are alternatives to Amazon... buzzycrumbhunger Sunday #48

Ebay is nowhere near the same. You are buying from other people's houses. No. Srkdqltr Sunday #62

Are they free without the Prime membership? mdbl Sunday #65

They deliver stuff i need , no added expense, next day. I read a lot so the prime service Srkdqltr Sunday #71

Many eBay sellers are full-time businesses. They have to register with eBay as such. Emrys Sunday #91

Most people don't want to "do their homework" every time they need TP. Maru Kitteh Monday #117

I don't buy toilet paper online Emrys Yesterday #119

The problem is lonely bird Sunday #75

We but online, Amazon mainly, and have for many years. OLDMDDEM Sunday #29

Of all the systems mentioned, Amazon is the least shitty Bluetus Sunday #37

I think the point of the article is that those people who do rely on Amazon have a right to expect a better service meadowlander Sunday #56

Bezos is shit mdbl Sunday #67

convenience Be Leave On Sunday #61

No, poor planning or plain greed causes someone to cross a picket line. mdbl Sunday #100

convenient Be Leave On Monday #106

GIVE ME CONVENIENCE OR GIVE ME DEATH! Coventina Yesterday #124

You do understand that therre are online markets that are NOT Amazon? DBoon Sunday #85

Exactly nt Raine Sunday #93

Well, a slightly contrarian point RandomNumbers Sunday #3

Regarding searching on Amazon, do you know why when I enter something like "women's blue jeans," CrispyQ Sunday #7

I can't say for sure, but what is probably happening is the first page you see is the actual items, unsorted. erronis Sunday #8

I hadn't noticed the featured box until this thread. CrispyQ Sunday #44

Wish I could help. RandomNumbers Sunday #9

It's not just blue jeans, it's anything. And almost every search. CrispyQ Sunday #42

Amazon UI has been horrible lately The Revolution Sunday #79

You have to click some to clean up those results IbogaProject Sunday #40

Thank you! I just noticed that little box in the upper right. -nt CrispyQ Sunday #43

It's easier and more satisfying to me to delete entities like Facebook and Amazon from my personal universe... hunter Sunday #10

Yeah but even with their games, Amazon provides services RandomNumbers Sunday #18

I may return to Amazon when they feel the pressure of government regulation and labor unions again. hunter Sunday #21

regarding #1 Orrex Sunday #22

Not sure RandomNumbers Sunday #25

If you have a way to get me out of the FB trap on photos, I would appreciate it Hekate Sunday #38

Yikes! RandomNumbers Sunday #41

Your point is well taken, but the enshittification of... Mr. Mustard 2023 Sunday #11

Some companies are so big, & their competitors too, that they just don't care if they piss their customers off. CrispyQ Sunday #20

Well, you're right about some of that, and wrong about other things. MineralMan Sunday #12

I'm curious as to why you said Amazon's selling of books is a "monopoly". llmart Sunday #26

Most people have not been in a bookstore MineralMan Sunday #74

Okay. I see what you were getting at. llmart Sunday #89

Bookstores that have stayed in business do seem to be busy. MineralMan Monday #108

I worked in libraries for 10 years. llmart Monday #112

I love libraries! MineralMan Monday #113

This is how I feel about it, too. ShazzieB Sunday #27

I am also not a fan but. . . . h2ebits Sunday #49

One big problem with Amazon is their Sku mixing IbogaProject Sunday #45

You do have to read the listings. MineralMan Sunday #73

You can share Prime accounts with your household The Revolution Sunday #81

I'm just curious Skittles Sunday #96

We both had them from before we met The Revolution Sunday #97

ahhhhh OK Skittles Sunday #99

"Enshittification" PatSeg Sunday #14

Definitely! calimary Sunday #58

I'm adding it to my personal dictionary! PatSeg Sunday #60

It's definitely "a thing" now! calimary Sunday #63

Google has been diluting results for a long time. Tetrachloride Sunday #15

Try DuckDuckGo. Pinback Sunday #24

I generally use DDG. However, I still sense dilution. Wikipedia is far and away my top general source. Tetrachloride Sunday #28

Agreed, Wikipedia is tops for info searches. Pinback Sunday #32

ty. that's news to me on the email Tetrachloride Sunday #33

Info here: Pinback Sunday #50

Invest in an ad blocker. they do work// Historic NY Sunday #17

the browser Brave is what I use for all general reading. Tetrachloride Sunday #34

I use Firefox as my browser. . . h2ebits Sunday #51

the enshitting of america oldinmtdem92 Sunday #19

"scroll past 10 screens of (slop) - just to get to one post" Grins Sunday #23

Become a star member and you're ad free. ms liberty Sunday #66

You assume this is the only site I visit. Grins Yesterday #122

You assume that is what I think; your assumption is incorrect. ms liberty Yesterday #123

We all understand that some people need to use online services. LisaM Sunday #30

Yep. meadowlander Sunday #59

I too had the Amazon addiction. Ease, free shipping, etc mdbl Sunday #68

Agreed. love_katz Sunday #77

Amazon has always been a problem, starting with the tax issue. LisaM Monday #111

The still existing brick and mortar stores all have ecommerce sites mdbl Sunday #94

The Great Enshittening has been upon us since the 80's. flvegan Sunday #31

"It uses its overview of merchants' sales, as well as its ability to observe the return addresses on direct shipments fr BlueWaveNeverEnd Sunday #35

So It's Not Just Me? RobinA Sunday #39

This all comes down to our Economic and Monetary systems IbogaProject Sunday #46

We've noticed that we always have to pay attention to the details. marble falls Sunday #47

I like Amazon way more than I like the Guardian. marybourg Sunday #52

Not me. There's nothing left in the USA to read that's not Foxified. mdbl Sunday #69

Well, the Guardian may not be foxified, but I do find it to be smugified, marybourg Sunday #70

I've been screwed so many times by 3rd party sellers on Amazon, in the last few years progree Sunday #53

I had the same problem when I was buying from Amazon 3rd party mdbl Monday #114

Etsy is the best example of this! EarthAbides Sunday #54

Because their business model is to... WestMichRad Sunday #57

Amazon got on my boycott list Richard_GB Sunday #64

What exactly is wrong with Amazon? mwb970 Sunday #72

Well, First For Me RobinA Sunday #76

I have never had this problem. mwb970 Sunday #78

Again, I am sorry you have had poor results. mwb970 Yesterday #121

Once I quit Amazon I discovered I don't need or want anything I can't get locally... hunter Monday #118

Fantastic! But my results and preferences are different from yours. mwb970 Yesterday #120

Please read the full article. love_katz Sunday #80

I did read the full article before I made this post. mdbl Sunday #90

My comment was for the rest of the readers on the thread. love_katz Sunday #102

Oh ok. Sorry, I misunderstood. mdbl Monday #115

Excellent article and discussion, by the way. love_katz Monday #116

This stood out to me The Revolution Sunday #82

search, social media, online shopping, app stores, video games, streaming -- all enshittified paulkienitz Sunday #83

Thank you for posting UpInArms Sunday #84

Good article. We just love to dance with the bringers of our own destruction. Scrivener7 Sunday #86

Unrecognizable OC375 Sunday #87

But Mackenzie Scott... TheJillMill Sunday #88

She's doing a lot of good in the world Pinback Sunday #101

Amazon has Paid Trump Millions & Now Hosts the Trump Official Store Battle Blue Sunday #95

The Yahoo model. I used to be active in a bunch of Yahoo groups. Then they weren't happy with ads on the sides and LT Barclay Sunday #103

Amazon searches are so bogus..... for example IcyPeas Monday #104

Add ShipT - Target's grocery delivery service - to the BEWARE LIST progree Monday #105

This was the plan from Day 1 of the Internet dwayneb Monday #109

How to search for something on Amazon like the old days dwayneb Monday #110