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Comment by stevebmark | Hacker News Reader

I had a similar experience, for an "Amazon's Choice" recommended popular camera knock-off. The camera came with an insert saying they would give you a "free gift" if you left a four or five star review. I contacted Amazon support with images and they said they would address it. They didn't and the product still stands as "Amazon's Choice." I tried to leave a review saying the reviews were fake and got a warning (obviously seller initiated) that those types of reviews violated Amazon's policies.

Amazon clearly enables review scams.

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I'm convinced that "Amazon's Choice" means that it is Amazon's choicest item for high margins [0], and most certainly does not mean that their staff of highly discriminating reviewers decided that this is the best of the bunch.

Which is why the item to which you refer is still "Amazon's Choice": everyone's making money except the end consumer.

[0] In fact, I seem to recall an article that did an analysis of some sort and came to that conclusion. Hell if I can find it, though.

When amazon's choice changes for slightly different keywords, it's clear a machine is picking. Amazon is pretty good at optimizing, but their targets aren't my targets (this is why sort by price sorts by something other than price)

Every time I see "Amazon's Choice", in my head I hear the tagline from The Outer Worlds:

" It's not the best choice, it's Spacer's Choice "

I doubt there's anyone that doesn't think this

Probably not many and probably nobody here but I reckon there are at least a few non-technical people that think Amazon employees have actually chosen them.

I mean, the very first time you come across it there's no reason to think otherwise really. Search for a padlock, and one is "Amazon's choice"? Ok sure they could easily have had someone try all the padlocks and pick a decent one.

It's only when you find "Amazon's choice" of "3mm hand reamer" or whatever that it becomes obvious it's a scam.

Elzar: You gotta try the pasta, it's got a real nice profit margin. Bam!

It may not even be official policy, but corruption. If you know the right guys at Amazon HQ, maybe you can get inside „assistance“ for certain arrangements.

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