Did search technology stall and get outsmarted by the spammers? I'm confused how big tech search from Amazon and Google is so bad. I'm waiting for some startup to challenge Google as their progress has stopped
I think it's on purpose, I think they don't want you to be able to search but instead buy the ones they are "recommending" to you.
Spammers are part of the equation. But I think Amazon's business model is a big contributor as well. We'd have less of a problem if the entire Amazon store were actual Amazon listings, instead of randos being allowed to put up co-mingled garbage and gaming the search/review systems with no consequence.
Search technology got outsmarted by their own executives. The goal is no longer to present the best results for the user. It's to present the most profitable results.