File this under search-engine oddities: Amazon's own search engine has been corrupted by results that accuse the online merchant of being a "thief" and "racial" (see screenshots at the bottom of the post).
About 10 products in the Amazon.com database display titles that say "Amazon is racial and thief please do not buy on Amazon" or variations. You can see some of the results by searching for amazon + thief on Amazon.com, but it's also possible to reach these products by mispelling "Ralph Lauren" in the search field. None of the products have descriptions, but many of them are still being listed for sale by independent Amazon marketplace merchants. These merchants typically use Amazon's immense online database and payment system to list and sell goods, but ship from their own warehouses or homes.
Suspecting some sort of grassroots revolt on the part of the independent merchants, the Standard contacted several of the merchants who had listed the "thief" products, but was told that they thought they were listing legitimate perfume products. This is one of the replies from Sterling CDs, which has conducted thousands of sales via Amazon:
"In answer to your question We are not upset with Amazon at all. In researching this item it really is Calvin Klein Summer Eternity Perfume. How it changed to the title shown I have no idea. When I went into our inventory listing this is what the heading shows:
BUY Genuine Perfumes From "Fragranceforall" Eternity Summer 2007 By Calvin...
So we have removed the item since it isn't being presented correctly."
Indeed, one of the other listings does have a picture of a perfume bottle, and Ralph Lauren also sells perfume products.
So, is this an issue related to the Amazon's listing system, based on unique ASIN numbers? A security hole? A disgruntled perfume manufacturer or distributor? The Standard contacted Amazon.com's press center yesterday to ask the company if it knew what was going on with the corrupted listings, but we haven't received a reply. If you have some insights, feel free to share them in the comments below.
Another screenshot, this time with a picture and a merchant seller:
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Comments
Most marketplace sellers have access to modify listing titles in the "Everything Else" category. Some disgruntled seller merely changed the title of the product, much like how a Wiki posting is vandalized.
Amazon will be able to search and track down the involved party and will proceed with the appropriate actions.
Steven: Steven, thanks for the information. I had noticed the "Everything Else" category for the bogus submissions, but didn't realize how easy it apparently is to change the information in these products.
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