Question about Amazon search.

[LAS14]

I was looking for snow globes for my grandchildren. The search for "snow globes" was ordered by "featured." It had seven pages, with lots priced over $50. So I changed the order to "low to high" priced. Again I got seven pages, most of the items not snow globes at all, but the most expensive were less than $10. Obviously a completely different set. When I tried "highest to lowest" I got 3 pages of miscellaneous things (not snow globes).

What gives?

How can I just look at all the snow globes?????

tia
las

[DonaldsRump]

1. You raise an extremely fair point

Last edited Fri Nov 27, 2020, 01:47 PM - Edit history (1)

I am getting more and more fed-up with Amazon's website. When I purchase something as a gift, it's there for others in my family to see who have access to our account. Even if I archive it and remove it from my Amazon site browsing history, it still shows up in recommendations.

I appreciate it's a different issue than what you're raising, but the website is less and less user friendly and more about data mining and steering us to products Amazon is trying to sell us.

I am also finding some things are cheaper on Ebay.

On your particular issue, I've had this problem before many, many times. Try to see if you can find a standard Amazon category like "holiday decorations" so that the search becomes more accurate. Also, check which Amazon department the snow globe is in and use that as your starting point.

[mr_lebowski]

2. Maybe search with double quotes?

"Snow Globe"

Otherwise it searches for snow or globe.

Some items it recognizes as a single thing even though it's two or more words, but not snow globe. So maybe if you give it a hint?

[mr_lebowski]

3. Okay I futzed with it a bit ...

If I search with +snow +globe, then toggle the sort, then hit the search button again, I get only things with Snow Globe in the title.

HOWEVER there appears to be a brand that sells all kinds of stuff and their brand name is Snow Globes.

So that's the issue here I believe.

[LSFL]

4. I do a raw search on google

And put + Amazon on it. That way I can pick individual items from the Google results. They link directly to the item on Amazon, allowing you to bypass the wonky Amazon search engine give your data directly to Google instead. I don't even know if I am kidding anymore. But the method works.

[Silver Gaia]

6. I've done that, too.

Even if you don't put "+ Amazon" in the search, it still works, and will show you Amazon and other places to find it as well.

[LAS14]

9. Thank you, thank you!!! A golden suggestion!!! Works great!!! nt

[Silver Gaia]

5. There are a few things you could try.

If you have a price in mind that you won't go over, then for instance, search for snow globes under $20. Or if you have a particular theme in mind, search for that, such as Christmas snow globes or snow man snow globes, or unicorn snow globes. Or even Christmas snow globes under $20. It helps to narrow your search to be as specific as possible.

[Susan Calvin]

7. Amazon search stinks.

It always has as far as I remember. If you try to make it sort in anything other than the order it prefers, which no doubt has the things Amazon most wants to sell at the top, it's virtually worthless. I had a student who worked for Amazon for a while, and he agreed.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

8. Use the check boxes and attributes to focus the search

Down the left side of page there are options that can narrow the listings.
Pick a department:
Department
Home Décor Accents
Snow Globes
Collectible Figurines
Musical Boxes & Figurines
Seasonal Décor
Christmas Snow Globes

Pick a price range:
Price
Under $25
$25 to $50
$50 to $100
$100 to $200
$200 & Above

I infer that the amazon site search is mostly a word search function. If you sort for price low to high, you will probably get anything that has either "snow" or "globe" in the title or listed in the keywords added by the seller.

YMMV