Senators ask Jeff Bezos to explain how Amazon recommends products
Two high-profile Senate Democrats are asking Amazon for answers about its “Amazon’s Choice” badge, as it could be deceiving consumers into buying “inferior” products.
In a letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on Monday, Senators Bob Menendez and Richard Blumenthal asked for more clarity on how the Amazon’s Choice program works, citing a recent BuzzFeed report that showed it often endorses defective or poor quality items.
The senators asked for a “detailed explanation” on the selection process for the Amazon’s Choice badge, including the algorithm used to make the determination and whether employees actually review each item before assigning the distinction. They’re also asking what Amazon is doing to verify user reviews, which could affect what products get the badge, and if any financial compensation is involved in the process.
The letter is the latest example of Washington’s growing concern of Big Tech, specifically regarding the control Amazon has over consumer behavior as more shopping activity moves online and to mobile devices.
An Amazon spokesperson said in a statement to Business Insider that it uses investigators and automated technology to prevent and detect fake reviews at scale.
More Amazon news
Google introduces Cloud Retail Search
Google introduces a new search tool for retailers With Retail Search, retailers can bring "Google-quality" search capabilities to their own digital platforms. This week Google announced Google Cloud Retail Search, a new tool to help retailers improve the product...
Live shopping is the new trend in online retail
European customers are open to live shopping Live shopping is one of the big e-commerce trends in 2021, writes e-commerce-magazin.de. This format has already become the standard for online shopping in China. Chinese influencers take customers on a shopping tour via...
Influencers are the key to Generation Z’s heart
Influencers are the way to reach and engage Gen-Z shoppers Generation Z accounts for more than 40 percent of consumers in the U.S. With a collective annual spending power estimated at $143 billion, this group is projected to be the largest consumer population in the...
