In which Amazon loses my business.

[velvetpage]

Others have documented this better than I could hope to. If you're on twitter, it's #amazonfail and it's the number one trending topic at this moment.

Long story short: with no clear rhyme or reason, and certainly without any kind of coherent justification that stands up to scrutiny, Amazon has removed the sales rankings of a whole bunch of books that fall under the categories of gay, lesbian, homosexual, etc. When you search Amazon based on topic, the results that come up are listed according to their sales ranking, which means that removing the sales ranking makes it near-impossible to search for those books unless you know specifics like the author's name or the title of the book.

It's important to note that many of these books are not adult content. Picture books about kids with two mommies, history books about famous gays throughout history, and young adult fiction dealing with kids who realize they're gay, have all had their rankings removed. Meanwhile, if you search for "pornography," three of the five top hits are actual porn. Can we say double standard?

There are letter-writing campaigns already in progress. I'm holding off until I see the reaction - if their reaction is to immediately undo all the wrong and apologize, I probably won't yank my business entirely. Anything else? Yeah, going elsewhere. Amazon may have the lion's share of the market but they don't deserve to keep it if this is what they're going to do with it.

EDIT: It took most of the day, but it's starting to hit mainstream media. As an aside, I hatehatehate the justification that "private businesses can do whatever they want with their products." That's true to a point, but they've entered into a contract with the people who sell them that product, and actions like this one seem to unilaterally change the contract - or at least the expectations that come with Amazon, one of which is sales rankings. OF COURSE those authors have the right to be pissed, and so do their fans!

Comments

[morpheus0013.livejournal.com]

I'm waiting until tomorrow in the hopes that someone from Amazon clarifies and has a reasonable explanation for this, such as a user-based recommendation system gone wrong. If no one from the Amazon higher ups has addressed it by tomorrow evening, though...

And because I've been challenged on this already: no, I do not consider Ashlyn D to be someone in a position of authority who can speak specifically to Amazon's policy, and how and why it's being applied in this fashion. Ashlyn D is a customer service rep spitting back a canned response. Being as it's Easter Sunday, I'm willing to give the Amazon heirarchy 24 hours to respond with something that isn't being spit back from the employee manual, on the basis that I doubt the higher-ups are spending Easter Sunday in the office.

But again, if it's not cleared up by tomorrow evening, then I have little choice but to pull back from the possiblity of user-based system gone awry/taken advantage of by groups with a grudge, and to fall more solidly on the "Amazon is a douche" side.

[velvetpage.livejournal.com]

That's about where I fall on it, too. It's now hit the LA Times (see edit) and I'd be surprised at this point if the CEO of Amazon hasn't been called into the office to deal with fallout, Easter Sunday and all though it is.

[morpheus0013.livejournal.com]

I was just trying to edit re: your edit when you responded. =)

I'm...uncomfortable with the torches-and-pitchforks response to all of this. I understand the outrage, but I don't understand all the rash, harsh response when the company has yet to clarify. Then again, I'm very much not into giving the "other side" ammo, and if this ends up making prominent GLBT advocates look foolish, that does us no good in the long run. I'm usually in favour of a calmer, more measured response, particularly in the face of a lack of details.

And I'm with you on the "private business can do what they want" hate. That's a weak justification at best, and insulting at worst.

Frankly, I simply cannot imagine Amazon engaging in such a public relations nightmare voluntarity. This strikes me as something gone wrong rather than a campaign with malicious intent. And as Neil Gaiman pointed out, "it's a bit easy to ignore that this has all happened in a few hours on Easter Sunday. Amazon have to be allowed time to fix it."

[redeem147.livejournal.com]

I'm still trying to find out how and if this affects amazon.ca

[morpheus0013.livejournal.com]

Ooh, that's a good point. What about amazon.uk?

[velvetpage.livejournal.com]

I know .uk has had many of the same books de-listed, though not all of the ones that are de-listed on .com.

[morpheus0013.livejournal.com]

I don't know much about Amazon's corporate structure in this regard, unfortunately. I wonder what will happen when it hits the British press, if it hasn't already.

[velvetpage.livejournal.com]

It's the middle of the night over there. It might very well make the morning media.

[velvetpage.livejournal.com]

Question: Do you know the company structure of Amazon? Is .ca a subdivision that still gives profits to the parent, or is it a completely separate company? If the former, I'll still be leaving; if the latter, we'll see.

[athelind.livejournal.com]

Private businesses have the right to do whatever they want with their product.

Consumers have the right to take their money wherever they want to go, and to holler like hell when FacelessCo does something that pisses them off.

Thanks for the news; I hadn't been paying attention.

[paka.livejournal.com]

The customer isn't always right, but sheesh, the guys who make your products and your customers are a pretty impressive combo. I've worked for Amazon, and this is outrageously counterproductive and stupid even for them.

[dagoski.livejournal.com]

There's something very specific going on with the choices here. Tropic of Cancer is still ranked according to that story, but Michel Focault's book is not. Focault is a scholar who's works are considered must reads for most students of the social sciences. Seems like they're excluding books that have serious scholarly or literary value. And, don't try to tell me that Miller's crap has any. The one I read was just trash. I'm puzzled by this and am anxious to see how this plays out. Amazon is a big enough power the book and media world that they way they present what's available alter the perception of availability for North America and that perception can become a reality.

[velvetpage.livejournal.com]

Still sorting out what I think of this. (http://tehdely.livejournal.com/88823.html) I agree about perception becoming reality, though, and it worries me.

[integritysinger.livejournal.com]

it's interesting to say the least because public libraries are NOT allowed to do such things, they aboslutely, positively CAN NOT discriminate against any and all literature and media. It might even be said the libraries are the most liberal minded entitites in our country. strange that Amazon would take these liberties.