Forum Moderators: phranque
I've never really researched the completeness, accuracy, reliability, trusthworthiness, etc. of shopping engines and comparison sites. Are shopping engines and comparision sites known do do things in any sort of "iffy", questionable, dubious or underhanded way?
Are the merchants who either submit their product feeds or allow their websites to be crawled known for "gaming the engines"? How?
Are shopping sites and product/price comparison sites worthy of universal or consistent trust?
How do you spot a rotten apple?
It's been awhile since I've used shopping engines and comparison sites. Have things gotten better or worse since their introduction? Is there any identifiable trend?
When should I use a shopping engine and what's the best way to use them?
Are the merchants who either submit their product feeds or allow their websites to be crawled known for "gaming the engines"? How?
I'd say the most common way to "game the engines" is by using multiple storefronts. Most of the engines have explicit policies prohibiting this - yet it is widespread. It is common to see multiple entries from the same entity, often at different prices. Shipping policies may vary as well as prices.
A typical excuse: this one is our retail outlet, this one is out wholesale outlet. This one sells only chairs, this one sells office furniture, this one sells home furniture.
In some cases there is some legitimacy, but where do you draw the line? As an example, the "chair" case above is real, and I actually wound-up buying a chair from the merchant. The different operations are actually in different physical locations (in different Chicago suburbs) and they did admit that they owned all three. (Though I suspect it's three doors on different sides of the building. :) )
It's quite common to find that the store offers free shipping on the comparison site, and then when you get to the actual site they don't. But in most cases you can hold them to the offer on the comparison site.
It's definitely buyer beware!
Yes, the major comparison engines have web services that merchants can use to send a "feed" to the shopping site. I think I'd favor those sites, because it helps insure accurate data. On one hand, a store could stuff anything they want in their feed, and I doubt the engines do more that spot-check against the merchant's website. On the other hand, if they lie, they are caught red-handed in a deliberate act.
Surprisingly, I find the biggest problem with price comparison sites is a lack of more than 1-2 stores shown for many items. They really are useful only for high-volume commodity items. They're great for anything computer-related, especially parts. (CPU chips, memory, motherboards - great for the DIY computer builder!)
Want a particular brand and model of track light fixture? Fergidaboutit!
Is this right probably not but there are just to many fly by night sites able to ramp up the spending to get up front and they are so riddled with problems, security risk, and you name it.
I will not buy from a ppc site as anybody with a credit card can gain 1st spot and I just don't have a bit of trust in them...
I am not one of those looking for the cheapest cost as I know what it takes to provide a secure enviorment and good customer service.
What amazes me the most is the number of sites that keep your CC and other personal information stored in a unsecure server or for that matter in a drawer at home.
The same with shopping sites. To much trash out there for me to trust them.
I have talked to some sites that think the lower they go the better and are encourged to do so from the shopping sites, and drop shippers. What the owners fail to understand or are told the volume isn't there to make it profatable for them to do this and they usually can't make it and quit but still have all that info stored and able to accesss from anywere.
This is my opinion only but having 7 plus years in the ecommerce business I kinda speak from some experience.
