Amazon have launched Amazon Collections in the US which the press appear to be raving about with some comparing it to Pinterest lookalike. To me however it looks like a copy cat response to the eBay Feed.
Similar to eBay’s Feed it gives a constant stream of new products in an image heavy endless page. Unlike eBay’s Feed it’s not products that I’m interested in, it’s products that other Amazon users have added to their own collections.
And that’s the bit I hate… “it’s products that other Amazon users have added to their own collections”. If you add products to your collections Amazon is immediately going to stick them up front and centre at the top of the “Collected on Amazon” feed page with your name against it.
Not only will Amazon stick your name up, but they’ll hot link it so that anyone can view all your collections. If you thought you were quietly gathering Christmas present ideas, or perhaps you are baby shopping but haven’t told your family you’re expecting – don’t worry, Amazon will tell the world.
Bearing in mind that the Amazon Feed (oops sorry, Amazon Collections) has only just gone live, it didn’t take long for people to figure out how to abuse it for their own agenda. Some guy named Simon has obviously upset the woman in his life as she’s created a few collections and “Simon wears ladies skirts” is right at the top of Amazon Collections.
She’s created a couple of other collections too, although the “Simon wears ladies panties” appears to have disappeared, Sarah assures us that he wears “womens clothes” with one collection and “ladies clothes” in another.
It’s a no win situation for Amazon – either they hide everyone’s collections and make them anonymous, that stops you following interesting collections which I guess is the whole point. Or they publish them and have to trust users won’t abuse them but if you have an axe to grind all you have to do is the same as Sarah – make up some interesting names for your collections and everyone will see them.
