[echelon]

> In contrast, product pages for Apple competitors like Samsung are riddled with ads from competitors, recommendations, and other sponsored banners. Insider says that other companies, including Samsung, have complained about the preferential treatment given to Apple.

You shouldn't be allowed to place ads against another company's product listings or trademarked brands.

You shouldn't be able to pay Google to advertise and gain search placement ahead of another company's trademarked brands, either.

[nomel]

> You shouldn't be allowed to place ads against another company's product listings or trademarked brands.

As as consumer, this is precisely where I want competitors ads. Competition is a good thing, for me.

[neogodless]

That is the grand philosophical question.

Should companies be able to do this?

Is Amazon a marketplace, or the marketplace? Rewind 15 years ago, and I compared local retail, Amazon, NewEgg, Buy.com, etc. I researched each product, and then researched which site would give me a good price plus shipping. Of course Amazon won this battle and edged out many competitors.

But most people tend to go to Amazon, and let Amazon make decisions for them. That's kind of our own fault, but it's also worrying. Now I won't argue that Apple is or isn't the best maker of whatever product someone went to Amazon to shop for. But I still would like the products to be presented equally and fairly.

But... I suppose I want companies to be able to give each other money to get different levels of service, too. How do you draw this line?

[toast0]

Why not? As long as it's not deceptive, seems ok to me. Trademarks don't mean absolute ownership of a word.

I'm not a huge fan of advertising in retail, but even in offline retail, manufacturers/distributors are paying for shelf space, either directly in dollars or offset from the product cost / managed through other terms. Having your product accessory or competitor shelved nearby a more well known product is helpful; ads in a retail website are analogous to that.

[smoldesu]

So if I search Amazon for "Tylenol", you're saying the experience is better if they don't show me bulk acetaminophen? Or, is the damage to Tylenol just too great to offer people an alternative?

I'm not really sure what your point is here. What's wrong with comparing products across brands?

[Terretta]

If there's a car show on NBC about Mercedes, you're saying BMW can't advertise in the commercial break?

If there's a product page on Amazon about Samsung, you're saying Motorola can't advertise below the fold?

Search terms feel like a different thing. TV Guide search for Mercedes, land on a show about BMW? No. Google search for Samsung, Motorola is top result? No.

PS. Use kagi.com and it's not a problem.

[bhelkey]

> Search terms feel like a different thing.

Unless I'm mistaken, this discussion is about search ads. The situation was that users searched for Apple products and were shown counterfeit competitors.

[fallingknife]

Competitors to a trademarked brand should absolutely be able to purchase ads against that brand.