Sick of scrolling through junk results, AI-generated ads and links to lookalike products? The author and activist behind the term ‘enshittification’ explains what’s gone wrong with the internet – and what we can do about it

Sick of scrolling through junk results, AI-generated ads and links to lookalike products? The author and activist behind the term ‘enshittification’ explains what’s gone wrong with the internet – and what we can do about it

  • lichtmetzger@discuss.tchncs.de
    401·
    20 days ago

    Now, you may have noticed that Amazon’s prices aren’t any higher than the prices that you pay elsewhere. There’s a good reason for that: when merchants raise their prices on Amazon, they are required to raise their prices everywhere else, even on their own direct-sales stores.

    This alone tells you how much the system has been messed up to favor massive corporations in America. I live in Europe and we don’t have laws like that here. Amazon is still a major player (and they’re just as evil), but I have the option to buy my goods elsewhere for a lower price. And I regularly do.

    Just this month I needed new air filters for a Sony projector. They’re 60€ on amazon, so I bought the same filters for 20€ in a dedicated air filter shop in the Netherlands. Even with shipping, it was half the price.

    • SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca
      11·
      19 days ago

      when merchants raise their prices on Amazon, they are required to raise their prices everywhere else, even on their own direct-sales stores.

      Not exactly true. If you see the price for an item, this means it is the lowest retail price.

      If you see “see options”, that means a seller can sell it to you, but they are selling in cheaper somewhere else.