# Silly Amazon.com search engine



## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

I hate the fact that Amazon.com doesn't have a specific category for opera, opera new releases, and opera future releases.

It's all lumped together with musicals and performing arts, so that when we browse we get to stuff like Riverdance and Platinum Hits.

Even worse is how they try to guess your taste and advertise specifically to you by email. One of these days I got an email from them saying "since as a customer you've shown an interest in music DVDs, we though this one might interest you" and sent me a cover picture featuring.... Justin Bieber!!!!! WTF??? How stupid is this??? I only buy *opera* CDs and DVDs from them, by the hundreds; haven't they figured this out by now?

So, when you're trying to get ideas for new purchases, where do you browse? What sites have well organized search engines that do understand that opera is a very specific niche and opera lovers are definitely not interested in Justin Bieber or Riverdance?


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

On the Amazon daily deals page, they are always very good about recommending (and giving discounts on) opera dvds. For example, today's deal for me (along with a Python programming book) is the Met 2010 Armida, offered to me at 23% off normal price. Normally I get 3-5 opera dvds recommended per day, all at 10-30% off, today there's only the one for some reason.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

rgz said:


> On the Amazon daily deals page, they are always very good about recommending (and giving discounts on) opera dvds. For example, today's deal for me (along with a Python programming book) is the Met 2010 Armida, offered to me at 23% off normal price. Normally I get 3-5 opera dvds recommended per day, all at 10-30% off, today there's only the one for some reason.


 What? I didn't know about it. Is there a page for daily deals? I'll check it out, thanks for the tip.
---
Oh wow, you're right. However I did notice that the discount is misleading, because they quote the discount off the suggested retail price, not off their regular price. So, a Carmen with Antonacci that they said was off by 14% "just" for me, was actually just $1.35 less than their usual price which is already 10% less than the suggested price, therefore the discount was 4%, not 14%. And then, their marketplace vendors offer the same DVD brand new with a price that is $7.21 less than the "today's deal" price (which amounts to a discount of about 35% so I'm not sure if there is any advantage in buying from those "offers."


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

Yes, it's the gold box page here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/goldbox/
At the top of the page they'll have a deal anyone can take advantage of (i.e., 99% of the time it's for something you don't want), and at the bottom, assuming you're logged in, it'll have specific deals for you based on your purchase history


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

rgz said:


> Yes, it's the gold box page here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/goldbox/
> At the top of the page they'll have a deal anyone can take advantage of (i.e., 99% of the time it's for something you don't want), and at the bottom, assuming you're logged in, it'll have specific deals for you based on your purchase history


 Yes, the top of the page had some baby clothes, LOL, and the bottom did have 6 opera DVDs, but the only one that would interest me was the Antonacci Carmen, but like I said, their marketplace vendors offer it 35% off versus their 4% off (which they pretend is 14%).


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

Haha, sorry it wasn't more helpful. They change every day at about 2 AM CST.
And yeah, you can generally find it cheaper from a 3rd party vendor but they'll have shipping costs whereas with Amazon it'll qualify for the super saver shipping most of the time so from time to time it'll be cheaper when all is said and done.

Other than that, don't know what to tell you. Anyway, don't you still have some UWP operas to finish off before you buy more?


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## amfortas (Jun 15, 2011)

Almaviva said:


> I hate the fact that Amazon.com doesn't have a specific category for opera, opera new releases, and opera future releases . . . It's all lumped together with musicals and performing arts, so that when we browse we get to stuff like Riverdance and Platinum Hits.


You *can* browse opera and operetta new releases. But I don't know that there's a way to do the same for opera in general or for future releases.


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## FragendeFrau (May 30, 2011)

Gee thanks very much. They made me an offer I couldn't refuse on a CD that I only had the download of (never buy classical from iTunes) plus I wanted to get Rojotango by Erwin Schrott.

I never noticed the stuff at the bottom....yikes. Although I did check the prices carefully as you suggested. The other CD that I downloaded and want the booklet for was much cheaper used so I held off on that one.

Yes I am buying two CDs I already "own" as downloads because I want the booklets...


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> ...It's all lumped together with musicals and performing arts, so that when we browse we get to stuff like Riverdance and Platinum Hits.
> 
> Even worse is how they try to guess your taste and advertise specifically to you by email. One of these days I got an email from them saying "since as a customer you've shown an interest in music DVDs, we though this one might interest you" and sent me a cover picture featuring.... Justin Bieber!!!!! WTF??? How stupid is this??? I only buy *opera* CDs and DVDs from them, by the hundreds; haven't they figured this out by now?
> 
> ...Justin Bieber or Riverdance?


Just a general comment here - I think that these issues are being worked out as we speak, the problems ironed out. This kind of search engine (eg. amazon) is pretty recent & they're probably trying to refine/improve things. A good idea would be to let them know these issues you are having.

The thing is, that all databases work with some kind of "meta-data" - or data about data. Eg. if you buy an opera by Verdi, opera comes under vocal music (that's where Justin Beiber comes in, there's the link in the chain between the data they have gathered from your buys/searches, etc.). There is also ballet music in Verdi's operas (so there's the connection with dance music in general - that's how you get Riverdance!). I don't know if you've had other offers - eg. Verdi also wrote a string quartet, so maybe you'll get mentions of other composers' string quartets. Meta-data is about links in the chain. If they tighten the chain too much, then the net becomes too fine, & you'll only get strictly operas (eg. not discs of orchestral music from operas, or compilations or arias from operas, etc.), but if it's too wide, then things you don't want fall through the net (eg. Beiber & Riverdance).

So I think that due to the relative newness of the technology, these things are being refined as they go along. It's early days yet in the "information revolution." I'd hazard a guess that a couple or few years from now, amazon & others will have improved with their systems of meta-data...


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## GoneBaroque (Jun 16, 2011)

Almaviva said:


> I hate the fact that Amazon.com doesn't have a specific category for opera, opera new releases, and opera future releases.
> 
> It's all lumped together with musicals and performing arts, so that when we browse we get to stuff like Riverdance and Platinum Hits.
> 
> ...


Alma, check out Arkiv Music I have purchased from them on many occasions and have always been satisfied.

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/MusicList;jsessionid=232DAB1D480FC086DB6D6B6FB26111BE?role_wanted=8&opera=y&featured=1


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I use the Presto Classical 'Future and upcoming release facility, You can narrow it down to DVDs, which does mean you have to plough through some instrumetnal DVDs, but it still gives me some ideas.

I find the Archiv Music site harder to use.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

GoneBaroque said:


> Alma, check out Arkiv Music I have purchased from them on many occasions and have always been satisfied.
> 
> http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical...6B6FB26111BE?role_wanted=8&opera=y&featured=1


Thanks, I've bookmarked the page.
There's always some funny stuff... among the "Most Popular Operas" - the usual suspects - they mention Malipiero's _Il Finto Arlechino_!


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## Bgroovy2 (Mar 27, 2009)

Wow, you don't like Beiber?


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## dmg (Sep 13, 2009)

They often send me emails advertising releases I already have, which is about as spot on as you can get.


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## Delicious Manager (Jul 16, 2008)

Bgroovy2 said:


> Wow, you don't like Beiber?


*Bieber (how come so many people can't spell this little runt's name?)


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

Delicious Manager said:


> *Bieber (how come so many people can't spell this little runt's name?)


I like to think it's actually Biber. And then I chuckle silently to myself. Alone.


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## Delicious Manager (Jul 16, 2008)

Aksel said:


> I like to think it's actually Biber. And then I chuckle silently to myself. Alone.


Then how come people can't spell HIS name?


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

Delicious Manager said:


> Then how come people can't spell HIS name?


I don't know. Laziness? You know, the youth of today and all that.


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## Delicious Manager (Jul 16, 2008)

Laziness? 'Beiber' has one more letter than 'Biber' (one extra key-stroke). And don't you think it's very disrespectful and shabby not to take the trouble to get someone's name right?


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

Delicious Manager said:


> Laziness? 'Beiber' has one more letter than 'Biber' (one extra key-stroke). And don't you think it's very disrespectful and shabby not to take the trouble to get someone's name right?


Yes, I do. _I_ generally try to get other people's names right. I was talking about _other _people. Jeebus Christ on a tricycle.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Aksel said:


> Yes, I do. _I_ generally try to get other people's names right. I was talking about _other _people. Jeebus Christ on a tricycle.


Don't be a spoil sport - just think of the fun we could have


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

sospiro said:


> Don't be a spoil sport - just think of the fun we could have


Oh you. I do think that is the hilariousest video I've ever seen about axles. Honest.

[Hello, my name is Filler. Pleased to meet you. I'm here so that the other words don't feel so lonely. I'm actually a very nice person once you get to know me.]


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## amfortas (Jun 15, 2011)

Am I the only one who regularly confuses Justin Bieber with Martin Buber?


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