maybe we should change it to 'some freedom guy.'

[phosfate]

Jezebel.com: What is the deal with airline foodAmazonfail?
http://jezebel.com/5210647/amazon-is-embarrassed-by-ham+fisted-cataloging-error

Seatlle P-I: 'Amazon's perception problem was enormous, and aggravated by the company's official description of the problem as a "glitch."'
http://blog.seattlepi.com/amazon/archives/166384.asp

NYT: '“Frankly, it’s surprising to hear that Amazon, which was a pioneer in the digital space, would miss this opportunity to react in real time and to manage this crisis better than they did,” said Gene Grabowski, chairman of the crisis and litigation practice at Levick Strategic Communications in Washington.'
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/14/technology/internet/14amazon.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

Humansatwork.com: "Don’t ignore the potential emotional impact of a policy decision. People don’t respond only to data — they also respond to how it makes them feel. In particular, take the time up front to think through decisions that take away some benefit from your team or your customers, or that will discriminate against certain stakeholders."
http://www.humansatwork.com/the-lessons-of-amazonfail/

Scienceblogs.com: "Amazon does not own its customers. Consumers are entitled to view Amazon's deranking of books as appalling. They are entitled to share information about Amazon's behavior with other customers, entitled to voice their anger to Amazon, and entitled to organize efforts to shift business from Amazon to vendors with less appalling behavior."
http://scienceblogs.com/ethicsandscience/2009/04/some_thoughts_on_amazonfail.php

lilithsaintcrow.com: It was some French guy.
http://www.lilithsaintcrow.com/journal/2009/04/idosyncratic-code-amazonfail/

Comments

Another reason to love ScienceBlogs

[violetisblue.livejournal.com]

Even if you argue that customers have an obligation to view Amazon as innocent until proven guilty, customers are well within their rights to take their business elsewhere while the jury is still out--and even afterwards, if they are not swayed by the sincerity of Amazon's apologies, nor convinced of the robustness of Amazon's technical side. Amazon is not the only book store in the world--not even the only book store on the internet. Customer discomfort with how Amazon runs its business (whether through conscious policy, technical mishap, employees acting beyond Amazon's control, or community actions that affect Amazon's listings and search results), is a perfectly legitimate reason for customers to take their business elsewhere.

Wow, you mean getting angry at a giant multinational company for acting like the Gang That Couldn't Shoot (Non-)Straight and deciding to shop somewhere else DOESN'T make you part of a "hysterical faggot lynch mob"? Some of what I was reading elsewhere, I was starting to worry.

Re: Another reason to love ScienceBlogs

[annlarimer.livejournal.com]

YOU WILL TAKE WHAT CAPITALISM GIVES YOU AND LIKE IT! THERE IS NO SOCIAL/ECONOMIC CONTRACT BETWEEN CUSTOMER AND COMPANY! MUFFINS ARE FOR CUSTOMERS!

Re: Another reason to love ScienceBlogs

[violetisblue.livejournal.com]

I think it's beyond amusing myself how so many of the self-appointed Voices of Reason in this whole debate are flat-out saying NEVER QUESTION ANYTHING A COMPANY DOES EVER AND CERTAINLY NEVER THINK "FREE MARKET" MEANS YOU ARE FREE TO SPEND YOUR OWN MONEY WHERE YOU SEE FIT! YOU OWE AMAZON YOUR FIRSTBORN CHILD AND IF YOU DON'T HAND IT OVER YOU'RE PART OF A MINDLESS MOB! Fucking pillocks.

[nitasee.livejournal.com]

It was some French guy? It's always some French guy. They're just so...damn French.

[twigcollins.livejournal.com]

And yet, amazingly effective at shenanigans despite their overwhelming Frenchness.

[nitasee.livejournal.com]

I know...how do they do that?

[random-nexus.livejournal.com]

Dude, it's the wine.
And the smoking.

Probably.

Edit: And, yeah, I know how that sounds. I won't run from smackins.

[dr-tectonic.livejournal.com]

That humansatwork link is really nice. It has some interesting stuff in comments about how the real nature of amazonfail is that the company is very, very bad at saying "Whoops, sorry! That's a glitch, but yeah, we can totally see how that would be very upsetting, and we're very sorry about that."

Proposed new definition of amazonfail: digging yourself into a really deep hole because you were too afraid to admit weakness and apologize.

[risha]

Lilith Saintcrow's coverage has been really excellent all along. I'd never heard of her before, but now I'm going to have to seek out her books. (Just not from Amazon.)

[oulangi.livejournal.com]

Scienceblogs was awesome on point. Moreso because I spent last night arguing with someone who is not only drinking the amazon kool-aid, I think she has an IV set up to main line it. I grabbed some of these for metfan.

[tikistitch.livejournal.com]

I totally blame the French.

Also, Dick Cheney.