New Search Site by Amazon - A9.com - Testimony to short domain names?

4solutions · #1 06-15-2005, 11:47 PM

So Amazon.com has launched their new search engine site A9.com. Trying desperately to have their fingers in every pie, Amazon apparently wants to create their own search engine, even if it's currently using mostly Google technology.

They are even offering a small 1.57% discount on Amazon.com for current customers if they use the new A9 site "enough" - Amazon is not completely explaining what "enough" means - but supposedly it's not a lot of searches.

Funny thing is... I was on Amazon to buy a tool I wanted and I saw the new A9.com offer of a 1.57% discount and being cheap (like I am), I used it. So A9 found me a better price with one of Amazon's competitors! Talk about shooting yourself in the foot!

But since this is the domain name forum... what do you think of their choice of their domain name? Is it a testimony to short domain domain names being "in"? Or is it a stupid choice because it says nothing about what it is? Even Google was a play on the mathematical term.

What do you think about Amazon.com's decision to use the short domain name A9.com for a search engine?

Jeanco · #2 06-15-2005, 11:51 PM

Well unless they weed out competitors I don't see it as a good thing for their business. Users aren't going to search randomness to get the discount, they're going to do exactly what you did.

kohashi · #3 06-16-2005, 01:53 AM

A9 is old news. I dont know anyone that uses it. The fact that they are going to try and bribe you is probably a testament to its failure. Amazon should stick with what it does best because I honestly don't believe anyone is going to be able to compete with google. Yahoo is the only real competitor, and potentially MSN... but that's a big maybe.