There's a reason so many Amazon searches show you sponsored ads

Amazon is finding gold in sponsored posts but what is it costing consumers? Amazon's sponsored ads over the best-selling smartwatch from Apple (Photo: screenshot) Do a search for laptops on Amazon, and the first result might be ones made by Microsoft or HP, despite Asus being Amazon's best seller. Try for printers, and while HP and Brother top the Amazon best seller chart, the first three (sponsored) results are for a Bluedriver scanner and replacement batteries for printers made by Zebra. Searching TVs take you directly to LG and Sansui, a company probably most American consumers have never heard of, despite Amazon's best-seller category being dominated by Chinese brand TCL. These are sponsored posts, paid by the manufacturer to get better placement on the top e-commerce site, and if you think you're seeing a lot more of these this year, your eyes are not playing tricks on you.