But wouldn't it make sense to only do that if the return actually happens? It's not like Amazon doesn't know whether or not the item has been returned.
I truly hope so, that means Amazon ad-networks' ads are hurting Amazon. Internalizing the externality of spam and privacy violations.
Haven't you ever wish for a 'Punch Advertiser' button during commercials? This would be like hearing they built it themselves.
(To be clear, by having someone making $0.03/click sign their customer up for buyer's remorse thus destroying the profit from serving them because those return policies, the customer service time, etc, aren't free.)
* buy an item from Amazon (coffee maker or otherwise)
* realize the build quality/size is rubbish (which from some of the less well known sellers, it really can be)
* return the item using Amazon's generous returns policies (never had one rejected, I've used it many times)
* buy a different item in the same category.
* repeat?
If this type of purchase happens a non-negligible number of times, could that be the reason we see so many 'buy more of X!' style ads?