Oh noes its not.
Google is promoting its own content when better alternatives exist.
And why does Google want to do that?
Because the longer a user stays on Google, the more ads he clicks.
It's all about the money at the end of the day. Google used to care about the user, but now it's a giant middle finger with a search box.
This is not evolution; this is a company selling you a car with 10 years of warranty, but reneging on the promise 3 years down the line.
Change I can understand, but this shit is telling internet entrepreneurs who use SEO: screw you. IMO, that's not too good for the internets
So go to other sites, I assume your browser has an address bar.
Also: SEO is killing America: http://www.informationdiet.com/blog/read/the-information-die...
If Google is killing SEO then they are making the world a better place.
Larry Page: "we want to get you out of Google and to the right place as fast as possible"
That was pre-IPO Google! if you haven't noticed the web changed quite a bit since then and companies do evolve, especially the ones who want to remain relevant.
Also It's not like Google is selling the items in shopping search it's just a different view for shopping results, and I'd argue that sending users elsewhere and not computing the solutions (results) or visualizing them immediately is a weakness that I'm glad to hear Google is working to address.