Another difference between Amazon and physical stores is that Amazon has pagination. If a product ends up on the second or third page, it will likely not be seen by the vast majority of customers.
With physical stores, your options are always all right in front of you.
Stores are constrained by the limits of physical space, it's exactly the same thing as an Amazon "first page" except at least with Amazon you have the option to visit the second page. In a physical store anything that would have been relegated to the second page is simply unavailable.
The closest example I've seen used before is the notion that you get to the shelves and go to grab a case of Coca-Cola, but as you reach to grab it a voice beams at you from your side saying "Wouldn't you prefer <our brand> instead? Its $1 cheaper!"
Now, which kind of works as an analog to these companies prioritizing their products on the search algorithm, but I don't really think applies to the practice of gathering such data.
there is an analogous experience at physical stores, though. the proximity of items to entryways, cashiers, etc matters for sales. also, which height shelf a product is put on also matters. some at eye level, for example, and others at children's eye level, make certain products more prominent. if you are trying to place a product at a store, how much it would cost you depends greatly on where in the store it is placed.
Sure, but I would argue that that is more of an analogy to the first page of products only. Things that are beyond the third or fourth page may as well be in the back of the store, and not on the shelves.
Things that are on the third or fourth page would not be in the store period as it would be too costly to carry all that inventory in a retail environment.
The analogy is useless. Consumers are lucky that the internet even gives them a 3rd or 4th page.
With physical stores, your options are always all right in front of you.