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Better Amazon Firefox Extension Upgrades Amazon.com
Posted by Gina Trapani at 2:00 AM on July 8, 2008
Firefox only: Save time shopping at Amazon.com with the new Better Amazon Firefox extension, which adds helpful tweaks and features to Amazon's pages. Better Amazon highlights which products the big A offers Super Saver free shipping for in search results, automatically enlarges product images, shortens Amazon URLs for easy emailing, and collapses superfluous junk on the page when you just need to get simple tasks done. After the jump, download Better Amazon and get your (stateside) online shopping done more efficiently.
Better Amazon Firefox extension
Version: 0.1
Released: July 7, 2008
Compiled by: Gina Trapani, using scripts and styles authored by various developers, compiled using a modified version of Anthony Lieuallen's Greasemonkey Compiler.
Installation: Click the Better Amazon download button below in Firefox. Click the "Install Now" button in Firefox's dialog box, and restart Firefox.
License: Better Amazon's underlying code is licensed under the GNU General Public License as specified by Anthony Lieuallen's Greasemonkey Compiler. All user scripts are copyright their original authors and maintain their original licence as specified by their original author. (User scripts are located in the content/user_scripts folder in the Better Amazon .xpi package.)
What it does: Adds a menu of optional extra features to Amazon and web pages which link to Amazon products, as shown:
Usage: Once you've installed Better Amazon, go to Amazon.com to see the enhancements. To turn a feature on or off, visit the extension's Options dialog (from Tools->Add-ons->Better Amazon) and select or deselect the appropriate checkboxes. Refresh your web page to see the changes.
Screenshots
See some of Better Amazon's features in action.The Super Saver Snooper highlights items which have free shipping.
Collapsible Amazon makes all the sections of an Amazon page with orange headers collapsible (just click on the plus sign to contract).
Cleaner Amazon Book Pages removes unnecessary junk from Amazon's book pages.
Credits: Better Amazon is a compilation of user scripts written by several Greasemonkey scripters. The full list of user scripts and their authors is as follows:
- Cleaner Amazon Book Pages
Hides all the unnecessary bells and whistles on a book page on Amazon.
By timepiece - Collapsible Amazon
Collapse any section of the Amazon.com web site by clicking on the orange section header.
By Ben Hollis - Enlarge Product Images
Makes product images on Amazon.com as large as possible.
By Tom W.M. - Shorten Product Links
Shortens links to Amazon products for easy emailing. Strips Amazon associate referral tags and replaces with options user-set ID.
By Gina Trapani - Super Saver Snooper
Highlights items in Amazon search results eligible for Super Saver Shipping / Amazon Prime.
By Ben Hollis
Advanced config: Amazon Associates, if you want to add your referral ID to the end of every Amazon link, select the "Shorten Product Links" feature, refresh the page, and then in Firefox's about:config area, set your associate ID (like gizmodo-20) in the betteramazon.pref.associateID value.
Help and Support: If a feature isn't working for you the way you expect, most likely it is a bug with the user script and not this extension. First, try installing the user script with Greasemonkey. If the bug still exists, visit the user script home page to report your problem to the original script author.
Changelog:
- Version 0.1: Released.
Got any favourite user scripts or user styles for Amazon.com you'd like to see included here? Links and suggestions welcome in the comments. For more "Better" extension goodness, grab our full suite—now available for seven sites!
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
dorylomorphs
Posted 2:59 AM 8/7/08
I really wish there was stuff like this for safari
dorylomorphs
neergrm
Posted 2:54 AM 8/7/08
@Gina thank you :-)
neergrm
Gina Trapani
Posted 2:53 AM 8/7/08
"But what about enforcing encrypted connection? "
@nick7er: That would be easy to include--but why? Just for generally-better privacy?
Gina Trapani
Gina Trapani
Posted 2:50 AM 8/7/08
"does this work for uk site?"
@neergrm: Mostly. Enlarge Product Images, Collapsible Amazon, and Cleaner Book Pages work. Super Saver Snooper does not, and Shorten Product Links switches to the .com site. (I can fix that.)
Gina Trapani
neergrm
Posted 2:41 AM 8/7/08
does this work for uk site? now that would be cool :-)
neergrm
toaste
Posted 2:39 AM 8/7/08
Cool, but it doesn't fix my biggest Amazon complaint. Ever since the site redesign was rolled out, I see no way to sort search results by price or review score outside the book section.
toaste
nick7er
Posted 2:38 AM 8/7/08
This looks Great! Can't wait to try it out!
But what about enforcing encrypted connection?
nick7er
Scott
Posted 3:13 AM 8/7/08
Great compilation - thanks! I have one question, and one suggestion:
I use the Firefox extension "Affiliator": [addons.mozilla.org]
That extension uses the following format for shortened URLs w. affiliate ID:
h ttp://www.amazon.com/dp/B000IV2YLY/?tag=affiliateid-20
Yours uses this format, which is a bit longer:
h ttp://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B000IV2YLY/ref=nosim/affiliateid-20
They both seem to work, and they both go to the correct page, but is there any difference?
Suggestion for an addition: the following user script expands the "Comment" box on Amazon wish lists:
[userscripts.org]
Scott
BethanyBoo
Posted 3:07 AM 8/7/08
@dorylomorphs: I used to feel the same way, but (imo) Firefox 3 is just as good as Safari.
BethanyBoo
ryetronics
Posted 4:00 AM 8/7/08
I would love to see the Super Saver Snooper also point out items eligible for Amazon Prime shipping.
ryetronics
Open24Hours
Posted 3:45 AM 8/7/08
Ooh, this is nice. I just checked it out and now there is an iced tea maker happily sitting in my shopping cart. ;)
Open24Hours
Gina Trapani
Posted 3:39 AM 8/7/08
@Scott: Yes, your associate link is shorter, and I believe it should work just as well. In my next rev, I'll use your version, thanks. Also, thanks for the Comment expander script suggestion--also slated for v. 0.2! :)
Gina Trapani
Keen314
Posted 5:39 AM 8/7/08
@ryetronics: Seconded!
Keen314
the_boffin
Posted 5:02 AM 8/7/08
What is next?
Better Internet !?
Hehe, but seriously guys another great addition to Firefox :-)
the_boffin
leefur
Posted 7:02 AM 8/7/08
@ryetronics:
Amazon Prime support is my #1 want as well. Ideally, I'd *love* to be able to filter results to only Prime matches.
And I want a pony.
(The "better" section of my Add-ons is pretty awesome... thanks!)
leefur
IanOliver
Posted 6:57 AM 8/7/08
@neergrm: I was dissapointed at first that it didn't work for the UK site (I installed the scripts individually, rather than the whole extension, so I can always switch them off individually if needed).
All you need to do is install the script in Greasemonkey, then click the 'Edit' button, navigate to Notepad or your preferred text editor, and change all mentions of '.com' to '.co.uk', then save the file. Works like a charm! Thanks Gina
IanOliver
JrezIN
Posted 7:58 AM 8/7/08
Really interesting...
...but isn't too many extensions now?
A userscript with preferences and updates would keep extensions cleaner... or even a 'better all' extension...
JrezIN
Cascadian
Posted 8:33 AM 8/7/08
Thank you, Gina. You just keep making web-browsing, well, better.
It's not a specifically Amazon-related extension, but Book Burro is by far the add-on I use most when I'm visiting Amazon.com. [Book Burro]
Cascadian
marksda1
Posted 10:20 AM 8/7/08
The enlarge product images through off some of the page layout in the mp3 section so I disabled it.
Otherwise still trying it out. :-)
marksda1
timepiece
Posted 10:17 AM 8/7/08
Wow, you used my script!
Although nowadays, I'm liking the Amazon Anywhere site (mobile/almost text-only) even better than the "cleaner" original.
timepiece
Eric
Posted 10:42 AM 8/7/08
@JrezIN I only have the ones for sites I use regularly installed. Do you really use all 7 sites regularly?
Gina, I recommend making the Amazon Associate ID built in with a 1 line form. That would make life a lot easier for those of us who don't like to mess with About:Config. (I did it, but wasn't sure how to enter it at first)
Eric
dalangalma
Posted 11:50 AM 8/7/08
Hm, I just tried a search on amazon.co.uk with the latest version of Super Saver Snooper and it worked. Can somebody tell me a search URL that doesn't work?
As far as Prime stuff, almost anything Super Saver Snooper marks is also prime-able, and Amazon now puts "Prime" icons on search results for Prime-able items.
dalangalma
LaneLester
Posted 11:30 PM 8/7/08
It would be nice if the "collapser" would start everything collapsed. Then we could enlarge just those we wanted.
LaneLester
uncommonguy
Posted 6:18 AM 9/7/08
Could there be a bug? After installing Better Amazon when I go to Yahoo! Mail it continually refreshes. I disabled the extension, restarted Firefox, and YMail is back to normal. I will check a few more times to be more certain.
uncommonguy
phrits
Posted 9:15 AM 9/7/08
It breaks the wish list compact view. Something that could make the compact view the default? That would be a feature!
phrits
apocalypsofacto
Posted 11:08 PM 9/7/08
I'm only using the last two options, "shorten links" and "super saver snooper" as the other three features pretty much mess up the page layout of the products. Anyway, I'm already looking forward to upgrades to this extension.
apocalypsofacto
apocalypsofacto
Posted 12:14 AM 10/7/08
Ok, another little issue: clicking on an Amazon.com link from a Google search result sends me to a "Redirect Notice" page. That's an additional click I wasn't expecting. I'll definitely wait for further improvements on this extension and/or its component scripts.
apocalypsofacto
twins8791
Posted 5:02 AM 10/7/08
yup, it's definitely the "enlarge product picture." with that checked there's no "new and used starting from..." and with it unchecked it comes back.
twins8791
twins8791
Posted 5:01 AM 10/7/08
HELLO folks, installing this (i think it's the bigger picture part) removes the "new and used" from the page. this needs to be fixed ASAP.
twins8791
celcinc
Posted 9:56 AM 10/7/08
Tried to use it with amazon.co.jp, and it directs everything to amazon.com. Not an error per se, but it would be nice to see the script updated to handle non-US Amazon sites as well.
celcinc
Eclipsor
Posted 12:56 PM 13/7/08
If only if only lifehacker supported opera too :)
Eclipsor
wdace
Posted 1:43 AM 14/7/08
It should have been noted prominently that this is an experimental add-on, i.e. alpha or beta. Firefox says only for advanced users.
wdace
omgy
Posted 2:34 AM 14/7/08
Needs Amazon Price Watch - If you buy something and the price drops within 30 days, amazon will refund you the difference.
This is a greasemonkey script that will track your purchases and email you if the price drops.
omgy
paix120
Posted 6:41 AM 14/7/08
Thanks! I'm a big Amazon user, and I'm really looking forward to trying this. I've been bugging Amazon for a long time to offer a way to limit searches to Free Shipping only!
paix120
paix120
Posted 7:18 AM 14/7/08
I'm fairly new to Firefox Add-Ons.... is there a way to edit the CSS so I can control how the highlight looks for the 'Super Saver Snooper' feature? I'd like to add an icon or at least make the color of the 'highlight' easier to view on my monitor.
paix120