How TwelveTabs works
- We search Amazon for you. You say what you want in your own words. We ask a few short questions to narrow it down, then turn your answers into the Amazon search you would otherwise have had to work out yourself.
- We read the listings, and what reviewers said. We throw out the sponsored placements and anything we cannot build a real product link from, keep genuine matches ahead of accessories, and for the few products still standing we read Amazon’s own summary of their reviews.
- We name one, and tell you why. We weigh how many sold recently, the star rating, how many reviews there are and the price, push down anything with too few reviews to prove much, then give you the best match with the reason for it.
It is free, there is no account, and it takes about a minute. The rest of this page answers the questions people ask next. If something here does not match what you saw, tell us: info@twelvetabs.com.
Is it free?
Yes. There is no charge, no subscription and no trial that ends. There is also no account: nothing to sign up for and nothing to sign in to.
How does it pick a winner?
It turns your question into an Amazon search, then drops the sponsored placements outright, along with any row it cannot build a real product link from. Genuine matches for the kind of product you asked for stay ahead of accessories and other off-type results. Each group is ranked on how many sold recently, the star rating, the number of reviews and the price, then reordered by what the listing says about your answers. A listing with too few reviews to prove anything is marked unproven, pushed down in the ranking and disfavoured from winning on stars alone. It can still appear and can still be selected when the model judges it the best fit. For the handful left standing it reads Amazon’s own summary of the reviews, then names one and explains why. When none meets everything you asked for, it names the closest and says above it what it could not confirm.
Why did it ask me questions before showing results?
Because your answers shape both the search and the final shortlist. It asks one question at a time about the choices that split this kind of product, such as size, material or type, and writes each next question for the path through the questions so far. You can skip one; the next question then follows that question’s recommended branch, while your search leaves the skipped property open. While you choose, it may prepare the Amazon search made from the first three recommended answers. When you continue, it uses your actual answers; if they make the same phrase, it can reuse the prepared ranking instead of repeating that lookup. It asks three questions before offering the search and can offer up to six; a request that already names the exact product gets none.
Why does it say the winner is not an exact match?
It always names one product. When nothing Amazon returned meets everything you asked for, it picks the closest one and says so in a line above the winner: This is not an exact match. That line continues with one sentence saying what it could not confirm from the listings, and then a link to search Amazon yourself for the same phrase. If you named a medical condition or a specific use and no listing claims it, that sentence says so; read it before you buy. The only time you get no product at all is when Amazon returned nothing usable for the search.
Can it be wrong?
Yes. An AI model writes the verdict, and it can misread a listing or miss a better product that the search never surfaced. It is a starting point, not a verdict you should stop thinking at.
Is the price it shows the price I will pay?
Not necessarily. The finalists’ price, rating and exact review count are re-fetched from Amazon when we write the answer. The prices and purchase-volume figures in More Options come from the initial Amazon search and can be up to a day old. Amazon still changes prices constantly, and the price on Amazon when you check out is the one you pay.
Do you make money when I buy something?
Not today. We have applied to the Amazon Associates programme, but the links here carry no affiliate tag yet, so a purchase earns us nothing. Once we are accepted we will earn a commission from Amazon, which would never cost you more. The affiliate disclosure has the detail. TwelveTabs is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Amazon.com, Inc.
Would a commission change what it recommends?
No. See the affiliate disclosure for how links and ranking are kept separate.
Do you keep what I search for?
Yes. The search you typed, the answers you give to our follow-up questions, and both the research and the recommendation or refusal we produced are stored so we can see where the app confuses people. The privacy page lists everything that is kept and who else sees it. Email info@twelvetabs.com and we will delete yours.
Why was I asked to prove I am a person?
Once, on the first search we see from you, and not again while your browser keeps the cookie that tells us it is you. Clear your cookies, or search in a private window, and we cannot tell you apart from someone new, so you will see it again. Every search costs real money, and that check is the only thing stopping a script from opening an unlimited number of fresh identities and spending the day’s budget. You will also see it once more after we delete your data, because that removes the record saying we have seen your cookie before.
It said it was at capacity for today. What does that mean?
One of three daily limits was reached, and the screen tells you which: your own searches for the day, the searches for everyone on your network, or the whole tool’s research budget. Every search costs real money, so it stops rather than spending past a limit. All three reset at midnight UTC, which is the early evening on the US East Coast.
Does it search anything other than amazon.com?
No. It searches the United States Amazon store only, and every link it gives you goes there. Other retailers and other countries are not supported.
Is there an app or a browser extension?
Not yet. The website is the whole product today, and it works on a phone.
Who is behind it?
TwelveTabs is an independent project, not a company, and it is not affiliated with Amazon. This is an early version shared with friends and family, which is why it may change under you. Reach us at info@twelvetabs.com.