Do a search on Yahoo or Google using the keyword "Jewelry" and a myriad of sellers will appear. The number store under the keyword "jewelry" is Jewelry Mall. This is an on line mall which specifically focuses on breaking down repeated search results by price category. Next in line is Overstock.com and they offer jewelry in various  categories at a wide range of pricing. Then we come upon ZALES and Amazon.com offering jewelry at various price points. However, where are the real deals? The "real deals" are not found at ZALES, Amazon, Overstock or in Jewelry Mall. These places on the web are retailers, plain and simple. Walk into a ZALES or for diamonds, visit Abazias.com, which offers a huge inventory of diamonds and the prices are nothing to get excited over.

How do these retailers find their way into the top search results of search engines? Some have been online for a very long time and as such, they appear in the search engines (in the Top Ten position) due to many links and search optimization programs. However, they are NOT in the TOP TEN due to being th lowest priced retailers online. In fact, they are retailers and not wholesalers. They thrive online due to the sheer numbers of hits and/or visitors to their sites. Remember, it's all in the numbers. If they make a sale to one online customer out every 20 clicks and/or visitors, they've got it made.

The savvy searcher goes deeper into search results to find the best deals. Just because a seller of jewelry is not on page one of search engine results, does not mean they do not excel in customer service and product offerings, at lower price points, than the Top Ten online retail jewelry stores.

This is where the search engines should focus...search results, which are relevant - not based upon who "pays to play" to be in the Top Ten position. Paying ones' dues to be in the Top Ten position should not determine the outcome of search results nor, should the size of your online advertising budget put you first in line for Top Ten results. However, this seems to be the case and has continued week after week, month after month, year after year.

No doubt, it's a guarded secret as to how the search engines gather information and how that information is indexed however, it's no secret that those trying to compete in a category (such as jewelry) do not stand a chance of reaping much benefit from search engine traffic - when the usual suspects are always in the Top Ten results.

To prove the point, ZALES has nothing in it's web address that shouts the word "jewelry" in its domain name, neither does Amazon or Abazias (for that matter) however, they consistently reap the benefits of Top Ten positions.

On the other hand, Jewelry Mall is number one under "jewelry" search results and that kind of makes some sense. Go right click and the view the source code on ZALES and there's not even a meta tag on ZALES site to be found however, they're up on Google under the top ten search results for "jewelry". What? Does search engine technology know that ZALES sells jewelry? Or, could it be that ZALES buys up so much advertising space (online via the search engines) that they simply warrant to be in a category in which nothing in their title, description or meta tags shouts the word jewelry?

The process of achieving top ten positioning could be akin to buying a full page ad in a newspaper and then suggesting to the editor of that publication that a story should be written about that advertiser. This then turns into a weekly article written by the advertiser with his or her own byline.

No doubt, the man or woman behind the curtain at these top search engines can make your day or frustrate those who seek a level playing field. It would appear that those seeking top end search results do not stand a chance. Time and money (deep pockets) determines where you end up