doc__table__68

| 13. | Providers design their ranking methods, including proprietary algorithms, in different ways. These approaches to ranking are frequently adapted and in general not disclosed. From the consumers’ perspective, the quality of search results may differentiate services and, therefore, the detailed functioning of ranking methods may be a provider’s competitive edge or trade secret. Businesses trading online therefore do not always know the reasons for their performance in ranking or whether and how they could perform better, potentially with the help of paid ranking, despite their ability to reach customers critically depending on this knowledge.

← doc__table__67 · All articles · doc__table__69 →

Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-09-25 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.