Why do in-site search result pages rank better than my product pages?

[BenRWoodard]

Maybe this is a common SERP for a generic product type but I'm seeing it a lot more often.  Here is an example SERP "rolling stools".

The top 4 results are dynamic in-site search pages from Sears, ebay and Amazon (among others).  I understand their influence and authority but why would a search return a dynamic in-site SERP instead of a solid product page.

A better question would be - How do I get my in-site SERPs to rank or how do I get my client's page to rise above the #5 spot is currently ranks at?

Thanks

[benjaminspak]

Hi Ben,

• Are the pages canonicalized?
• Have you considered no indexing search results?
• Do you have links pointing to search result pages?

[KeriMorgret]

Ben S, Ben W is asking why other sites with search result pages are ranking above his product pages, and how he might get his search result pages (from search within his site) ranking. The noindex and canonicalizing won't help him in that case.

Ben W, I don't have a good answer for you on that. It's frustrating, especially when Google says they don't want to see search results from a site in their search results. I remember removing the noindex from some pre-generated keyword result pages on a non-profit site about three years ago and watching our traffic greatly increase, and wondered why I had followed what Google said for so long before that.

[BenRWoodard]

Thanks Keri.  That gives me some ideas for my next steps.  I won't go against Google's guidelines but if I can generate a few pre-generated search pages that would be helpful to my visitors then I may get a win-win.