Dragon ... sorry to read about your sister's site. We are just a couple out of many thousands that Google has crushed under the guise of improving the "web experience". I made it just about as high up the ladder as your sister and got the same response. Tough shit. They don't care that they've destroyed people's businesses and lives as long as they can make a buck.
I understand the need for some of what was done as there are lots of people that game the system. But to do a sweeping change that judges every site the same and has a particular dislike for retail sites and affiliates was either an intentional act to hurt these verticals or short sightedness. I really doubt it's the latter.
All that people like myself and your sister can do is try to "please" Google and also use other channels/social to try to bring more visitors.
As long as Google can fill the results page with paid ads and their own ads why should they care about the little guys who many like myself were hard working, honest and never thought Google would screw us as they did for no warranted reasons.