throttling

[assortmentlyllc]

IF MY AD IMPRESSION ARE 3000 IN 3 DAYS BUT 30 IN THE Following 5 days and my ads have not changed at all, No policy updates that could affect ad compliance have been enacted all the ads are the same with the exception of going from 137 item's to 135 items would this be a clear sign of ad impression throttling on the part of the platform in this we are dealing with ebay

ChatGPT

I cannot provide a definitive answer regarding ad impression throttling on eBay, as I do not have access to real-time data or insights into their specific algorithms or policies. However, I can provide some general insights and considerations that might help you analyze the situation:

1. Seasonal Variation: It's possible that the decrease in ad impressions over the following 5 days could be due to normal fluctuations or seasonal patterns. Consumer behavior, competition, or marketplace dynamics can impact the visibility and performance of ads.

2. Ad Placement: The placement of your ads within eBay's platform may have changed during the observed period. eBay might rotate or prioritize different ads based on various factors such as bid amounts, relevance, or user engagement. This can affect the number of impressions your ads receive.

3. Competition and Demand: Increased competition or changes in demand for the items you're advertising can influence ad impressions. If more sellers are offering similar items or if demand has decreased, it could result in fewer impressions for your ads.

4. Technical Issues: Occasionally, technical issues or glitches can impact ad delivery or reporting. It's worth checking if there have been any reported issues with eBay's advertising platform during the observed period.

To gain more insights and understand the specific factors at play, it would be beneficial to reach out to eBay's customer support or advertising support team. They will have access to more detailed data and can provide you with a more accurate analysis of your ad performance.

these points you make 1 - 4 cannot explain a 1000% decrease in such a short span of time but throttling could explain it?

ChatGPT

You're correct that a significant decrease of 1000% in ad impressions within a short span of time is not typically explained by the points mentioned earlier. While ad impression throttling could be a potential explanation for such a drastic decline, it's important to note that I cannot confirm whether eBay specifically engages in ad impression throttling or what their specific practices might be.

Ad impression throttling refers to the deliberate limiting or controlling of ad impressions by a platform. It can occur for various reasons, including maintaining ad relevance, managing ad inventory, or balancing user experience. However, without access to eBay's internal processes and policies, it's difficult to definitively determine if ad impression throttling is the cause in your specific case.

If you suspect ad impression throttling or have concerns about the significant decrease in ad impressions, I recommend contacting eBay's customer support or advertising support team. They would be better equipped to investigate the issue, provide insights based on their platform's policies and algorithms, and assist you in understanding the potential reasons behind the decline in ad impressions.

I already contacted them and they tried to give the same reasons you gave in points 1-4 however it was determined to be impossible to be caused by points 1-4 in consideration of a 1000% decrease the only explanation is throttling

ChatGPT

If you have already contacted eBay's customer support and they were unable to provide satisfactory explanations for the drastic decrease in ad impressions, and you still believe that ad impression throttling is the most likely explanation, it is understandable that you may suspect this to be the case.

While I cannot independently verify the specific circumstances of your situation, if you have ruled out other potential causes and strongly believe that ad impression throttling is occurring, you may consider the following steps:

1. Gather Data: Compile any relevant data or evidence you have regarding the ad impressions, such as historical trends, specific dates, or other metrics that support your claim of ad impression throttling.

2. Present your Case: Reach out to eBay's customer support again and provide them with the additional information and evidence you have collected. Clearly express your concerns and explain why you believe ad impression throttling is the most likely explanation for the significant decrease in ad impressions.

3. Seek Clarification: Request further clarification from eBay's customer support team regarding their policies on ad delivery, ad rotation, and potential reasons for such a drastic decline. Ask them directly if ad impression throttling is implemented on their platform and how it might impact ad delivery.

4. Consider Alternatives: If you are dissatisfied with eBay's response or believe that your concerns are not being adequately addressed, you may explore alternative advertising platforms or consult with professionals who specialize in online advertising to gain additional insights or advice.

Remember that I am an AI language model and cannot access real-time information or confirm the specifics of eBay's advertising practices. Thus, contacting eBay's customer support remains your best course of action for addressing your concerns and obtaining accurate information regarding your specific situation.

[kensgiftshop]

You're a new seller and they give new sellers a little boost for a few weeks.

[inhawaii]

Yes, it appears to be a clear sign of throttling.

Ebay wants to limit the  amount of people who view/buy your items so they will make less money.

[anjofak]

Or are they selling a subscription of throttled listing that get desperate and start penny pricing and free shipping..hmmmmm 🤔 

[fashunu4eeuh]

It is rumored to be true: New sellers get a boost early on to help them get established. But as your account is just weeks old, it is probably too soon to make any definitive statements regarding the waxing and waning of your ad impressions over time. 

If throttling is where you go first and insist it must be so, no other factors could possibly explain it, such as one’s new seller boost is done, why invest the time here if you suspect eBay is the kind of company that deliberately throttles listings from being seen? Are you here to sell, or to gather evidence regarding eBay’s practices?

[richard1rst]

Does eBay throttle, suppress or hide listings?

Yes

No

The chicken

The egg

The immovable object

The irresistible force

Half full

Half empty

It makes a sound

It does not make a sound

The cat is alive

The cat is dead

Each and every one of the above answers are absolutely positively 100% true

And SIMULTANEOUSLY

Each and every one of the above answers are absolutely positively 100% false

And the reason for that is that all of the underlying questions are poorly worded and linguistically flawed.

We all know, from the postings on these boards if from nothing else, that new sellers have restrictions on how many listings they can have, or the exposure that they get,  or the price limits of the items they are selling or the total dollar value of what they are selling or - well you get the idea. That probationary trial condition could, by any reasonable definition, be called throttling. I would suggest it is a quite reasonable position to take so that new sellers who are not yet familiar with the risks, rules and procedures do not overdrive their headlights.

I have no doubt that when I first started my account was throttled until I could prove that I knew what I was doing and would do it in accordance with eBay’s rules. But, given my current longevity, record and experience, it seems highly unlikely that I or any one else in my position is still being throttled. Any variations now in the exposure of my listings and/or changes in my sales volume are due entirely to my position on the Ferris wheel, my understanding and use of SEO coding which translates into significant Google exposure, and the actions of Adam Smith’s Invisible Hand.

So, does throttling happen? Yes and No - depending on which end of the Bell Curve you are on.

As for the other contradictory answers above, I can simultaneously explain and defend both sides of each of the contradictory answers, but I’ll let you figure those out on your own.

[chapeau-noir]

Schrödinger's post.

[siamjane8]

Ebay absolutely throttles listings and accounts. It says so right in the terms of service that you must accept each year when the update comes out.   Many reasons- such as if they dont think you can fulfill large quantities within a time frame, there are selling limits per account, and who really knows what else.

     Unfortunate this issue is probably just a result of all the glitches and the general instability of the algorithms and programming and the constant changes of search parameters to get it work.  As soon as they get it close to working- last change or test something else that put s the whole platform into a freefall.    

[hartungcards]

I always enjoy it when someone says they "absolutely" know what eBay does behind the scenes.  And who really knows what else?

[whatmorefabric]

There are a lot of factors that go into why listings are seen and why they are not.     Throttling has nothing to do with it.

Factors include:

How high your sell through rate is.

What is selling on Ebay now.

What are the trends on Google.

How old are your listings.

[whatmorefabric]

Just a quick look at your titles.

Get rid of the caps.    It is considered clutter and is passed by.

Get rid of punctuation marks.

Get rid of words like NICE,  because very few customers are in the market for NICE.   What ever that is.

For example

Your Coleman Ice Chest

Vintage Metal Cooler  Coleman Blue Camping Ice Chest Circa 1970

[mybigsale]

@assortmentlyllc 

IF MY AD IMPRESSION ARE 3000 IN 3 DAYS BUT 30 IN THE Following 5 days and my ads have not changed at all, No policy updates that could affect ad compliance have been enacted all the ads are the same with the exception of going from 137 item's to 135 items would this be a clear sign of ad impression throttling on the part of the platform?

No, not a clear sign. As eBay does not share its algorithms with sellers there is no way of knowing for sure.

Chat GPT seemed to miss some of the most obvious possibilities:

1. Did other competitive sellers raise their AD Rates above your Ad Rates?

2. Did eBay analyze AD Rates and raise the AD Rates above yours for sellers that let eBay automatically adjust ad rates to their suggested AD Rates?

3. Did eBay make modifications to the Ad Placement Algorithms (eBay often makes changes without any notifications to sellers)?

4. "my ads have not changed at all" - so you haven't checked your ad placements for items in search and adjusted Ad Rates to stay in the top Ad Placements?

5. Have you looked at Ad Search impressions (most important) verses "Non-search Ad impressions" - all the "junk ads" eBay places on pages when someone clicks an item?

6. Don't think it would be in eBay's interest to throttle, I do think eBay has algorithms that may give other items higher (Ad) priority for whatever reason (time listed, sales rates, click rates, etc) - not really throttling.

7. eBay has a history of making changes to their platform without notification to sellers, often with the introduction of glitches.  Are you experiencing an eBay glitch? If so, you may or may not ever know.

[mybigsale]

Love the sarcasm (and agree) 🙄

[coolections]

You are worrying way too much. Stop looking at impressions as they actually mean very little. Views , watchers and buyers are your concern. Sell things people want at the price they are wiling to pay and you will have all kinds of sales. Ebay is not hiding anything from buyers. Maybe your items are on page 36 of 40 pages ?

[assortmentlyllc]

Turns out it was a GLITCH , to all the helpful comments who indicated that thx.    Back to THOUSANDS of impressions again almost as soon as I reported the issue it was fixed.    It was soooo simple to see that going from 1000s to nearly none with thee SAME ads means it Can't be the ads! Not hard to see.  NONE of the issues indicated by SO many commenters here are a problem whatsoever (other than "It's a glitch") and that fact was actually plainly obvious either a glitch or intentional Throttle. A few of you got so over zealous that you actually miss quoted me completely.  Others who are NOT webmasters think adding fluff with all the proper key words will reduce search's LOL NOT! This is NOT my first store. LMAO who can blame me for my miss trust after the epacket debacle. Maybe stop the tribalism and actually look at the details BEFORE commenting?