Locked
Discussions in this board are limited to the original poster and Community Mentors
Why do users find the products/listings in the search results to appear different when accessed from a different location?
Summary: iwev7195 is running a small company with a colleague in the USA, and they are looking for used test instruments on eBay. They noticed discrepancies in search results depending on their locations and are curious about how eBay determines listings shown to buyers in different countries. They asked if factors like location, shipping availability, or browsing history affect search results and sought advice on standardizing searches. jacbarcollectibles responded, explaining that eBay tailors search results based on prior searches and the method of access, such as the app versus the web version, and noted many users have complained about this inconsistency.
Hi everyone,
I run a small company with one of my colleagues. He is based in the USA, while I am based in India.
We are currently looking to procure multiple used/refurbished test instruments, and eBay has been one of the platforms we are considering because of the number of listings and deals available.
However, we have noticed something interesting. Even when we use the same search terms, we do not always see the same products or listings in our search results.
I understand that location and shipping availability may influence the results, but I would like to better understand how eBay determines which listings are shown to buyers in different countries.
For example:
Does the buyer's location significantly affect the listings shown in search results?
Are listings that do not ship internationally hidden or ranked lower for buyers outside the USA?
Does the default “Best Match” sorting differ based on the user's location or browsing history?
Is there a way for two people in different countries to use the same search settings and view a more consistent set of results?
We would appreciate any advice from experienced eBay buyers or sellers on how to standardize our searches, particularly when looking for specialized test and networking equipment.
Thank you!
eburtonlab
Mentor1 month ago@iwev7195
Does the buyer's location significantly affect the listings shown in search results?
Yes. If a listing does not have a shipping method specified to the location the buyer has chosen to calculate shipping estimates, in many cases that listing will not be displayed in the buyer's search.
In addition, if a listing with international shipping takes an excessive amount of time for delivery or if it incurs customs charges to the buyer's location, that listing may not be shown at all in a "default" item location search. International buyers, or buyers searching for items internationally should choose the "worldwide" item location when searching to see the maximum number of overseas items meeting their search criteria.
Is there a way for two people in different countries to use the same search settings and view a more consistent set of results?
Yes, that is possible if both people use the same shipping address location to calculate shipping, and both use identical search parameters on the same eBay site including search keywords, category, filter options and sort order.
jacbarcollectibles
Mentor1 month agoeBay does not tell us exactly how the search function works. What we do know from experience is that it tailors the search based on prior searches made by the user. You would find that the search results will vary based on the ser doing the searching along with the method used to access eBay. So search results seen when using the app will be different from those seen when using the web version of eBay. This has been a major complaint of users for years.