Search Within Category
Vintage TV and Vintage Television Are 2 Different Categories
https://www.ebay.com/shop/vintage-tv?_nkw=vintage+tv
https://www.ebay.com/b/Vintage-Televisions/73374/bn_317529
We see this problem throughout eBay where the Searchablity is inconsistent. I want to be able to search within a category. ALL CATEGORIES.
5 comments
wastingtime101
·1 year agoVintage TV and Vintage Televisions are not 2 different categories.
Your first link is a search for the term Vintage TV narrowed down to the Vintage Televisions category.
Your second link is browsing the Vintage Televisions category page without a search term.
If you want to search a category based on key word, enter the key word into the search box at the top, then narrow down your category.
If you want to browse a category without adding a search term, then use the second link where you're just using category navigation to browse around.
pf9000
OP1 year agoThe search categories and parameters are all messed up. Vintage Television is just one example. Ever since they eliminated “Wild Cardsâ€, it became that much more difficult. I wish they would have a page where ALL CATEGORIES are listed, and they need to get rid of duplicate category entries. They need to use a Flow Chart beginning with a MASTER CATEGORY LIST with subcategories, but do not create subcategories with the same name as those found in the Master Category. A CONDITIONAL such as AND, OR, ALL, needs to work. ALL CATEGORIES means ALL, but instead ALL sometimes works as an OR CONDITIONAL and the item is missing from the search results.
eburtonlab
·1 year agoThere is a category list on the Site Map here, though it does not include all subcategories:
https://pages.ebay.com/sitemap.html
A CONDITIONAL such as AND, OR, ALL, needs to work.
Including multiple keywords in a search should provide AND functionality. Putting keywords in parentheses separated by commas should provide OR functionality. Putting a minus sign in front of a keyword should provide NOT functionality.
Using advanced search tools -- quotes, exclusions, parenthetical OR terms -- should bypass the keyword-to-keyword substitution/correction feature, or keyword-to-category mapping, though item-specifics will still count as potential keyword matches, not just words in item titles.
Most searches seem to work best by starting with keywords and searching, then choosing a category if necessary, and then selecting any category-specific filter options.
If there is a particular search that does not seem to be working as you expect or that you are having trouble setting up, if you can provide some details someone may be able to make some suggestions.
pf9000
OP1 year agoNeed to start with a MASTER CATEGORY LIST which wasn't done properly. A Flow Chart is a valuable tool traditionally used by Computer Programmers. They need to use that method rather than haphazardly having Categories and Subcategories improperly organized. They do something similar with warehouse Inventory.
eburtonlab
·1 year ago@pf9000
Report the inconsistency to eBay using the "Tell us what you think" link on most eBay pages or the "Feedback" / "Comment" / "?" link in the lower right by the scroll bar.
In the mean time, you can search any category by starting with keywords, searching, then choosing the category from the category tree shown on the left side of the search results page if you are not directed there automatically. You may have to drill down to get to a particular subcategory:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/73374/i.html?_nkw=vintage+televisions
If you do not know which keyword to use, you can use the name of the category as your search keyword. Bookmark or save the search to use as a starting point for future searches.
From there you can change your keywords to search other items in that category:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=rca&_sacat=73374&_odkw=vintage+televisions&_osacat=73374
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=sharp&_sacat=73374&_from=R40&_odkw=rca&_osacat=73374