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WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH SEARCH?
I'm noticing that the search feature is not picking up key words like it used to. In fact, the only way I can find comps is to use as few words as possible. The more keywords, the less query results. Anyone else notice this?
102 comments
ckimodog
·2 years ago@trip98
Old thread July 2023....
scloughran
·2 years agoYep, now I try to search using the same criteria of a watched item and instead of maintaining the same criteria, it goes back to "all categories." This is now useless. Why is it that no one from Ebay answers this? I have called (and waited on terminal hold) and spoke with someone and they simply said, "yeah, we are getting many reports about this." Well, DO SOMETHING!!!
eburtonlab
·2 years ago@scloughran
Yep, now I try to search using the same criteria of a watched item and instead of maintaining the same criteria, it goes back to "all categories." This is now useless.
Try doing the same search, just reverse the order of operations. Enter your search keywords and hit search, and then change the category using the links on the left side of the search results page.
scloughran
·2 years agoBut then what's the point. Say I have an item I am watching. Say it is under a search I did; "Sporting goods > cycling > bike accessories > wheels" for example. In the past I would just click that search and my search would retain all of those categories. Now, it goes back to all categories so I have to re-click all the other search terms to get the category back. May as well start over each and every time.
eburtonlab
·2 years agoMay as well start over each and every time.
Bookmark or save a search if you intend to run it again and you can run it with just a click or two without having to go through all the categories again.
Yes, it is not as easy if you want to keep trying different keyword variations in the same category, but if you decide on your keywords first and then choose the category, after that there is no difference aside from the order of the steps you take.
You may find that many searches -- if you are using the right keywords -- will default into the correct category for you, or perhaps the higher-level category that contains the category you want.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=araya+wheels&_sacat=0
steve_stuff
·3 years agoPeople said sales are down because of 'this, that or the other thing[s]' - really it's 'this, that AND the other thing[s]' like:
Search showing us what we're not looking for.
and/or
search adds a second search term and brings back both items, then 'tells' us to click on 'show only what you searched for' or however it's worded - if we only want to see what we only wanted to see in the first place. AND if we don't click on that 'show only' before clicking on completed, it ONLY shows the term they added. Which brings up nothing.
plus
Less people are looking for what 'you' are trying to sell - that's a big one
OR
people are looking for stuff you don't sell
OR
your rare $10 item is $7 more then the other 863 up for sale
Or
they were going to buy yours for $10 plus $5 shipping - they did click on the buy it now button - but bought the one ebay showed them before they paid for yours, for $16 with free shipping as it was a better deal [I never said all buyers are smart]
plus the big one
people have decided to pay their rent or buy food instead of spending $300 for your '1967 topps baseball card high number short print' card. The nerve of those people.
Luckily for us we have tons of storage space and all ebay sales are extra money.
siamjane8
·3 years ago@steve_stuff I do agree with you that there are many factors that effect sales..... Many that are out of the control of ebay- inflation/economy/world events/etc. All we are asking as sellers is to have ebay NOT add to the problems with bad search/cluttered listing pages/promoted listings/distracting actual buyers away from your listing as they make the purchase!!! - just happened to me- i put an item in my cart because i wanted to buy 3 things from the same seller... and as soon as it did, an ebay message popped up and filled my screen with "Did you See these from other sellers"( and showed the exact identical item)!!!!!!. What a complete joke for ebay to stab its sellers in the back by trying to steal their buyer away from a hard earned sale and push the buyer into a PROMOTED Listing from a competitor just to get the extra fees.....
inhawaii
·3 years ago@siamjane8
This is the "ebay's search is broken" thread.
Did you mean to post this on one of the "promoted listings sucks" threads?
siamjane8
·3 years ago@inhawaii no - the promoted listings suck threads are doing fine. The real issues at hand are they in many ways are connected. promoted listings are just one of the major complications that has ruined the relevancy of the search. Ebay makes a hard choice as to what is programmed into the search algorithm. PL clutters it up and lacks relevancy- remember ebay does not do duplicate listings of organic and promoted now so it its a PL it will only show up iin a PL spot in search OR a PL carousel on someone else's listing. Effectively those items no longer show up in search for buyers where they expect to see them!. This has caused a great decline in relevancy because now ebay fills the spots that should have organic relevant listings with whatever PL it has- more often than not having absolutely nothing to do with the intended search.
Make no mistake- this was done on purpose by ebay to garnish higher PL fees. it was an intentional change to the algorithms- all we are saying is that the proof is in the pudding- lock step the overall sales have gone down with more and more PL. If PL was not damaging sales- then overall sales would be the same or better... but they went down so it does not take a rocket scientist to connect the dots, especially when you search for something as a buyer, are shown PL that annoy you and then go buy it elsewhere. PL cause friction to the sale. They exhaust buyers and make the joy of shopping a chore.
beautyrack
·2 years agoyou nailed it!
trip98
·2 years agoI believe this is true. I do not have a problem with a my Searches in Terapeak ... is it because there is no effort or need to promote or equal the playing field on sold items?
I have noticed wacky searches is the last year or so. Searches I have done for years. Now, I have to refine by category or use "". Also , I notice if I do a particular search alot, the search will auto populate to the category I used before which isn't what I always want.
kh-laura
·2 years agoHi everyone,
Due to the age of this thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.
Thank you for understanding.
siamjane8
·3 years ago@inhawaii this posts calls to mind my question earlier about why some posters only reply in contrary fashion for no reason. This does not further the discussion on the topic. Ebay is a big company- im sure it does not need a handful of posters coming to its defense all the time- that why people coined the term cheerleaders.
inhawaii
·3 years agoEbay is a big company. I'm sure they don't need a handful of posters to come here all the time complaining about everything. We have a term for them as well.
They remind me of people who talk about how terrible the food is at Joe's Diner, yet continue to eat there.
I don't mind being called a cheerleader.
I sell on ebay.
I make money on ebay.
I am thankful to ebay for the opportunity.
When sales are bad I have nobody to blame but myself.
If I were selling better stuff, my sales would be better.
lotzofuniquegoodies
·3 years ago@siamjane8
I just wonder if us (sellers or buyers) don't point out these concerns is eBay no longer accountable for them and has no responsibility to correct? "It is what it is" has never worked for me as a valid reason for something to be wrong or not be addressed. The lost photos of a bunch of years ago sticks in my craw!!
-Lotz
siamjane8
·3 years ago@lotzofuniquegoodies I agree. I do not post here for no reason or to just get things off my chest. I only post here to bring to light issues or problems that have come about with ebay. Some say this is a forum for users and ebay has nothing to do with it- that is ridiculous- ebay monitors these forums and collect data. When a topic gets huge amounts of visibility and "likes" etc, you can be sure they are noticing. That is why we need to post here.
A good example is the new listing tool!- it was horrible and got so much traction on these posts that they went into disaster mode and started revamping it almost immediately..... although it took far too long to get to where it is today ( still not as good or as fast as the old listing tool). Of course to be fair that listing tool rollout was so bad it is almost unbelievable lol......how anyone thought that slowing down the listing process by 10x was a good idea- I'll never know.
lotzofuniquegoodies
·3 years ago@siamjane8
Total agreement. Unfortunately I could only give your post 1 like. I would have given it more, if I could have. Not sure this would be a good idea but maybe the option for anyone reading to give a thumbs up or thumbs down. That way ebay gets a consensus, even if it needs to be taken with a few grains of salt.
Throw in having eBay status pages that never get updated to show known current "glitches". I know this because I check. I do wish we would have a similar report(tech issues discussion forum) on dot ca of known issue and if they have been resolved or not. Many Canadian sellers know it is very important to regularly check the US board to find out what is being worked on...or not?
-Lotz
wheelworkzmurfreesboro
·3 years agoI received a positive feed back but the seller said my item was pricey. Mine was the cheapest listed that I could find at the time of listing. I went to research it this morning because I have another listed. Mine was the only one to show. Then I filtered Cheapest with Shipping and it says No items match my search. I'm confused
sextons-sweet-deals
·3 years agoEver since eBay decided to try to connect 'item specifics' with the title search, it has become nothing but a mess. A true shopper has to play the word play game to see all the listings related to their search and then even sometimes using quotation marks to narrow down the specific search to get rid of the other non-related hits that come up. I believe this all started when eBay combined / condensed some categories.
1. eBay should have kept the title search / word play wildcard open and separate and not trying to combine the two.
2. eBay should have promoted / pushed sellers to use item specifics to inform shoppers of additional details along with the item description box and just keep it separate.
3. My guess is all this is about the eBay app which I will never use. I will never shop on a 6" x 3" phone screen.
wilsonharborsales
·3 years agoHighest promoted PPC items are shown first. I believe there is also something seriously wrong with the 'location' search portion of the search algorithm. Many buyers being shown international items first.
rugerskick
·3 years agoYeah I notice this. The more words the less results. Its extremely literal and will not include any items if just one of the search words isn't there.
inhawaii
·3 years agoIn my opinion, using google to search for a ebay item is ridiculous.
But if you are convinced that you get better results that way, go for it.
siamjane8
·3 years ago@luckythewinner @inhawaii
Nope- that is not how search is supposed to work- it is supposed to show you what you searched for. Look it up in the dictionary. Ebay chooses to flood the search with irrelevant promoted listings no matter what you search for - the point of adding more key words is to drill down and get MORE accurate results to save time, not to get more and worse results.
I dont know maybe you two are right- everyone else in the world that is frustrated by the search at ebay and the fact that sales have plummeted and ebay is losing sellers and buyers at record rates, is just a coincidence and we are all wrong- we dont know how search works lol. yep - thats probably it
redlinear
·3 years ago@siamjane8 and @inhawaii Which one of ya found the deal?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/334942304299?hash=item4dfc1df82b:g:jfIAAOSwtJxjQw7x&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA0F59I7sUkOgU9BNqe8chbp2PteEbzkaf9G53zdf5SXcURw8edPIVq2AF4BxeZCIzUKk5v2PCbH0nalIkmDO2KmvHEJ%2BO8OUjPLdTN0uFJZtaUSAvXIAPL1HQVwJ1DwBu%2Bw4vAvUIQYm6tCL%2B%2F4sTKBrBxdOhxafzKR3I1WuFeimmSy3nEkheLcc1n2HjXcsToHNJNoghpZVvLuqjuvkN9SQhqGQhUHcmR27lTzPZ8Yp3nUlFBQq28hbMC%2FNIg5zGAIWp3c5ICfATpbaJYc4KVGI%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR8D8ruyoYg
siamjane8
·3 years ago@redlinear that is a great price lol. No that listing never came up in all the searching I have done over this- further proof that eBay I search is failing us all. If there are 22 listings of 1966 charge fuel did than eBay should show every last one of them to me and let me make s deduction as to which one I want to buy. Period. But so far at best a have found 4 or 5 on eBay
eburtonlab
·3 years agoNo that listing never came up in all the searching I have done over this
Are you sure? That listing does currently appear in the search I linked above, though it appears under the "matching fewer words" section after the formal search results since the word "fuel" does not actually appear anywhere in the title, and only under the Type item-specific as "fuel filler door", which does not appear to be a standard preset option.
If there are 22 listings of 1966 charge fuel did than eBay should show every last one of them to me
If that is what you want, you can certainly get that from eBay, with minimal effort. But you will likely have to wade through a lot of 1966 dodge charger fuel door rubber bumper listings to find them all, since those listings also satisfy all your chosen search criteria.
eBay can find everything that matches all your search criteria -- including all the things you do not want to see -- and you can go over the results with a fine tooth comb yourself to pick out what you are looking for. Or eBay can show you only certain things that eBay thinks you are interested in, at the risk of missing some possible alternative keyword matches, and avoid lots of unwanted results in the process.
Which is more important to you: avoiding false positives (unwanted matches) or finding false negatives (items you are interested in that do not match your search keywords)?
It is a bit much to ask eBay to do both of those things perfectly at the same time for a wide range of possible keyword options while also insisting that having to change your search criteria to more precisely specify what you are actually looking for is equivalent to "taking a college course".
eBay's search is far from perfect. The default options are a compromise between competing search philosophies, after all, since different people may want different things out of the same search using precisely the same inputs. Likely no one is entirely satisfied with how it works.
But it can still find things that match your search criteria for you to buy. Maybe not everything, and the results returned may include some things you are not interested in, but it still finds things for you based on the barest of hints of what you are actually searching for.
coolections
·3 years agoWhen you see that link it is more proof that people just do not know how to search.
siamjane8
·3 years agoIf I was searching for a fuel door RUBBER BUMPER, then my search would have included those words. They are cheap Chinese promoted listings. I would rather be down what I searched for as would most people. I would have rather seen the other 20 actually fuel doors first at least, then show me whatever you want.
eburtonlab
·3 years agoIf I was searching for a fuel door RUBBER BUMPER, then my search would have included those words.
That may be true, but eBay does not know that -- or at least eBay cannot always assume that is the case for every set of possible keywords.
If rubber bumpers are to be excluded from your search, someone has to specify that. Either eBay must program that in, or you must tell eBay that's what you want. And it looks like eBay has not programmed it in.
Previously you said that if there were 22 listings that contained the keywords 66 dodge charger fuel door, you wanted to see them all, but now you are saying you only want to see the ones that don't contain the keywords rubber bumper. What if someone is selling a fuel door plus a set of rubber bumpers, and with rubber bumper set is mentioned in the title? Should eBay show it to you or hide it? Maybe excluding rubber bumper is not the way to go if you want to see all the possible door listings.
You can specify the search in different ways, but you have to actually make a decision and then communicate that to eBay somehow.
You are asking an awful lot of what is basically a text matching algorithm with a list of a few synonyms and spelling variations thrown in.
deltilogical
·3 years agoIn the future some Business School degree candidate will do a paper on how Ebay turned the Search, a simple index matching function, into an anti-customer nonfunctioning mess in an attempt to monetize it.
jasoheat_0
·3 years agototally agreed , i do not understand how anyone can think this search engine is anything but horrible ... the only conclusion i can come up with is that its all based on ad fees and ad options , make it so bad that one has to use ads to be seen ... what a joke as that does nothing more than frustrate customers ... wait ebay has lost 25 % of there customers in the last 5 years and GMV is down to where it was in 2013 ..... maybe its plausible lol
siamjane8
·3 years ago@eburtonlab I did communicate to ebay that I did not want to see rubber bumpers.... By not typing rubber bumper in my search query.
If a listing was available with a fuel door & bumpers as well-i would expect to see that because it satisfied my search keywords... Just with a bonus rubber bumper...
Again, the problem is that google shows more accurate results about eBay listings than eBay's own search..... eBay has programed it's algorithms to monitize the search with promoted listing instead of relevancy
eburtonlab
·3 years agoI did communicate to ebay that I did not want to see rubber bumpers.... By not typing rubber bumper in my search query.
If a listing was available with a fuel door & bumpers as well-i would expect to see that because it satisfied my search keywords... Just with a bonus rubber bumper...
I think if you examine the "rubber bumper" listings you will find that they satisfy all the search requirements you provided -- that is, they contain all the search keywords you specifically asked eBay to search for. That is why they are appearing in your search results.
eBay does not actually know what you are looking for, or what you are expecting to see; it only knows what you are asking for.
lotzofuniquegoodies
·3 years agoI was recently looking up an answering machine as follows:
sylvania digital answering machine ST88450-2
Search brought up an assortment of various brands of digital answering machines. No exact matches. I can deal with that.
Click on recently sold and this is what you get. Actual answering machines don't appear until position 20 or so. First with fewer words is this item.
https://www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=sylvania+digital+answering+machine+ST88450-2&_sacat=0&rt=nc&LH_Sold=1&LH_Complete=1
-Lotz
inhawaii
·3 years agoI must be doing something wrong.
I did the exact same search.
I came up with ONE result.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p4432023.m570.l1313&_nkw=sylvania+digital+answering+machine+ST88450-2&_sacat=0
redlinear
·3 years agoYeah, I whine about not being able to "EASILY" find my items when I run a search. I'm not looking FOR THEM. I'm just doing research and know they are there, but, difficult to find.
A few users on here have no problem finding them (of course, they are know the items are there).
I know how to search. I know how to find what I want. (which is always more than JUST the gas door).
It's just rather not as easy as it should be.
And for most shoppers, they'll find what they find.... A $20 gas door. They think that's all there is.
But never see what they really wanted to see....the WHOLE picture...Which includes a $12 gas door.
eburtonlab
·3 years agoAnd for most shoppers, they'll find what they find.... A $20 gas door. They think that's all there is.
But never see what they really wanted to see....the WHOLE picture...Which includes a $12 gas door.
That is the point. Ultimately every potential buyer has three basic choices.
Spend a minute searching using obvious keywords and a default "Best match" sort, see three possible $30 options in the top ten results. Pick one, you're done. This is probably what 90% of buyers wind up doing in that sort of situation. Call this the "default" situation.
The potential buyer could also comb through the near-miss "matching fewer keywords" results eBay provides, hoping to find the $12 listing that does not actually include "fuel door" in the title. Or try a slightly different search using different keywords, hoping to come up with the same "gas door" combination that the seller used to find the results that did not appear in the first, more obvious search. Call this the "fine-tooth comb" option. A bit time consuming going over lots of false positive results, but with potential for a payoff if the item is valuable enough or the price differential is high enough, and the approach can be customized for each search, so if nothing new is found in a reasonable amount of time, the buyer can fall back to the easy approach without having wasted too much time. This approach can minimize the chances of missing a false negative (the $12 gas door), but at the cost of having to wade through lots of false positives (rubber bumpers).
Or the potential buyer could spend time learning some details about how eBay's search works, and details of using advanced search techniques and search syntax, and then craft a search that finds everything the buyer wants and little or nothing the buyer does not want. Call this approach the "college course" option. High up-front costs, but it can pay off if the buyer does lots of searches, or else when searching for high-value items. Can save time when actually searching compared to the "fine tooth comb" approach.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=%281966%2C66%29+dodge+charger+%28gas.door%2Cfuel.door%29&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&_sop=12&rt=nc&LH_PrefLoc=2
Each approach has its uses. At each stage, the buyer can estimate whether continuing to search will pay off by finding a better deal than the ones already found. If you do not spot a $12 gas door now, perhaps one will be listed next week; the buyer has to choose among the visible, available options or decide to wait and keep searching.
eBay can fiddle with the defaults a bit to make some things easier, but that usually comes at the cost of making other things a bit harder. There are trade-offs. If eBay chooses correctly, the defaults make most things easier for most buyers without making things too much harder for the remainder of users.
jasoheat_0
·3 years agoor they could just use google and find the item very easily and in a shorter time frame ( thats what buyers want ) ... sorry but google is so much better at finding items on ebay than ebays search engine ... why reinvent the wheel , when most people learned how to search using google ... sorry but ebays search engine is pure junk in my opinion ,
inhawaii
·3 years agoYou do realize that when you do a google search for ebay items, it will also bring up old listings that are sold or out of stock?
lotzofuniquegoodies
·3 years ago@inhawaii
I've had returning buyers be able to send me links to my old listing to inquire if I had stock of an item I sold to them 2 or more years ago. Listing was fully accessible. Yet, do a search on eBay with the old listing number/title/seller etc you get that annoying we can not find message. If you check your drafts folder it now states only saves for 75 days. Was 90. I've had them poof or be inaccessible earlier. eBay and historical data are 2 concepts that no longer exist. Remember when a seller could find their total sales history going back to day 1?
-Lotz
yuzuha
·3 years agoThis is precisely why I DON'T use Google to search for ebay listings. 99% of the time, the listings it finds have already sold.
jasoheat_0
·3 years agoyes but its still easier to use than the frustratingly bad ebay results ... sorry man but ebays search is an utter joke , google mastered the search engine and most people learned how to use a search engine using google , it works fatser and its more accurate than ebay
luckythewinner
·3 years agoThe more keywords, the less query results.
Isn't that how search is supposed to work? 🤣
jcautotruckparts
·3 years agoMost people don't know you now have to put specific key words in quotation marks for ebay's search to bring up accurate results. I spoke with an eBay rep and they were very condescending, telling me they assumed everyone knew "basic HTML". I tried to explain that over 60% of ebay users are 35 and older and if they've never had to do this before, how are they magically supposed to know to do that now? It also makes no sense for eBay to do this. I try searching for a steering wheel air bag and eBay shows me years and models I didn't search for and will show me roof and seat air bags. I have to scroll halfway down the page to find one air bag I was searching for unless I use quotation marks around the year and "wheel" in my search.
eburtonlab
·3 years agoMost people don't know you now have to put specific key words in quotation marks for ebay's search to bring up accurate results.
Putting keywords in quotes has the effect of preventing keyword substitutions and corrections.
eBay does not exactly go out of its way to explain a lot of search details, but anyone who has used the Advanced Search page to search for "Exact words, any order" or "Exact words, exact order" can see precisely what each of those options does to the keywords in the search field and draw some conclusions about using quotes when searching.
There used to be some good Help pages that explained a lot of important details about eBay's search and how various search commands work and how they affect keyword-keyword substitutions and keyword-category substitutions, but unfortunately the old links now just point to generic pages that talk about the Advanced Search page in very vague terms.
I try searching for a steering wheel air bag and eBay shows me years and models I didn't search for and will show me roof and seat air bags
You may think you are searching for steering wheel air bag, but you are actually searching for any listing that contains steering, wheel, air, and bag anywhere in the title or item-specifics.
Automotive listings are notorious for having pages and pages of item-specifics citing different models and years. So you may think it is obvious that you are searching for a part for a 2012 Honda, but eBay's search will find any listing containing Honda and 2012 anywhere in the title or item-specifics unless you tell it differently.
siamjane8
·3 years ago@eburtonlab
You may think you are searching for steering wheel air bag, but you are actually searching for any listing that contains steering, wheel, air, and bag anywhere in the title or item-specifics.
Automotive listings are notorious for having pages and pages of item-specifics citing different models and years. So you may think it is obvious that you are searching for a part for a 2012 Honda, but eBay's search will find any listing containing Honda and 2012 anywhere in the title or item-specifics unless you tell it differently.
Exactly when the ebay search started going downhill and has never recovered! When they transitioned into an accurate keyword matching weighted algorithm to item specific structured search algorithms. This type allowed for more manipulation and control over results. Instead of showing what most closely matches the searchers intent- it shoes what some programmer in Istanbul decided that ebay wants us to see regardless of what we searched for. It also allowed for large sellers to spam all the item specific and further through a wrench in the search - constantly confusing the AI. Add in tech people that do not understand what is happening and we have ebay.
redlinear
·3 years ago@siamjane8 is correct.
You about need a couple years of search training in order to find "what you want" on eBay.
Seldom is "what you want"...simply a gas door for a 66 Charger.
Maybe you want the cheapest one out there?
Maybe you want the nicest one out there?
The Red one? The Green one?
The Dodge gas door that the seller has no idea what it came off of for $5.00
The more vague the search, the more you find....of course.
BUT RADIATORS AND IMPALA TILT STEERING COLUMN COVER should not be pulled up in a search for a 1967 Charger GAS DOOR.
Simple as that
jcautotruckparts
·3 years agoIt's strange though that I've only had this problem the last couple months. I've been doing this full time for 10 years and never had this problem before.
new_spin_boutique
·3 years agoIt didn't always work that way, and it shouldn't work that way.
siamjane8
·3 years agoI don't use quotation marks when I search on Google or any other site and they show me what I search for 90% of the time compared to eBay's 15% .
Why did everyone think we should have to take a college course to learn how to use eBay? Is it by definition the job of the search engine to work for those that use it? By it's very nature it should be designed and programmed to work for the customer base not force the customer base to learn 1000 tricks to make it work. It fails at is most basic task- to connect buyers and sellers
lotzofuniquegoodies
·3 years ago@siamjane8
Perfectly stated!!! 100%
-Lotz
selsa84
·3 years agoI search for a specific book by the first words in the book title and sellers listing title and it always says 0 results. Search is a joke lately. Even my saved searches are horrible. I have "pocket map" saved as a search and it constantly shows me items that have the word pocket but not map in title , so I get shorts, shirts, pants etc showing up.
eburtonlab
·3 years agoI have "pocket map" saved as a search and it constantly shows me items that have the word pocket but not map in title
A general search for pocket map will find any listing that has the work pocket and the word map anywhere in the title or item-specifics.
If you want those two words in consecutive order, try searching pocket-map. If you want an exact phrase with no substitutions, try "pocket map".
Limiting your results to the Book category will eliminate a lot of non-Book results.
selsa84
·3 years agoI have it specified to the antique map category and I still get things that are not even in the antique map category.
eburtonlab
·3 years agoI have it specified to the antique map category and I still get things that are not even in the antique map category.
Can you provide a link to your specific search?
There are several ways a search can go wrong or be redirected into another search entirely. If a search returns no results, eBay may widen the category or even search "all categories", or eBay may drop individual search terms in an attempt to provide some results close to what the user is searching for.
A sample search for pocket-map in the Antiques subcategory of Maps, Atlases & Globes:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/37958/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=pocket-map&LH_TitleDesc=0
lotzofuniquegoodies
·3 years ago@siamjane8
@selsa84
When you search for a book by it's title/author and add the term book or a DVD by name with term DVD added you get better results than without. Very true what you stated about searching via google. It's like eBay search is not forward compatible with eBay!!! To the casual eye one could think that eBay broke their own search engine. Crazy thing...it used to work great!!!
-Lotz
jasoheat_0
·3 years agoits crazy there search engine is almost useless , use google much better results to find items on ebay then ebay itself .... KINDA FUNNY ... it seems there search results get worse as they push more ad fees and ad options ... seems to be working as ad fees are up , BUT SALES ( GMV ) are way DOWN ... just use google ebay search is becoming an utter joke in my opinion
coolections
·3 years agoThat would be correct, It sounds like you are learning how to search. Keep trying as you will figure it out in time. Too little provides too much results and too much will give you nearly nothing. Keep to the basics and you will be fine. Another trick I notice very few use is always go to the left of the page and use those resources. It will keep you on track.
pls-consignments
OP3 years agoLOL...not new, sorry.
I'm talking about using "keywords" to find a specific item such as a "model number" . Search results are struggling to filter specifics in search details. Therefore lately, in order to find a "specific" item, I've had to use only 2 or 3 BROAD keywords query the general category of items and then scroll through multiple pages to find my item. Am I not explaining this well? 🤔
siamjane8
·3 years ago@pls-consignments you are explaining it well enough- i think we are all just expounding on all the aspects at which ebay search is failing sellers and buyers alike.
You are exactly right though- putting in a part # should instantly show you only that part but it has not been working that way for awhile.- just shows no results
Just a year ago- searching for ford part #s that were not readily available resulted in ebay search AI showing all naked photos of woman for sale lol. That has not happened in awhile so maybe they dialed it back on the item specific algorithm search? im sure its a balance but again if google can do it why cant ebay. if i go to Walmart's website- it shows me what they have relevant to my search. same with most everywhere i shop- why on earth does ebay choose to show irrelevant promoted listings to its shoppers?
Nothing is perfect obviously- nor would i expect it to be- but does it have to be the worst in the industry?
coolections
·3 years ago@pls-consignments Nope, model numbers are rarely ever used. That is typically when you search at an auto site or a site specific to the item you are searching. Just search the basic keywords. If you kneed help let me know and I will find it for you.
eburtonlab
·3 years agoI'm talking about using "keywords" to find a specific item such as a "model number" . Search results are struggling to filter specifics in search details. Therefore lately, in order to find a "specific" item, I've had to use only 2 or 3 BROAD keywords query the general category of items and then scroll through multiple pages to find my item.
Searching by part number works as long as the part number is unique and there is something currently listed containing that number. If those conditions are not satisfied, you may get lots of results that have little to do with your search, as eBay tries to find anything that matches or comes close.
Part numbers are quite often not unique. So rather than looking for part number 1554879 which turns up many different results in different categories, try searching for 1554879 switch, or limiting your results to the Automotive category. Or searching for 1554879 memory, if that is what you are looking for. Or 1554879 fender. That way there is no need to wade through unrelated results.
jasoheat_0
·3 years agojust use google its much easier gives you what your looking for , not like ebays broken search engine , its a fact .... Ebays search engine is an utter nightmare WHY would ebay do that though , why is it easier to get thye rulsts you want on google yet the same search on ebay is all over the place .... what a joke .... Ebay needs to follow google path as they were the ones who mastered the search engine .... yet another ebay failure
inhawaii
·3 years agoYes, I have noticed this.
That's how it's supposed to work.
1 word "toy" = Lots of results.
2 words "toy train" = Less results.
3 words "toy train caboose" = Even less results.
pls-consignments
OP3 years agoJust a little too quick off the draw my friend. The "amount" of results wasn't my issue. It was the "accuracy" of the results. 😉
siamjane8
·3 years ago@inhawaii your at it again inhawaii!
Yes, I have noticed this.
That's how it's supposed to work.
1 word "toy" = Lots of results.
2 words "toy train" = Less results.
3 words "toy train caboose" = Even less results.
in reality:
Is this how it's supposed to work? Because this IS how it works-
1 word "toy" = Lots of results for car parts /cell phones woman blouses / nothing to do with trains
2 words "toy train" = Less results- but for trane brand HVAC compressor controls / adult toy / fill in the blank____ irrelevant item
3 words "toy train caboose" = Even less results - toy train engine / book on training children / ladies rear end support ware (caboose lol)
siamjane8
·3 years ago@inhawaii how would you suggest searching for a vintage car part?
The obvious search of exactly what I'm looking did not work: 1966 dodge charger gas door. eBay AI wants me to buy a radiator! And sure people say promoted listings have not destroyed the eBay search.
 yet somehow same google search shows all ebay listings for the exact item!
 
inhawaii
·3 years agoIt took me less than a minute.
Maybe i'm doing something wrong (or right)?
siamjane8
·3 years ago@inhawaii I did not say it could not be found at all. Just that ebay makes it difficult instead of easy. And how many irrelevant listings did you have to wade through to get to a relevant one? That's the point. Ebay is adding friction to the search process.
Lets say you go to a car dealership and you tell them you want a station wagon for a family car.... do they say first lets look at a 2dr coupe or test drive a motorcycle? or maybe show you the parts room and see if you want to buy some dealership swag?
Nope- they take you right over to the selection of station wagons to let you compare the options for what you already told them you want- just like when we as sellers tell ebay what we want by typing the words in the search bar.
coolections
·3 years agoThat is your problem. Ebay is not an auto parts store. Dealerships and stores that sell specific items with part numbers etc.. have their own programs. Here on Ebay it is each individual seller to set up their listings and titles. I can tell you from years of experience approximately 30% of sellers do not have a clue how to set up a title or search listings.
jasoheat_0
·3 years agothen why is it easier to find items on ebay using Google then it is using ebay's search engine ?????????? Ebays search engine is a broken joke
eburtonlab
·3 years agothen why is it easier to find items on ebay using Google then it is using ebay's search engine
Google and eBay are designed for different types of searches, and each has its place.
Google's search gives preference to pages that have been around a long time and that have lots of links from other established pages. That is not necessarily the best way to find a new eBay listing or an auction that will be over in a few days -- something that eBay's search is specifically designed for.
That is one reason why eBay changed the way listings end and why eBay immediately delivers a "similar" active listing at the conclusion of each auction -- because users following Google search result links were getting frustrated by often only finding listings after they had already ended, due to Google's ranking system.
eburtonlab
·3 years agoI did not say it could not be found at all. Just that ebay makes it difficult instead of easy. And how many irrelevant listings did you have to wade through to get to a relevant one?
Top three results in this search:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=66+dodge+charger+fuel+door&_sacat=0&_sop=12
inhawaii
·3 years agoMe and you must be doing it wrong.
It's too easy! 😉
siamjane8
·3 years agoThat is absolutely hilarious because even if I just clicked on the link you provided only 2 of those showed up and were halfway down my page-not top 3! It does how screwed up the results are and how they differ from person to person instead of just showing the most accurate results to everyone all the time- the AI search is terrible!
 
 this is what I got before anything relevant... Then 20 more listings like it..... No other girl doors for 1966 charger. Unless I go to Google and then there are at least 7 active eBay listings for a 1966 charger fuel door!!!! eBay only showed me 2.
That is why sales are down- eBay his all the actual relevant listings from search view.
jasoheat_0
·3 years agoits a joke of a search engine ... and all these cheerleaders acting like nothing is wrong , wow , FACT most people learn to use a search engine through google ... why would ebay make there search engine harder to use than the one most people use ( google ) ... another ebay failure .. they are just looking for more ad fees ...
lotzofuniquegoodies
·3 years ago@siamjane8
It would be interesting to know how often when someone does a search 1 gets back no results found vs here's a %$#@ load of stuff that is not even close to what you are looking for?
-Lotz
jasoheat_0
·3 years agoyour spot on dont worry about those cheerleaders , Ebay need to follow the google search path as most customers learned how to search through google , not this broken ebay joke ... and its a joke , a sad one at that
ekmadonna
·3 years agoThis is because we all can type in the EXACT same search words and we all will GET DIFFERENT RESULTS, depending on which way the EBAY winds are blowing that particular day.
wilsonharborsales
·3 years agoMy mind is blown that buyers are coming on here saying that they are having difficulties finding items, and the response from sellers is 'you don't know how to search properly'. There is very clearly an issue. Everyone who comps items or searches for items has been aware of this for months. Lets just hope they are working day and night to correct this.
lotzofuniquegoodies
·3 years agoIt appears to be something they have either inadvertently created or or know they have created but don't know how to undo. Whatever it is, they seem to be unwilling to admit that it is even a problem. I just love it when ebay states on one's personal status page you could be a top seller if you sold more. What we all wish!!!
-Lotz
new_spin_boutique
·3 years agoYes, I'm noticing this. Been a disaster for a while. It used to be that if I searched something like "Men's Polo Shirts" I would get men's polo shirts. Now I get anything with those three words anywhere in the title, item specifics or category.
If I had searched "Ralph Lauren Men's Polo Shirt" - 100% of my results would have been RL men's polos shirts. Now, when I do the search. I get anything in the Polo line of Ralph Lauren that also has shirt.
The search once weighted the STRING above the keywords. Like, for instance, "Men In Black"... if you searched that STRING, then you would get the movie DVDs, primarily, but some other items with the same STRING in the title.
Now, you get anything with any of those keywords anywhere in the listing.
The search is borked. As the occasional customer, I often have a difficult time finding what I'm looking for unless the item has a unique, branded or trademarked word, such as Metazoo.
lotzofuniquegoodies
·3 years ago@new_spin_boutique
It's been going on for awhile. I really can understand buyers frustration with searching using eBay. Just went to look for a vintage 1970 phone part. Brought up air filter for a car. The part number I entered in is nowhere to a match of what displayed. Checked listed and sold. eBay's version of you don't really want this...you want that!!! Erghhhh!!!
-Lotz