Help - Previous Search Suggestions replaced by Generic Search Suggestions?

[greenhillsoftyrol]

I search for the same stuff every week and until now, whenever I've started typing in the search box, a list of my previous searches has started appearing underneath as I type. For example - if I regularly search for Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh Cathedral and Edinburgh Harbour then once I had typed 'Ed' into the search box those come up and I don't have to type the rest which saves a lot of time. I assume it did this using cookies on my browser?

This afternoon, as I was putting my cursor in the search box, I accidentally clicked on orange/yellow symbol on the extreme right. Now once I have typed 'Ed' into the search box, only Google-style generic phrases come up like Edible Flowers, Education and Edwardian. (They also appear in bigger font). This is doubly annoying - firstly it's distracting, secondly it's happening instead of my previous searches.

I want to get the old setting back so I get lists of my own previous searches and don't get generic suggestions.

How can I put search back like it was?

[eburtonlab]

If you have used the orange/yellow "Hide eBay suggestions" icon, you should still see some search suggestions based on your saved searches (denoted with a heart icon), possibly some recent searches (denoted with a clock icon) as well as some generic search suggestions (no icon).

Sometimes eBay provides that orange/yellow rectangular box "show/hide" icon in the search bar or the drop-down box under it -- if the icon does not appear, you will not be able to change your selection, unfortunately. eBay changes the way searches work from time to time, so the option may reappear at some point.

However, if your browser has saved your past search keywords as form data, you can still access those keywords by going to the Advanced Search page and using the search field there.

[greenhillsoftyrol]

Thanks for your reply.

Sadly it seems I only get generic search suggestions, no previous search suggestions of my own. So if I type in 'Ed' then I find Edinburgh Crystal, Edinburgh Woollen Mill, Zoo, Silver coming up.

There is no orange/yellow icon in the search box, or at the foot of the generic list, and I can find no setting to return my preferences to how they were before. I'm not getting any hearts or clocks, simply "louis vuittons handbags" to cite your screenshot.

Are you saying that after accidentally clicking on icon once it's impossible to ever revert?

[eburtonlab]

Are you saying that after accidentally clicking on icon once it's impossible to ever revert?

The icon seems to come and go; you may have to wait for eBay to add it back to change the general search page.

[Your search suggestions can also be cleared by going to the Recently Viewed page and using the "Clear all" link there -- that will erase your past searches saved by eBay.]

In the mean time, use the Advanced Search page to see your previous searches saved by your browser.

[greenhillsoftyrol]

Thanks again for reply.

Using advanced search takes more time if making many searches in quick succession.

Really strange that if I hadn't clicked that icon I could have carried on, yet I cannot put it back; but nevermind.

[eburtonlab]

Using advanced search takes more time if making many searches in quick succession.

Bookmark each search and put the bookmarks in a folder on a browser tool bar or in your bookmarks/favorites. Then you can open all the searches at once by right clicking on the folder and selecting "Open all bookmarks"; exact details depend on which browser you are using.

If you save your searches as bookmarks, you do not need to rely on eBay for access to them.