Where are my listings?

[pep119]

Hi, I've have been selling off/on for twenty years and a perfect feedback. I'm a small volume seller, selling items from my home that I find mostly at estate sales/auctions. For the past five years or so, I have experienced alot of trouble finding my listings. I know how to create an effective listing title. I'm so tired of spending the time and effort to post thorough listings and many times they do not show up - can't find them anywhere even though Ebay lists an item as active. Where are they? I've researched and read about algorithms, etc. but why is it so hard to get a listing to show when searched. Any new ideas would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[wooden_flower]

@pep119 

I searched for Tiffany bar pendant, and did not initially see your item because the default search category is necklaces - your item is in bracelets & charms. When I switched to all categories, your item was visible.  I would edit this item to put it in necklaces.

The same is true for your ornate sterling pendant necklace - it is listed in bracelets.

The earrings I had no problem finding. Your scarab bracelet was second in my search out of 1800 items, using scarab bracelet as my search term.

So your items are certainly searchable, but it is hard to gain traction in a category like jewelry with only 4 items.

[pep119]

Thanks so much for pointing this out. I do make a point of putting in the correct category, but must have missed this. So, if the category is incorrect, I would still think the key words in the title would bring the listing up. I like the old way they used to do the category section. I guess I really don't have a chance against the large volume sellers. I will doubly make sure my category is correct. 

[pep119]

Hi, just a thought......I updated category and revised title a bit (though that shouldn't matter as long as I have key words in_) and still went through 3 pages of listings and then I gave up....I'm going to remove it and relist today and see what happens. I even searched all categories and still nothing. The only time it shows up is if I click on "auction" tab and it's the first one. This hasn't happened before. 

[wooden_flower]

@pep119 

If there is a default category for a description, then only the items in that category show in search - you have to change it to all categories to see all items. Not all descriptions will generate a default category.

You certainly do have a chance against high volume sellers.  I retired a few years ago and only sell a few  items now.  I felt the same as you during the holidays when I listed a number of Christmas ornaments. I did sell all but a few, but it took longer than I was expecting because it is a very crowded category.  I did better with woodworking tools, where there are fewer sellers 🙂