Default "Best Match" sorting is a scam, hurts small, independent sellers

[alexnbj]

The "Best Match" sort choice when buyers are searching is a scam. There might be a dozen items or more that have the exact name as the item you're selling, but if you're a small independent seller, your item will show up near the bottom.  eBay lists items from ebay stores first, then the merchants with whom they have 'deals', then the big box stores, and finally the indy seller.   "Best Match" is the default setting, so  new or inexperienced buyers may think that's a good choice.  It isn't.  And it's just one more trick they use to try and rid the site of the small indy sellers. 

[thatsallfolks]

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@alexnbj wrote:

The "Best Match" sort choice when buyers are searching is a scam. There might be a dozen items or more that have the exact name as the item you're selling, but if you're a small independent seller, your item will show up near the bottom.  eBay lists items from ebay stores first, then the merchants with whom they have 'deals', then the big box stores, and finally the indy seller.   "Best Match" is the default setting, so  new or inexperienced buyers may think that's a good choice.  It isn't.  And it's just one more trick they use to try and rid the site of the small indy sellers. 

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Why would a "small indy seller" try to sell the same things as the big box stores? Surely you can't compete on price.

"rid the site of the small indy sellers", LOL. They want "small indy sellers" who offer things the big sellers DON'T have.

[alexnbj]

You must be new.  Indie sellers often have same merchandise, just not the volume. And yes, at competitive prices.  We also have merchandise that is vintage, retired,  no longer made, or collectible, that the stores don't, but still, ebay is a bottom-line business and they go where the money is. The original eBay,

It's well known that ebay wants to get rid of small indie sellers....look at some of the discussion boards. eBay doesn't want to spend time dealing with small seller problems...it's not "cost efficient". 

[thatsallfolks]

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@alexnbj wrote:

You must be new.  Indie sellers often have same merchandise, just not the volume. And yes, at competitive prices.  We also have merchandise that is vintage, retired,  no longer made, or collectible, that the stores don't, but still, ebay is a bottom-line business and they go where the money is. The original eBay,

It's well known that ebay wants to get rid of small indie sellers....look at some of the discussion boards. eBay doesn't want to spend time dealing with small seller problems...it's not "cost efficient". 

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New, LOL. Sure, you go with that. So small sellers have competitive prices. Since the big box stores can afford to sell with small margins, and they pay lower eBay fees, what % are the small sellers making?

Discussion board posts don't prove that eBay wants to get rid of indy sellers. It just proves that some indy sellers are trying to play "David vs. Goliath" with an empty slingshot.

P.S., ebay has more than enough indy clothing sellers.

[andow_6171]

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@alexnbj wrote:

You must be new.  Indie sellers often have same merchandise, just not the volume. And yes, at competitive prices.  We also have merchandise that is vintage, retired,  no longer made, or collectible, that the stores don't, but still, ebay is a bottom-line business and they go where the money is. The original eBay,

It's well known that ebay wants to get rid of small indie sellers....look at some of the discussion boards. eBay doesn't want to spend time dealing with small seller problems...it's not "cost efficient". 

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When youre selling the same used junk that millions of others are selling you can't expect to make a million dollars doing it

[7606dennis]

I'm afraid I don't quite understand the point of this thread.  I thought that the fact that Best Match is an abomination was established almost as soon as it was introduced. 

[couldabeenworse]

eBay lists items from ebay stores first, then the merchants with whom they have 'deals', then the big box stores, and finally the indy seller. 

"Best Match" = Best for eBay.

[alexnbj]

That's my point.....best for ebay, harmful to small indie sellers. The term "best match" is misleading, though, and not a legit sorting tool.

[alexnbj]

That's true, but abominations need pointing out from time to time so they don't get normalized. I don't like bullies, and eBay is just that.

[alexnbj]

Not expecting a million dollars...that's absurd. Just asking for a level playing field. Sorry you feel things are 'used junk'. There are antiques and collectible dealers who might disagree.

[alexnbj]

Obviously you know it all, so there's no point in pointing out examples of items sold by both indie sellers and big stores.  It's also pointless to address your opinion that there are more than enough indy clothing sellers, or say that if all of them left, eBay would drop down even further behind Amazon in earnings.

But thank you so much for your support of small business.

[thatsallfolks]

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@alexnbj wrote:

or say that if all of them left

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How does tossing out an impossible scenario help your argument? The constant "well, if all sellers left eBay" comments get really old. Because that will never happen.

If 1/3 of eBay clothing sellers disappeared, eBay's profits might actually increase.

[alexnbj]

My original point was that the "best match" sort is a scam. You just want to go off on tangents for attention. On social media you'd be called a troll. Please find someone else to follow, as I'll be deleting your answers w/o reading.

[thatsallfolks]

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@alexnbj wrote:

My original point was that the "best match" sort is a scam.

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And my original point is that it's a legitimate and very logical business strategy for eBay, which indy sellers are foolish to fight against.

[7606dennis]

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@thatsallfolks wrote:

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@alexnbj wrote:

My original point was that the "best match" sort is a scam.

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And my original point is that it's a legitimate and very logical business strategy for eBay, which indy sellers are foolish to fight against.

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Actually, I'm not sure of how good a business strategy it is for eBay.  Frankly, it has always struck me as eBay telling buyers that they know more about what the buyer wants than the buyer does.  That strikes me as being a bit arrogant and condescending on eBay's part.  As far as being foolish to fight against it... that, I suppose, depends on how deeply one is immersed in the herd mentality.