EBAY Algorithms are not showing available cheaper items until after you purchase a higher priced one

[mad4hotwheels]

I have been purchasing on EBAY Since 1998. I have been noticing that when I search for an item i wish to purchase, I am only shown the most expensive items and even though I doggedly search for the cheapest and nothing is available, As soon as I complete a purchase they show 4 or five others just like what I bought for ridiculously cheap prices. Is this a game we need to play now? Is Ebay breaking some fair trade law by concealing the cheaper items from a buyer until after they purchase??? Can we not trust anyone at all anymore??? SIckening.

[postingid7659]

Up at the top right of your search you will find a dropdown box that is usually set to "Best Match" which you can change to newly listed, ending soon, price + shipping highest first, or price + shipping lowest first. 

You may want to try that setting when you search for items.  

[campanaelia]

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@postingid7659 wrote:

Up at the top right of your search you will find a dropdown box that is usually set to "Best Match" which you can change to newly listed, ending soon, price + shipping highest first, or price + shipping lowest first. 

You may want to try that setting when you search for items.  

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If the OP been on ebay since 1998 I'll bet they are well aware of the "sort by" options menu and has already tried that. Ebay definitely does not show all items in searches, I ve noticed it myself. But I'm very disciplined about what I'll pay so I wait it out,,,

[mudshark61369 · Accepted solution]

@mad4hotwheels,

Are you searching using the app or on a computer?  Do you do Advanced searches for items or just general searches?  Depending on the answers to those questions, you may need other workarounds than the one given by @postingid7659 .  

[mad4hotwheels]

I use my pc always, just last night I searched out a product using all manners of search and there were only 3 of the item shown and no others. It came out in 93 so i figured it was hard to come by. I mean we are not talking big $$ anyway, So there should have been a bunch to look at. Setting aside the guy that for some reason thought he had the sole million dollar item, I bought the cheapest available with ridiculous shipping. As soon as I completed payment, There were three more listed right there at the bottom of the my ebay purchase page. I don't ever mind paying for something i want or need. But if I can save a few bucks towards the next purchase I would appreciate being able to work that out without being spoon fed what is supposedly available.   Thanks for your answers everyone. I guess its just a sign of the times on this venue.  

[postingid7659]

Searching when not logged in and from multiple browsers may increase what eBay shows you.

However eBay has been famous for years for not showing everything currently listed to individual areas due to lack of server capacity.  This is why I find my sales often come in bunches in the same regions of the country. 

[bmbigmoney]

Been noticing the same. It's definitely putting them down a few notches on my preferred purchasing platforms. If I can't trust them, I'll definitely use them less

[bmbigmoney]

It's doing that even after selecting the sort option to lowest price plus shipping 

[wil_483592]

Purchased a book 2 weeks ago and did a search before buying,  the search results showed it as the only one for sale. After I bought the book and after checkout it had the boxes/items below saying similar items and low and behold there were quite a a few for sale. 

[wil_483592]

Same here, they've gotten really sketchy lately. 

[wil_483592]

Yep. That has now become the norm for our sales also. They all seem to go to the same area.  And then another day it'll be a diff area. 

[kh-gary]

Hi everyone,

Due to the age of this thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread HERE if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.

Thank you for understanding.