Just realized a huge gaping wound that has probably been bleeding for a while...
I currently have 289 active listings. Almost all allow for shipping worldwide through the Global Shipping Program
None of the listings are controversial or restricted for import into any country
I log in as a buyer from the USA, then search for one of the items I'm selling through my Seller Account, then click 'See ALL Seller's items'. The search is performed and all 289 listings are shown.
HOWEVER - If I copy that (ebay.com) URL link and send it to buyers in other countries, I get a whole mishmash of results back from them about what they are able to see. From some of the respondents I got, these were the results:
USA - 289
Canada - 289
New Zealand - 289
Australia - 289
Malaysia - 289, however they were unable to see page 2 of the search results, which was the remaining 89 listings)
Greece - 263
Norway - 261
Germany - 47
Switzerland - 47
If the buyers log into their own national eBay sites, then search for all the items by my seller account, they usually see even less listings than they did from the link I sent. For example, Germany only showed 37 of 289 listings. Australia only saw 247 of 289.
Something is seriously f'ed up with the search routines as I'm certain I am not the only seller experiencing this. I suggest you do a test like what I did and report your results - these are potential buyers we are missing out on. I used to do a lot of business with Germany and that business almost entirely went away because of this. If they can't see my stuff, they can't buy it.
A few additional caveats...
If the buyers (in Germany for example), searched for one specific listing of mine, they couldn't find it, but if I sent them the direct link to the actual listing, they could see it and they could bid on it.
Hiding these listings from potential buyers is costing the sellers and eBay is lost sales or lower auction prices. This needs to get addressed!
