Key search words not working

[8287davidm]

My item title

vintage tramp art picture frame wood folk fits 3 1/4 by 3 3/4in photo primitive

I search (all categories)  folk art picture frame and get 515 items but my frame is not in it.  I've been through all 515 many times one by one and it will not show up. If I add tramp behind the search it still does not show up.  If I put Tramp in front it shows up close to the top.  I've tried many different searches in exact categories where it is listed and same thing. I've tried primitive picture frame - no show??? This is costing money when people can't see the item by key words.  I called Ebay they said need to filter down more (customers don't do this many times) . I filtered and it did not help.  They said maybe under my item specifics - featured refinements I had put Tramp Art Frame and that made the other key words not work!!! So that means we should put the whole title in that area.

Are Key Word Not Key Words Anymore???

[thatsallfolks]

It doesn't show up for me even when adding the word "tramp", but that could be because you recently revised it. Maybe it hasn't reindexed yet.

Regardless, your item has 13 watchers, so people are obviously finding it.

[8287davidm]

It might have 15 or 33 watchers if key words worked.  Losing money here.  Do Key search words not work?

[thatsallfolks]

I told you why it might not be working.

[8287davidm]

Thanks, I just did the revision. I've been looking at this for 2 days prior (not jumping the shark) to revision and it is as stated above.

[eburtonlab]

Searching by "Tramp Art Picture Frame" I can see it -- about 13th when viewing by "Newly Listed".

It's second if I sort by Best Match.

[8287davidm]

Thanks, yes I have no trouble with tramp art picture frame - it's searching Folk art picture frame when it doesn't show.

[eburtonlab]

@8287davidm

I wonder if you might be running into an issue using "folk" separately in the title rather than "folk art". All the listings when I search for folk art literally have the word "folk" immediately followed by "art". I don't think having the two words separated by other words or in different order is necessarily treated the same by eBay's search engine.

[8287davidm]

That might be. If so I was not aware that Keywords needed to be in a certain order!

[eburtonlab]

I don't know all the details, but I have seen cases where identical searches changing only word order changed results and default categories. I speculate that Cassini is doing some sort of optimization to try to predict what people are actually searching for. Sometimes it produces perverse results.

Good luck!

[8287davidm]

Oh!
I've been looking more and you can get my picture frame to come up about any way except putting Folk and ART together. I've seen some listings with folk and art separated. But if you search folk art picture frame you get 500+ items but not mine. Put tramp art and it pops up. I want the customer who searches Folk Art to be able to see my listing.

[eburtonlab]

@8287davidm

I think if you change your title to:

vintage tramp art picture frame wood folk art fits 3 1/4 by 3 3/4in photo primitive

your item should be found by searching for folk art picture frame. 

By the way, I checked some old threads for examples of word order making a difference. If you search "burberry body" (without quotes) you get around 1100 results. If you search "body burberry" (without quotes) you get around 1700 results. Some of the results are even missing one or other of the search terms.

eBay's search engine has a mind of its own.

[8287davidm · Accepted solution]

I've already done that and it works fine always at the top of the page. Wish I would have known that on Sunday when I started this item. I'm going to check out a local mall here to see about renting a show case for BETTER items. My bank changed names. Acct # same routing # same address same yet paypal is throwing curves to just change the name. Too many hoops and regulations. You know big corporations just like Big government has too many irritating regulations. Now I can't access money. Mall might be better-have already cancelled one item might just try elsewhere. Thanks for your help.

[eburtonlab]

@8287davidm

I see the listing now -- looks good!

Good luck with your banking situation and all your auctions.