Listing Thumbnail Not Showing Main Image

[sanfordsherman]

I have noticed a listing's storefront and search thumbnail does not match its designated Main Image. This bug is not consistent across all new listings, nor does it favor a specific numbered image when it occurs.

For example: https://www.ebay.com/itm/305566303982

Here is the thumbnail at my store:

And the search thumbnail:

And here is the actual listing page:

In this case, the thumbnail image being erroneously displayed is #3 (the last image).

Again, this isn't consistent across all new listings. I listed ten items this morning (all in the same way), and this is happening with two of them.

[wastingtime101]

Interesting.

This item: 305566303983

Is showing the listing's 2nd pic as the thumbnail

This item: 305566303982

Is showing the listing's 3rd pic as the thumbnail

This item: 305570296984

Is showing the listing's 3rd pic as the thumbnail

This item: 305566303978

Is showing the listing's 2nd pic as the thumbnail

This listing: 305568525597

Is showing the listing's 2nd pic as the thumbnail

This listing: 305568525595

Is showing the listing's 2nd pic as the thumbnail

Are you creating your listings on eBay or with a 3rd party listing tool @sanfordsherman ? Are you using web or app (android or iOS)? Did you rearrange order of photos in edit or are the photos in the listing exactly as you uploaded them before first listing?

[sanfordsherman]

Everything is done using eBay 1st party tools. I start a listing on my desktop, typically from a template that has no images. Once several listings have been created, I use the eBay app (Android OS on a stock Google Pixel 😎 to take photos. eBay app is up to date. Back on the desktop, I batch list using eBay.

[sanfordsherman]

Ah, to your last question... I did not rearrange the photos order. They are taken in the order I want them to display in the listing.

[wastingtime101]

Have you tried a forced re-index of any of those listings?

In other words, go in to edit, don't make changes (or make changes if you want), then publish. Give it half an hour to see if the thumbnail image updates.

That's the first thing I'd do, and if it works for a couple of single listings, then you can pull all listings from today into bulk edit mode and force a re-index on all of them.

If it doesn't work then I might suggest editing one of the listings, removing all photos, reuploading all photos and publishing changes. Obviously more work so I hope that's not the answer.

For the time being since yours is the only report I've seen, figuring out a work-around is prob the best bet. If others start reporting the same then it points towards a multi-user issue as opposed to a one-off issue with the batch job you submitted. I'll keep my eye out for other reports.

[sanfordsherman]

Initially, I did try reindexing to no avail. This morning I deleted the photos and reuploaded for two of the listings. This seemed to work. They are:

This item: 305566303982

Is showing the listing's 3rd pic as the thumbnail

This item: 305570296984

Is showing the listing's 3rd pic as the thumbnail

The other listings aren't egregious enough for me to address at the moment, and I figure I'll leave them up in case someone on the backend is taking a look.

Thanks for your help.

[sanfordsherman]

I listed seven more items just now. The thumbnail was correct when I listed them as a batch. However, now that they are active, two of the seven are incorrect. Each are showing the third of three images.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/305572115689

https://www.ebay.com/itm/305572115692

My process for all seven listings was as follows:

1. Create listing from template and save from ebay.com desktop
2. Take pictures using eBay app using stock Android on my Pixel 8
3. List drafts in bulk from ebay.com

[sanfordsherman]

An additional datapoint... the two listings I mentioned in my previous comment display correctly in the seller hub.

[wastingtime101]

Check Google Play to see if there's a more recent version of the app in case that's what's causing this issue.

[sanfordsherman]

Just checked. I have the most up to date version. Anecdotally, the incorrect thumbnails also show on mobile. 

[wastingtime101]

If you're interested in running this kind of test:

For the next batch, upload pics from your phone to your computer. Create the listings entirely on your computer, including adding photos, and see if the same issue occurs. If it does happen, then we can rule out the app as being a factor in the problem.

[sanfordsherman]

Okay, I created several listings. All images were uploaded directly from the computer. In most cases, image upload order reflected my desired sort. All listings appear to show the correct thumbnail from my eBay active tab.

• https://www.ebay.com/itm/305577131600
• https://www.ebay.com/itm/305577131598
• https://www.ebay.com/itm/305577131599
• https://www.ebay.com/itm/305576844758
• https://www.ebay.com/itm/305576844757
• https://www.ebay.com/itm/305576844756

I am about to list more photographs, which I will do in my traditional method (create listing on web tool, take images with phone app, batch create from drafts on web).

[sanfordsherman]

I listed eight items using my typical method. Of those, four produced the same issue. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/305577190605 - Third

https://www.ebay.com/itm/305577190596 - Second

https://www.ebay.com/itm/305577190592 - Second

https://www.ebay.com/itm/305577190590 - Second

I am fixing the listings whose thumbnail shows the photograph's reverse side. I will leave the other two alone until you've had a chance to review.

[sanfordsherman]

Make that five of eight. I have to fix this one as well...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/305577190590

[sanfordsherman]

This morning I uninstalled and reinstalled the eBay app. I then created eight listings using the app to take photos. Two of the eight had issues.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/305578471758 - second photo

https://www.ebay.com/itm/305578471765 - third photo