eBay

id.printers · ‎08-14-2023

I have a saved search that includes keywords present in all of my listings. When I list new items, I check this saved search to make sure my items are appearing properly on the site. Recently, my items stopped appearing even though they match the exact words I am searching for. They will, on occasion, appear under "Results Matching Fewer Words," even though the words are exact matches.

I decided to do a simple search for "id printer" (these are the items I sell, and these words appear in almost all of my listings). I was surprised to find many listings that do not have these words in the title at all, and they are appearing in the results above my listings. Many of these items are not ID printers (which I searched for), and they have no business appearing in the search results. Yet, here they are - pushing relevant results further and further down the line.

I looked into some of these irrelevant listings, and noticed that they had item specifics that misrepresent the item for sale. These item specifics were pre-filled by the eBay product catalogue when the seller listed their item. Unfortunately, these details cannot be edited in the catalogue (in a permanent way) - so every seller that lists that item going forward, will have these same mistakes auto-generated by the eBay catalogue.

Now, here's the biggest problem. My sales have dropped by nearly 90% over the last 3 months - I used to sell nearly 5 items per week and now only sell 1 every two weeks or so. There seems to be some kind of correlation between my items not appearing, and my items not selling.

The eBay search algorithm isn't doing the one thing it should be designed to do and it's a disservice to sellers, buyers and the platform as well. If a buyer types in words for a specific item, and that exact item does not show up in the search results, then they can't buy the item. The seller loses a potential sale, and now eBay does not collect fees from the seller.

I can't think of a more idiotic flaw on a marketplace based platform that is specifically driven by sales.

new_spin_boutique · ‎08-14-2023

What's really perplexing is how simple this basic functionality is to implement. Of all of the systems that run eBay, the search is the most basic and simple of all. Kinda makes me wonder - what's REALLY going on at eBay?

id.printers · ‎08-20-2023

Many of the mis-categorized products showing up are also Promoted Listings, which further guarantees that relevant results will not be displayed anywhere near the top - where they should be, since I'm using the "Best Match" search option.

I decided to start reaching out to all of the sellers of these mis-categorized items to let them know the eBay catalog is misrepresentating their items (likely to cause unnecessary returns), and I was greeted by an automated response telling me that I've sent too many messages for today, and that I will have to wait 24 hours to send another. I sent maybe 6 messages to different eBay sellers, in an attempt to help them, and also clean up the broken eBay platform - and here's eBay, once again, implementing a tool to keep the platform broken.

It feels like it's imploding at an increased rate these days - more so than it's usual rate of implosion.

gizzme · ‎08-20-2023

I am noticing a LOT of listings that are misrepresented. They may say "New" when they are not new or they are mis-categorized, or wrong details. I am a long-time seller and getting dis-illusioned with eBay. If a seller is paying final value fees, along with fees on the shipping, AND a monthly fee to have a store, shouldn't my listings be as important as the Promoted listings which require MORE fees? What value is there to have a store now on eBay?? I just do not understand the concept of their current algorithms in giving proper search results? If I am not getting the sales I expect isn't this also a lose-lose for eBay?? Is that promoted listing fee so important that eBay can keep losing sales from respected long-time sellers? I am doing some testing in the next three months to see if I can justify my time and costs of packing materials. Something has definitely changed and not for the better for sellers.

id.printers · ‎08-23-2023

I tested the promoted listings "feature" and sold just one item with it before realizing that they apply the promotion rate to not only the final sale price, but also the shipping fee AND taxes - which doesn't seem legal, but who knows! The promotional rate more than doubled my costs to sell - going from about $70 (for a high value item) to nearly $160. That was with only a 10% promo rate, when they suggested I should do 15%.

At this rate, they can have half as many sales, and maintain the appearance that the site is growing in business.

Promoted listings is essentially a racketeering structure that they've built into the platform to cover up for their failing model. They have made it so you NEED to use promoted listings, to regain the proper placement of your items in search results...even though you already pay to have your store on their site and pay to sell your items.