Search completely broken?

[terrycanarsky]

There have been multiple threads on the seeming broken Search function --- and little acknowledgement by eBay that there is an issue. 

Today I was working on listings which still have http problems.  As always, I ran a search to check on competitors and our place in the queue.  What I found was interesting - in a bad way.  alan@ebay or any other blue, is there a reasonable non-tinfoil explanation for this?  Limiting visibility is one thing if a seller refuses to jump through all the hoops.  Utterly refusing to show listings is a whole different kettle of fish.  There is a problem here, eBay.

Exact same general (with noted exception on the second photo) search parameters.  No preferences set, as you can see.  FIVE results are reported, but only one shows.  This is not our listing.  (As I was typing this, two more results were returned but only as numbers, not actually anything which can be viewed.)

No filters other than "new", the mfr and the part#

Only filter added was "free shipping" - which returned an entirely different listing than above with the same search parameters.  I did not change the search term - it changed itself (removed 'Total Source')  when I clicked "free shipping".  Again, our listing doesn't show even though we offer free listing.

Same exact search only with free shipping

[ekmadonna]

I just noticed this EXACT same thing, searched "VINTAGE 1970'S ANNALEE SANTA DOLL", got 4 different SINGLE listings ONLY depending on the BEST MATCH feature clicked on. To My Shock is a full LIST of OFF SITE RETAILERS under the single EBAY listing. All with their own websites, phone numbers, contact and order information ect. What has become of this place? Ready to pack it in and move on elsewhere when my annual contract is up.

[seeking_the_timeless]

Spoke to eBay support last night.  Waste of time.  The poor lady just kept reading from a script provided to her.  Could not answer any questions, just kept repeating how my concerns are being addressed and other scripted sentences.  Over and over. 

I noticed that on my phone and tablet the search seems to be working.  But not on my desktop.  This is awful!

[ekmadonna]

Can't list if I can't research, waste of time.

[dr_frankenstove]

Similar problem here.  There are only 2 of us selling a certain item.  I search it says 2 items found and only displays competitors item .  If I refine by nearest first it shows mine.  Wondered why my sales were down.  Getting sick of ebay incompetence.  On my cell phone it shows both!!!!  

[monstertoybox]

At this point, with all the glitches, it is just pure luck if any buyers are buying anything. I think that the only way I'm having any sales at all are through watchers right now. It must be frustrating coming here to buy something and just simply can't. This is how to chase away customers for good.

A buyer just wants to come here and type an item into a search bar, they are not going to spend the time trying to "figure out" how to make the search work, they will just move on to another site. They should be able to type what they are looking for and it should simply come up, period. That is curretnly not happening.

I think instead of advertising Ebay should spend some of our Top Seller (no longer) discounts on some really good technical people to iron all this out. Come on, don't ruin Ebay, we love it here. It's the only site where we can sell stuff like this. Please someone HELP!

[sarandipitybay]

Same problem as everyone else. I checked multiple items, and every single search, no filters, showed 5 results and displayed only 1 which varies with the sort function. Most of them should have well over 5 results. And all of them should, of course, show every valid result.
I'm guessing it's going to be a cha-chingless weekend, again...

[kcliquidation]

Same issue, finding that the app does not have the same problem with filters and results.

[ersatz_sobriquet]

There is a workaround for those doing research. Won't help buyers much because they don't jump through hoops to use ebay, only sellers do that. There just isn't the same amount of pressure when you are trying to buy as when you are trying to sell. With my buyer's hat on, I'd never bother to do this...

If you are searching for a lamp add boolean "-shoes" 

If you are searching for shoes add boolean "-lamp" 

If you are searching for a shoe lamp, add something like "-mouthwash" 

[kcliquidation]

Currently the advanced search has worked for me. Simply by starting the query in advanced search allows for the filtering of the results you recieve. So you can research while ebay secretly does stuff and doesn't tell anyone what is going on.... At least what you list will be ready if everything does go back to normal.... 

[retroplanet87]

I've experienced the same problem in searching for my items all morning in order to see if my items are competitively priced and how many comparable items total are available. Again and again, the search results were faulty. The screen would say anywhere from 5 to 8 items were available (probably correct) but only one listing would display as the search results, conveniently the best match result. Each time, my listing did not show up on the screen. What's worse is that I my listings are in my group of Promoted Listings and should show up, what am I paying the extra fees for, if it doesn't show up at all on the screen? When I tried to sort the results from low to high price, trying to see if I could get some extra listings of the 5 available to show up, the search results displayed one of the five listings, but it was a different one from the first one. It's becoming impossible to sell anything under these circumstances. If no one can find my listings, especially my promoted listings, how can I get any sales. If I can't get sales here, there's no point in running Promoted Listings, I canceled the promotion for all my items! The second thing I did was take the same item which didn't show up, and cross list it on Amazon, upgrading the photos on the Amazon site product page with my photos, and adding a great Product Description there. Let's see where it sells first. I plan to do that with more of my items if it can be listed there. This is unacceptable, especially after Bob Kupbens public apology recently. Ebay needs to fix it's tech problems, and fix them fast.

[retroplanet87]

Regarding the use of the ePID in the listing... I did think of that when my searches failed, but when I checked the one and only listing that displayed as search results, it did not have an ePID either. In fact I had input more item specifics for the book than the seller whose listing did show up. The book does not have an ISBN, it's in the Antique and Collectible book category and trying to assign unique ePIDs to collectible books often would not make any sense. I have seen the blank ePID fields show up on my listing form the last 2 days, but who knows what's supposed to go in there for an antique book published without an ISBN? Is this rollout screwing up yet another book category? The search results for everyday books and DVDs that are in the Product Catalog are often so screwed up that the listings that are assigned to the catalog don't show up at all, it's like they are invisible. It got so frustrating I am moving most of my modern books back to Amazon where I might actually get a sale. Meantime Ebay says nothing, does nothing to fix it. Sooo frustrating.

[obtanium_enterprises]

FWIW, somthing I've been noticing...

I try to populate item specifics with as many relevant search terms as I can think of, whether pre-defined item specifics or my own, but consistently other listings that DON'T have items specifics populated AND whose listing title DOESN'T exactly match my search term appear BEFORE mine in search results, and sometimes several PAGES of other listings appear before mine. For the past couple of months I've been wondering why I'm bothering with item specifics; what difference do they make then? And, why don't I see listings that EXACTLY match my search term first??? The logic in this is???

[ersatz_sobriquet]

Until, or IF they ever figure out how to do this right, you are better off with not using item specifics. Then possibly your listing might be seen. 

[paulibeverlyhills]

Thank you for posting your comments. I only know our store feels somewhat invisible as having a inordinately slow month is an understatement. I sit here typing away, asking myself "am I the Einstein idiot?" . He said if you repeat behavior with no results then you are a fool. I am trying not to be a fool, & am the eternal optimist, online for l5 years,but getting very discouraged, as people now more employed than in 20 years & I see "disposable cash" when I am out shopping..so why NOT at an eBay store? If there is a technical issue, I might feel better, knowing it is NOT our merchandise. We have from soup to nutz-all price ranges, something for everyone, so don't understand the slowdown. Let's hope you are right, and that it is remedied shortly for all of us who look to eBay as our source. It's the best and only great source of wonderful items on the 'net--the competitors lag behind, even the River, which shows terrible photos, & why I don't post there. I like the ease of eBay posting & the customer reps are helpful, if you are patient with them & they understand your questions. eBay's photo enhancing product is certainly excellent. so HELP...if you have any suggestions, feel free to post...always open to suggestions as we all get too close to our own merchandise to be objective. Thanks... Wishing you a plethora of unexpected sales...pauli

[eriwelvaer_0]

I have noticed the problem too: six results announced,  only one visible. Another strange thing is that when I do a search on ebay.com I get up to three times more results than when I do the same search on ebay.be. (I  am far from sure that even the ebay.com result list is exhaustive)