eBay

consolidate_72 · ‎02-04-2023

In June 2022 I made a post about how search was bad. In that case I was concerned with search results not being related to my actual search. In that case I was completely wrong and search was actually functioning normally.

I am now concerned with the opposite: that my search results are NOT including listings that should be included.

I will detail two examples and I am very open to me being wrong (as I was in June 2022), but I don't think I am.

1.) When I search "Sony DSR 2000" (without quotes) I fail to see the listing with eBay item number 234883037199. This listing's title is literally "Sony DSR 2000". However, the listing DOES show up when I search "DSR 2000" (without quotes). So, clearly something is wrong here.

2.) When I search "Mac mini" (without quotes) I fail to see the listing with eBay item number 285128675613. This listing contains the text string "Mac mini" in its title. However, the listing DOES show up when I search "Mac mini 2012" (without quotes). The more general search for "Mac mini" SHOULD include this listing (unless I am insane).

In all four of these searches I have made sure that category "All" is set, that location is set to "Worldwide", and that "All Listings" is selected under buying format. Am I missing something or is this eBay's search getting worse? Hard to believe for a $10 billion revenue company. If I was the seller of either of these items I would be mad.

Let me know what you think.

eburtonlab · ‎02-04-2023

If you want to see every possible matching result for your search terms without substitution or category limitation, try putting one of your keywords in quotes. This will bypass eBay's "smart" search features and force eBay to search for literal matches of your keywords.

If you want all results, avoid using the "Price plus shipping: Lowest First" sort order as well, as that can provide filtered results, skipping many possible matches unless you use the link to provide all results after the initial results are loaded.

There are many possible reasons why a given listing might not appear in a particular search even though the listing contains all the proper search keywords. Location issues, category issues, keyword grouping/substitution issues, sort order issues, ad blocking of promoted listing issues. Sellers can hide listings from search using the Time Away feature, and sellers subject to disciplinary action can have listings hidden from search by eBay in certain situations.

consolidate_72 · ‎02-04-2023

Thank you for the answer. Regarding sorting by lowest price: yes, I always click the link to show all results after the initial results have been loaded (another useless eBay "feature").

Thank you for the quote tip. The sony example works when the search is done with quotes, resulting in this bit of idiocy:

The listing has the title: Sony DSR 2000.

It appears in search results when the text string "Sony DSR 2000" (with quotes) is searched, but it does NOT appear in when the same string is searched without quotes. I mean that has to be fixed, doesn't it?

I feel like this must be a recent (past 6 months) change to how search functions. So, now I have to redo all my saved searches to have each word itself in quotes. Great.

eburtonlab · ‎02-05-2023

It appears in search results when the text string "Sony DSR 2000" (with quotes) is searched, but it does NOT appear in when the same string is searched without quotes. I mean that has to be fixed, doesn't it?

"Has to" in the sense that it will remain that way until it is fixed? Probably.

"Has to" in the sense that someone will be forced to fix it soon? Probably not.

So, now I have to redo all my saved searches to have each word itself in quotes. Great.

That depends on what you are trying to accomplish with each search. If you want every possible exact match to your literal keywords with no substitutions, then putting one single keyword in quotes or using an exclusion term should be enough to disable the search expansion features that are likely causing issues with some searches.

consolidate_72 · ‎02-06-2023

It seems this has been fixed. I can't test it with the Sony DSR 2000 listing because that listing is gone, but when I search Sony DSR 2000 (no quotes), I get around 70 results whereas before I got 14, I think. So, I bet that listing would be in my search results now.

Likewise, the mac mini search example gives many more search results (16K+ when sorted by ascending price) whereas before it was giving under 10K, I think, which seemed off. I can also confirm that the item number 285128675613 DOES show up for both mac mini searches now!

Thank you eBay! and eburtonlab for your replies.

poptoys · ‎02-07-2023

I'm glad this seems to have sorted out for you. I've been noticing wonky things in my searches recently, but today I'm still seeing problems. Including not being able to find a single listing using ONLY the word "bookmark" within my own eBay store. Even though I have a dozen items posted with that keyword.

consolidate_72 · ‎03-03-2023

Yeah, I don't know what eBay is up to. My search issues are back.

Searching for "Mac mini" (without quotes) gives 3200+ results.

Searching for "Mac" "mini" (with quotes) gives 18000+ results. These are the results that I would previously get from searching "Mac mini" (without quotes).

I have recreated these numbers using Firefox and Safari on macOS (both logged in to eBay, logged out, and tried in private browser mode) and the iOS eBay App.

A specific item example: The item with eBay item number 282751602786 contains the text string "Mac mini" (without quotes) and does not show up when "Mac mini" (without quotes) is searched. It does show up when "Mac" "mini" (with quotes) is searched. This item should show up when I search "Mac mini" (without quotes).

This is a design flaw and/or targeted obfuscation by eBay to possibly direct traffic towards certain types of listings that they feel the user is more likely to want to see (complete, jaded speculation on my part).

When you search "X" (without quotes) and an item contains "X" (without quotes) in it's title, that item should show up in your search. Period. None of this using quotes stuff and "smart search" or "substitution" stuff. If anything, using quotes to search for literal strings should REFINE the search and make it smaller, NOT make the search larger! When I search "Mac mini" (without quotes) on Google I get 1.4 billion results. When I search "Mac mini" (with quotes) I get 92 million results. THAT makes sense to me!

georgefix · ‎05-13-2023

this new search is a debacle. I have listings that dont even show up on my feed with words in the title. I use the SKU and they come up. these same parts wont come up in main search on the site at all. this morning I find a part that I sold all the time only comes up in main search by what is in the title but not in the description or compatibility chart. I keep track of 7 of my competitors and all of them are down 30% . I found one part that I have sold hundreds of in the main search lingering around 540. I added one word to the recommended by Ebay "type" and they both went to 5 ans 7 in the search. The kid at
Ebay died the search and they were at 5 & 6. I always wondered if we all were seeing the same search. If your sales are down, it aint you

consolidate_72 · ‎05-18-2023

Yeah I have no idea what's been going on. About a month or so ago (so April 18 2023) search has seemed to go way off the deep end. The search issues are now more severe than what I detailed in my previous posts. I decided not to care any more.

lotsandsew · ‎06-14-2023

so on my sellers account I am watching something I have That sold and ended...I then sell mine similar Listing. I wait a day or so then use this account also watching same item. I click veiw similar and Mine does not show up...Even Other items that I want to buy that ended and I find a similar? I go to the Ended item and Never shows up...That Hurts the Sellers. Alot Changed on Ebay. I have Friends and Customers say the same thing.