Search not working

[celticsamuels]

Search has been returning totally random results that have no relation to the words put into the search bar.  For example, if I search for "Universal LS Engine mounts" I literally got teapots, steering box for a 53 Plymouth, and a fancy flowerpot as my 1st 3 items.  None of the 3 had the words "Universal", "LS", "Engine", or "mounts" in their title or description.  Using the "advanced search" option and excluding "description" from the search returned the exact same results.  This literally makes e-bay completely unusable, as I can't find anything that I am looking for without returning 30,000 results.  This is a recent change, noticed over the past few weeks....

[eburtonlab]

@celticsamuels 

When I copy and paste your search keywords directly into the search field on the main eBay page and search, the results I see are taken only from the Engine Mounts subcategory of eBay Motors. Using most sort orders, I see 230 results that appear to have the keywords in the title or item-specifics. Even using "Best match" sort order, which has lately been known to provide many less-relevant results than other sort orders, I still see only 318 results within that same category. No tea pots or flower pots among them that I have noticed.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=Universal+LS+Engine+mounts&_sacat=0&_sop=10

[celticsamuels]

I keep wondering if I have cookies saved on my e-bay account.  I cleared the cookies from my browser (Edge) with no effect.  I opened Chrome - which I haven't used in years, and the results were much more refined.  I can't see a way to clear Edge beyond what I've already done, but the issue seems to be specific to Edge....

[tobaccocardyahoo]

I have checked 7 pages of 60 results each without see a match which is not automotive and does not include engine or mounts.

Used Firefox. But I rarely do automotive searches so the algorithm may not be tainted by my search history,.

do you get the same results when you are logged in or not logged in.

I suspect when you are not logged in, the algorithm will work differently from when you are logged in.

[eburtonlab]

I get the same number results (230) in Edge and Chrome, even when not signed in to my eBay account.

I am trying to think of something that would cause you to see more results when performing the same search, and not coming up with much. About the only thing I have found is that I can get 3600 results if I search for enginemounts instead of engine mounts.

[celticsamuels · Accepted solution]

Erased cookies and history.  Seems to be working now.