Sell similar button is still missing after days- what is going on?

[siamjane8]

Just trying to get some info from ebay - what is going on? was this an oversight or mistake ora test or by intention? It has severely limited all of our abilities to list- the sell similar or sell like item buttons under the photos of all the listings were the cornerstone of listing on ebay!  

     To be forced to go to the "beginners" listing process where the AI asks you what you are selling and all the extra steps to guess what you have is a painstaking slowdown to the listing process.

    Why is ebay forcing us to take longer to list an item again?  I hope this is just another screwup and not an actual idea that someone had!!!!

[ckimodog]

@siamjane8 

I still have mine.  I've seen several complaints about this issue.  I did summon Devon@ebay He wrote he would check into it.  Hopefully we'll get some answers.

[siamjane8]

@ckimodog when i called customer support yesterday they told me there was an open ticket for the last 9 days about it.....

   I imagine that Devon does not work on the weekends.....but i'll tag him- Devon@ebay 

I would think that the issue is tied to the new listing layout page with the new pictures that have the magnifying feature... @ckimodog does your listing page have that yet?- its probably being rolled out a group at a time.

[ckimodog]

@siamjane8 

Yes it does have the magnifying feature.  I like it because I sell jewelry so it gives the customer an up close view of the piece.  

[siamjane8]

@ckimodog interesting.... I just tried about 15 searches and what i found was every search that was NOT ebay motors related had the sell similar button under the picture ex. tea cup, red dress, linear actuator.... and every search that was vehicle or auto parts related does NOT have the button ex. honda shadow exhaust pipe, brake pads, hubcap etc.      

      @ckimodog  Could you do a search from your account for a car part to confirm this?

[ckimodog]

@siamjane8 

You're right.  I did not see any sell similar button on the two I looked up.  Not really understanding why this feature was implemented.  I've seen a few complaints about it as well.  It's always something and always before the holidays it's seems.  🙄

[siamjane8]

@ckimodog Figures... but at least we know it has something to do with ebay motors......my concern is that it is an ebay knee jerk reaction to the ebay guaranteed fit program- if they are getting too many claims, they may have been told to get rid of the sell similar button to force people to only input fresh info.   If that is the case its the wrong fix for the problem they created!    But who knows if that is what it is or if its just another glitch? We never know because ebay never communicates.   How hard would it be to simply say- It is an unexpected glitch and we or workng on it- sorry for the inconvenience.... or to say it was an intended change- please let us know if it is working for you sellers or not, and how it is effecting your businesses- after-all we are "partners" (lol)

[fleetman111]

Same problem still happening for me today, what gives at least tell us what's going on with it.

I have limited time for the listing process and now have a 100+ part backlog and growing daily.

The extra time it takes to do these listings from scratch is crazy! 

Has anyone found a work around?

[siamjane8]

   Still no sell similar button under the pictures of any listing in motors/parts & accessories.  It had gone missing as soon as the updated listing view page updated to the new larger pictures with the magnifying glass feature.

It is slowly reappearing in some categories- but not on any ebay motors/parts & acc categories .

    Several calls merchant support and they have no idea either- was this intentional for Ebay Motors or is it a glitch/update mistake?

   It has been 2 weeks of reduced listing capacity on several accounts- why are we dealing with this now when all we want to do is list efficiently- Sell similar is a KEY function of getting some pertinent info about an item in the listing flow and saves time and effort.- I agree that we must check the info and make corrections at times but it is still a huge time saver to sell similar

[siamjane8]

Just checked the ebay "technical problems " page here on the community and there is no mention of this issue..... Although multiple agents have noted a "open" or "closed" ticket in the last several weeks....

[redline_auto_llc]

When in doubt, remember where you are - this is eBay, if they can break it they will. 

In all seriousness, I'd guess that this is a situation where the bug is a feature. The conspicuous silence and the fact that it's limited to the only category that offers guaranteed fitment (which is also a joke when there's something called "manufacturer options") makes me think that the idea here is to force us to enter accurate item specifics. eBay is footing the bill for doesn't fit returns so they're probably trying to reduce those, passing the extra labor on to sellers as they are wont to do. 

I know I have a reputation on the boards for bashing eBay at any given opportunity, but an "update" like this, with no information or notification from the blues, would be consistent with how things are done around here. Let's go out with a bang and make hay while the sun shines: you can still access "sell similar" by searching for your item using the search bar, then filtering by "sold" and "used". In the search results, you can still access the "sell one like this" feature.

[siamjane8]

@redline_auto_llc thanks for the tip... I have been actually referencing my own listings like you mention but I always uploaded the sell similar in other sold listings to help minimize listing time. It is a research tool. Ex. I could not identify a motorcycle seat that I had... After searching eBay I found the exact seat had sold. At this point sell similar saved me inputting  category, leather,black,type,brand,etc.

     I always check every IS and often change or correct them.  This is a listing disaster... Again.

I have had 6 other sellers reach out to me wondering what the heck happened. Absolutely none of them are happy and all report listing far LESS. 

   IF THIS IS BECAUSE OF GARRANTEED FIT ... It's just another joke of a fix to a problem that eBay caused did not think through. 

    So will we have to wait 5 months until they see the giant loss of new inventory listings for eBay to realize they screwed up?

[siamjane8]

I am literally on the phone as I write this with a power seller that manages 4 ebay accounts and sells over $55,000.00 a month. He called and was like "what is the deal with the sell similar button? Its driving me nuts!.   His employees reported it to him 4 days ago and he told them its obviously just a glitch and it will be back in a day!"

    He just told me its like someone infiltrated ebay and is trying to destroy it from within!

His work around is  having 3 computer monitors going now just to manage all the extra labor to transfer information from a good sold listing to a new listing flow now. It has slowed down listing by 40%. Its a disaster.

He just told me that he has seen ebay do some cockamainy things but this takes the cake!

Will any ebay representatives please respond to us and let us know when we will get the button back or if ebay is just that incompetent to have eliminated the most widely used way to list on the platform!

[siamjane8]

Follow up to above-- the guys wife just came in and he said to her "did you hear ebay got rid of the sell similar button"- she said WHAT- that is the dumbest thing ever- it makes absolutely no sense at all! That is the whole reason people sell here- you find a comparable item and then sell similar- thats how it works....their stupidity is overwhelming.   Just one more reason to list on Mercari or Posh or anywhere else. 

    Ebay - this is the real world consequences of ignoring your customers and making unimaginable changes to the core platform

[siamjane8]

LOL- still on the phone with my buddy and his son just came in ( he has his own account and sells NOS late model car parts) about $12,000 a month........ he said this is a complete joke! I dont even know how to list on ebay anymore!  It makes absolutely no sense to get rid of that button- its how people list!  

   Just more real feedback from everyday ebay full time sellers that are be effected negatively from this