Community Chat, Sept 27th @ 1pm PT - General Topics

[alan@ebay]

Hi all, 

Please join us for our weekly Community chat this afternoon at 1 pm Pacific on Wednesday 9/27. We do not have a set topic for the week, so feel free to ask us what is on your mind!

Chat with you then 

[mam98031]

---

alan@ebay wrote:

---

@bigmotormania wrote:

---

alan@ebay wrote:

---

---

Hi @bigmotormania, 

Thanks for the question. Off-eBay sale violations are reviewed by human eyes before we charge a final value fee for taking the sale off of the site. 

---

Yes but what determines whether something is an off-eBay sale violation or simply an ended listing due to something completely unrelated?

Even if human eyes see it and and review it who's to say those human eyes don't make a mistake? What if I delist a $2000.00 item because I dropped it and broke it and get charged the FVF's for that $2000.00 because a human assumed "Oh well for that price they must have pulled the sale off eBay!"

See where I'm getting at? What's to say that this system isn't just as bad than the people it's proclaimed to punish for violations?

Like I said maybe I'm thinking too far into this but honestly this concerns me.

---

We do look for messages sent that could lead to a transaction offsite or that contact information was included in the listing. That type of activity is not permitted. More info available here. 

---

OK, my eyes might be failing me here, but I don't see anything on the link you provided that has anything to do with this question.  It talks about links that take you offsite, but not about a listing on Ebay that the seller may come to some agreement with someone to take the transaction off Ebay.

I think the point bigmotormania is trying to make is what is the trigger that will implement on a FVF being charged to the seller because it is Ebay's belief it was a transaction taken off Ebay.

Now I must say, I never thought it would be for the mere fact that a seller closes a listing for whatever reason they may have.  I've closed many listings over the last few weeks and no FVF has been charged to me.  Of course none of these were closed due to selling something off Ebay.

So what are the perimeters around a FVF being charged to a seller for the simple act of closing a listing?  Does it have to be coupled with some email or emails in M2M or something else?

[gracieallen01]

---

@automotivepartsrecyclrs wrote:
While offering returns, Guaranteed Delivery, free shipping, or others, can improve your Best Match standing.
From what I see it don't

---

I think the operative word is 'can'.  Nothing says that it 'will'.

[d-k_treasures]

---

@vrykalak wrote:

All this discussion of how "Best Match" is determined reminds me of an old issue I want to bring up again:  

eBay's search engine used to be the best in the universe. It was one of the first to allow AND, OR, and NOT parameters. And the search results showed exactly and only what I asked for. I loved it. 

Now, though, the vast majority of search results contain only a few--or in some cases NONE!--of my keywords. Some bizarre AI is apparently deciding what I should want to find, and changes the parameters to match. 

I want a SWITCH I can turn on, on the Advanced Search page, that says: give me ONLY results that contain (or don't contain, in the case of a NOT clause) the keywords I specified!

Any chance of that?

---

---

I'd like one that gives me the results I actually searched for - instead of returning nothing and then trying to find the listings under 'related' searches that all contain the search criteria.

[alan@ebay]

---

@readabouthorses wrote:

alan@ebay

I do have a question about the contact information in listings. I was looking at some of the listings for the seller profiled in the Ebay For Business Blog about Structured Data. I couldn't even count the number of times there was a phone number in those listings! Plus info on their Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. etc. It looks like a giant newspaper ad!

---

Hi @readabouthorses, 

If you see listings on the marketplace that violate our listing policies, please use the link on the listing to report it. We'll review the listing and take appropriate action. 

Thank you. 

[dtexley3]

There are several discussions on how shipping deadlines are calculated for 1 day shipping (not same day) for sellers that are not in the pacific TZ.  Different sellers are seeing different behaviors and it makes it uncomfortable for them to offer faster handling when the system gives out disparate answers. Is someone on the eBay side reviewing and following these threads?

[Anonymous]

---

@my-cottage-books-and-antiques wrote:
Heidi, you mention: "Not only do we look at the key services you're offering, we also take listing duration, sale-through rate, etc., into account."
Just curious: By sell through rate, do you mean the sell through rate on that listing? Or the seller's overall sell through rate?

---

@my-cottage-books-and-antiques

That one would be specific to the listing. For instance, a Good Till Cancelled item that carries a great sales history and sale-through rate.

[vrykalak]

---

@bigmotormania wrote:

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

@automotivepartsrecyclrs wrote:

We would like to know why on the following:

All spring summer winter ect Ebay updates we follow to a "T"

Guaranteed Delivery also followed to a "T"

All items we sell are compliant with ALL ebay policies and updates.

However

I find that more than 50% of the items I sell when searched by me and people I employ we find in the results listings the following ahead of us in results sellers not:

Offering no returns

14 day money back guarantee

Searches are done using best match with either a OEM part number or worded item description.

If I as a seller are following ALL ebays updates ect why are my items listed below another who is not even following what ebay is asking of us as sellers to do?

---

Hi @automotivepartsrecyclrs - Offering those things on your listings is great and they can be what pulls a buyer into your listing to purchase. That said, there are many different variables that go into our Best Match algorithm that would result in others' listings above yours. Not only do we look at the key services you're offering, we also take listing duration, sale-through rate, etc., into account.

While offering returns, Guaranteed Delivery, free shipping, or others, can improve your Best Match standing, it's not a guarantee that you'll be first in search results.

---

Pardon me for not understanding the logic here... but.. why exactly is the sell through rate (and with the et cetera that makes me think maybe even impressions and other such statistics) determined for "Best Match"?

If I look for a Headlight Switch for 2008 BMW R 1200 RT, and I get no results, but then I go to google and search the same thing and it pulls up an eBay listing with the title "Genuine BMW Switch - Headlight for 2008 BMW R1200RT" even though all the keywords were there, albeit out of order, it doesn't show up in Best Match, but.... if it has a good sell through rate it will show up as Best Match?

This doesn't even make sense, if someone has bad statistics, and then their listings aren't being put in Best Match because of those bad statistics, then you make their statistics even worse and thus they have even less of a chance of becoming a Best Match?

---

This happens to me a lot, too: search for something on eBay, don't find it, so do a general Google search, and find a bunch of them...ON EBAY...with exactly the same keywords.

This goes with another request I make repeatedly: I want a switch I can select on the Advanced Search page that says: show me ONLY results that match my search string. 

@automotivepartsrecyclrs also makes another hugely significant point: if previous bad statistics lead to lower placement in search results, that just leads to even lower statistics. What good does that do for ANYONE? It's not good for buyers, because they can't find the item they want to purchase. It's not good for sellers, because their products are not being seen by potential buyers.

[d-k_treasures]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

@d-k_treasures wrote:

Why can't the regular ebay pages stick when viewing frm a full browser from a phone using Chrome?

Every time I click on 'classic site', I do get the page in the regular view as I see it on a normal computer, but any subsequent pages go back to the junk mobile pages.

When will this be fixed?

---

Hi @d-k_treasures - I'll send this on to the mobile team to see what needs to be updated to help here. Keep in mind that you can reach out on our mobile discussion boards: Android & iOS where our that team reviews and engages on things like this as well. Thanks for letting us know!

---

Does anyone from ebay actually go there or is it like the Technical Issues board, where currently the first page of posts only have 3 threads where an ebay employee actually responded to?

[laylajames9]

---

@vrykalak wrote:

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

@laylajames9 wrote:

I opted in to business policies and the screen updated to say it would take time to process and check back in 8 hours. Days later the same message was appearing.

I called customer service and they told me that this is a known issue and anybody who has signed up in the last six weeks is experiencing the same error.

Going into the holiday season I would like to get my business policies set up now before I ramp up the number of listings. Can you please find out what is going on and when we will see this fixed?

The cs rep said anybody who signed up before this problem began would not have any issues using the business policies.

---

Hi @laylajames9 - I'm not familiar with this issue but I'd be more than happy to look into it and see what updates I can find. I'll email you shortly after the chat ends for more info and we'll go from there. Thanks!

---

How about providing the answer at the beginning of the chat next wee?
Inquiring minds want to know.

---

vrykalak, I won't be at next week's chat session but I'll try to send you an update before then. If you want to share the update with others that's fine.

[vrykalak]

---

@laylajames9 wrote:

---

@vrykalak wrote:

All this discussion of how "Best Match" is determined reminds me of an old issue I want to bring up again:  

eBay's search engine used to be the best in the universe. It was one of the first to allow AND, OR, and NOT parameters. And the search results showed exactly and only what I asked for. I loved it. 

Now, though, the vast majority of search results contain only a few--or in some cases NONE!--of my keywords. Some bizarre AI is apparently deciding what I should want to find, and changes the parameters to match. 

I want a SWITCH I can turn on, on the Advanced Search page, that says: give me ONLY results that contain (or don't contain, in the case of a NOT clause) the keywords I specified!

Any chance of that?

---

---

vrykalak, I do see those options on Advanced Search. Are you seeing something different from this:

---

Those options may have meant something once, but they don't now. 
I always select "Exact words, any order"

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

Heidi, Thanks. So the sell through rate is NOT a Best Match factor for a seller like me, who sells only 30 day listings of one off type items (no multiple item listings), is that correct?

[d-k_treasures]

---

alan@ebay wrote:

---

@laylajames9 wrote:

There is a buyer block for buyers with 2 or more unpaid items in the last 12 months. Now that immediate payment is forced on buy-it-now listings meeting certain criteria I would like the option to choose on which listing format this UPI buyer block applies.

Can you ask that they adjust this buyer block so sellers can choose to apply it to auctions, fixed price or both?

I do still want to block these buyers on auctions but I don't want to block them on fixed price. With IPR forced it no longer make sense to do so.

---

Hi @laylajames9, 

Sure! We can ask. No guarantees but we will pass on the suggestion. Thanks. 

---

The blocks already can be set on each listing - it doesn't have to default to the global setting.

[Anonymous]

---

@bigmotormania wrote:

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

@automotivepartsrecyclrs wrote:

We would like to know why on the following:

All spring summer winter ect Ebay updates we follow to a "T"

Guaranteed Delivery also followed to a "T"

All items we sell are compliant with ALL ebay policies and updates.

However

I find that more than 50% of the items I sell when searched by me and people I employ we find in the results listings the following ahead of us in results sellers not:

Offering no returns

14 day money back guarantee

Searches are done using best match with either a OEM part number or worded item description.

If I as a seller are following ALL ebays updates ect why are my items listed below another who is not even following what ebay is asking of us as sellers to do?

---

Hi @automotivepartsrecyclrs - Offering those things on your listings is great and they can be what pulls a buyer into your listing to purchase. That said, there are many different variables that go into our Best Match algorithm that would result in others' listings above yours. Not only do we look at the key services you're offering, we also take listing duration, sale-through rate, etc., into account.

While offering returns, Guaranteed Delivery, free shipping, or others, can improve your Best Match standing, it's not a guarantee that you'll be first in search results.

---

Pardon me for not understanding the logic here... but.. why exactly is the sell through rate (and with the et cetera that makes me think maybe even impressions and other such statistics) determined for "Best Match"?

If I look for a Headlight Switch for 2008 BMW R 1200 RT, and I get no results, but then I go to google and search the same thing and it pulls up an eBay listing with the title "Genuine BMW Switch - Headlight for 2008 BMW R1200RT" even though all the keywords were there, albeit out of order, it doesn't show up in Best Match, but.... if it has a good sell through rate it will show up as Best Match?

This doesn't even make sense, if someone has bad statistics, and then their listings aren't being put in Best Match because of those bad statistics, then you make their statistics even worse and thus they have even less of a chance of becoming a Best Match?

Where is the logic here? Was this idea drafted by a kindergartner asked for advice on how to run a multi billion dollar companies search engine?

---

Hi @bigmotormania - There's more information regarding the logic of Best Match posted here: http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/searchstanding.html 

Specifically this portion:

Best Match considers a number of factors, which may vary based on the listing format and selected categories. These include:

• Relevance to the buyer's search

• Item popularity with buyers

• Value to buyers

• Listing completeness and quality

• The listing's terms of service (such as return policy and handling time)

• The seller's track record or risk profile on eBay

• A vehicle history report from AutoCheck by Experian for vehicles listed on eBay Motors

[mam98031]

---

alan@ebay wrote:

---

@readabouthorses wrote:

alan@ebay

I do have a question about the contact information in listings. I was looking at some of the listings for the seller profiled in the Ebay For Business Blog about Structured Data. I couldn't even count the number of times there was a phone number in those listings! Plus info on their Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. etc. It looks like a giant newspaper ad!

---

Hi @readabouthorses, 

If you see listings on the marketplace that violate our listing policies, please use the link on the listing to report it. We'll review the listing and take appropriate action. 

Thank you. 

---

alan@ebay

I mean absolutely NO disrespect, but that typically does NOTHING.  I know that you don't have control of this and that it is another department that does.  And it is that department that does NOT take care of business in any type of timely fashion.

I say this because there has been too many times to count on the reports I've sent to Ebay on a matter like this or other breach of the rules as a seller.  The team designated for taking care of these issues did absolutely NOTHING except for once.

The ONE time I actually had any kind of luck with this was on this Chat.  I had mention that I've seen a seller with a great number of duplicate listings.  Trinton responded to my post and also suggested I use the report button, which I did, but I also stressed that it NEVER works in my experience.  So Trinton said to email him more detailed information.

I did that and even with Trinton's help it took multiple inquires by Trinton and over FOUR months for the duplicate listings to be shut down.  I recently reported to Trinton that this same seller is doing it again.  It is infuriating because it is these types of sellers that cause new rules and all sellers are made to suffer for their actions.

[Anonymous]

---

@vrykalak wrote:

All this discussion of how "Best Match" is determined reminds me of an old issue I want to bring up again:  

eBay's search engine used to be the best in the universe. It was one of the first to allow AND, OR, and NOT parameters. And the search results showed exactly and only what I asked for. I loved it. 

Now, though, the vast majority of search results contain only a few--or in some cases NONE!--of my keywords. Some bizarre AI is apparently deciding what I should want to find, and changes the parameters to match. 

I want a SWITCH I can turn on, on the Advanced Search page, that says: give me ONLY results that contain (or don't contain, in the case of a NOT clause) the keywords I specified!

Any chance of that?

---

---

@vrykalak - That option is available here: https://www.ebay.com/sch/ebayadvsearch?_sofindtype=0 Simply enter your keywords at the top and change the "All words, any order" drop down to one of the "Exact word" options.