Ebay Search is the WORST

[kelekt]

why is it that I search on Ebay and get limited and sometimes NO results then search on Google and find things that are listed on Ebay that Ebay search does not show?

what a ridiculous set up to limit what shoppers see on Ebay search and make it seem like Ebay does not have what they want

soooo dumb that Ebay limits search this way!!! really dumb. and incredibly annoying/frustrating/exhausting as a shopper.

seems to me that Ebay would want customers to come here and STAY ON Ebay (without having to search Google and possibly shopping / spending $$ elsewhere) !!!

[eburtonlab]

@hotspotauctions 

[W]hy can't I just get all the items with all those 3 or 4 words in the the title no matter what the category? That would show me what I'm looking for, and I might even stumble on something I didn't know I needed, and buy it. Why does it have to be, let's try and trick the search engine into showing me what I'm looking for?

I tend to agree with you -- eBay tries to make search user friendly and winds up making it overly complicated in many cases. This is what happens when users demand a more "intuitive" search rather than a literal, logical search. Unfortunately the "intuitive" folks vastly outnumber the "logical" folks.

If you want to bypass all the intuitive "search expansion" features (keyword substitution, keyword-to-category substitution, keyword-to-item-specifics) and just search for your actual, literal keywords, you can do so by putting one of your search keywords in quotes, or by using a nonsense exclusion term such as this:

"criterion" boring head

criterion boring head -octopus

That technique will help you with your searches, but obviously it will not help other searchers to find your item unless they know about it as well.

And unfortunately eBay has removed the help pages that describe how "search expansion" works and how to disable it using those search operators, which is one reason I spend a lot of time on the community discussion boards explaining how search actually works.

https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:MvI3EXmvxiIJ:https://www.ebay.ca/pages/help/se...

[hotspotauctions]

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@eburtonlab wrote:

@hotspotauctions 

[W]hy can't I just get all the items with all those 3 or 4 words in the the title no matter what the category? That would show me what I'm looking for, and I might even stumble on something I didn't know I needed, and buy it. Why does it have to be, let's try and trick the search engine into showing me what I'm looking for?

I tend to agree with you -- eBay tries to make search user friendly and winds up making it overly complicated in many cases. This is what happens when users demand a more "intuitive" search rather than a literal, logical search. Unfortunately the "intuitive" folks vastly outnumber the "logical" folks.

If you want to bypass all the intuitive "search expansion" features (keyword substitution, keyword-to-category substitution, keyword-to-item-specifics) and just search for your actual, literal keywords, you can do so by putting one of your search keywords in quotes, or by using a nonsense exclusion term such as this:

"criterion" boring head

criterion boring head -octopus

That technique will help you with your searches, but obviously it will not help other searchers to find your item unless they know about it as well.

And unfortunately eBay has removed the help pages that describe how "search expansion" works and how to disable it using those search operators, which is one reason I spend a lot of time on the community discussion boards explaining how search actually works.

https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:MvI3EXmvxiIJ:https://www.ebay.ca/pages/help/se...

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That got 270 results. Learn something new everyday. Thank you. 

[luckythewinner]

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@kathieskorner wrote:

Well, I conducted a little experiment with my Madrigal Lunt silverware listing, and concluded if I want to get Google shopping exposure I need to use my Etsy, Bonanza, or Ecrater account.   12 pages of Google results and not one was an eBay listing.   

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That would be the opposite of what the OP is claiming. 

The OP  says Google is showing more eBay items than eBay does. 

[luckythewinner]

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@abfabvintage wrote:

Well, your dilemma should be taken up by ebay since they are supposed to be feeding ebay listing data to Google and other outside engines. Unless eBay ain't paying the bill to do so. Wasn't this GTC supposed to enhance the off site engines? I have not seen it. 

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It's not my "dilemma" I was simply demonstrating that the OP's challenge for me to "pick anything - seriously" does not hold up. In fact, in my case the eBay search was far more accurate than the Google search. 

[dinpavent0]

Its worse every day. Alot of times I search not to buy but to see what going rate is for an item i have or a similar item. Lately every single time I search something I get 0 results and then a bunch of items under that , that has nothing to do with what I searched. Or I will get one or two items from my search and then under that I will see the same item I am looking for but it says there is only 2, when below that line is like 20 others of same thing. Mostly though,I am getting a big fat zero when I search anything.

[eburtonlab]

@dinpavent0 

Mostly though,I am getting a big fat zero when I search anything.

Can you give an example of the kind of search you are doing and what kind of items you think it should be finding that it is not?

[this*old*attic]

This cheerleader agrees that Search is utterly broken... nor is it policed for policy violations anymore, either.

[dinpavent0]

Its anything from a train car, to jewelry, to a tool , list goes on... its really random. I search alot of stuff and I get a zero saying no items like this, or something to that affect.. I don't remember exact wording, but underneath there is similar items or the exact items I was looking up or its nothing to do with search. Happens with auto parts too. Even using a part number. My husband has a garage and we get alot of auto parts and its even happened with that. For example lets say 2017 Toyota Corolla headlight. I will get light bulbs or other stuff then underneath a bunch of headlights that are not even Toyota. Thats just an example tho. The search just isn't good.

[dinpavent0]

IT was never this bad. IT seems like this has just been over the past month. When I google items too I will get tons of ebay links for the exact thing I am looking for and every link i click it takes me just to a ebay search page and never to the item it is suppose to be. I thought that was the point of good til cancelled so that people could find items easier. Imho it just doesn't work like it is suppose too.

[eburtonlab]

@dinpavent0 

2017 toyota corolla headlight

A search for 2017 toyota corolla headlight turns up over three thousand matches that ship to my location in the "headlight" category:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&2017+Toyota+Corolla+%22headlight%22.TRS1&_nkw=2017+Toyota+...

If you put quotes around "headlight" you will get 1000 exact matches that exclude other types of lights such as running lights.

From either search result page, you can go to the filters on the left side of the page and choose the exact placement (left/right) and what kind of headlight bulb it uses (LED/halogen/incandescent) and brand type (genuine OEM/Aftermarket branded/unbranded) as well as individual brands to help narrow down exactly the results you are seeking.

[coolections]

You should stop relying on google as it has never been accurate. This is Ebay and almost every buyer in the world who wants something on Ebay shops on Ebay. Don't' blame Ebay because you cannot find something on Ebay using google. it is a waste of time and energy. Not only that almost everything you see in goggle images is already sold. IMO it is a useless tool.

[coolections]

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@dinpavent0 wrote:
For example lets say 2017 Toyota Corolla headlight. I will get light bulbs or other stuff then underneath a bunch of headlights that are not even Toyota. Thats just an example tho. The search just isn't good.

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I searched Toyota Corolla headlight and found so many I would be looking for years. If you would like help searching for your Toyota Corolla headlight we can help but need to know the type of bulb you're interested in. You can easily do it yourself though. Just use the tools Ebay provides on the left side of the screen after you submit the title Toyota corolla headlight. You can narrow it down to the "exact' one you want easily.

[hizzband_photoworks]

yeah, sometime Ebay doesn't want to show you what you are looking for, they will show you what will make 

more money for them

[johnrj1226]

@kelekt 

I agree the Cassini search engine  is adn was a disaster when it was  first introduced in 2013/2014.  Sellers were  advised to revise  the listing headline  3  or 4 times to make it compatible with Cassini.  When I look for stuff to buy I get a whole lot of "trash" that doesn't even resemble what I am looking for.  Coincidentally, our  sales  volume (unit/dollar) went  from a very nice  NE curve for 3  consecutive  years to a SE trend  line - we now  sell   $400-500 per year used to  average about $800/month.  What little we  sell we  still make a nice margin but no longer have the drive to chase  the eBay "brass ring" - ain't worth the effort  for this  card carrying member of the Medicare Club.  Just for the record I tried most of the eBay tricks to turn the tide except  cut my prices & profits - my items were  mid point position - a monkey can   cut  their price & still call them  self a sales person??? - had a store, was a TRS adn TR Plus  seller  for  several years until volume fell below threshold,soffered free shipping, change my listings headline multiple times as recommended by eBay/Cassini.

Maybe  new  management will find away to make it fun again but they  have stock holder to feed.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

While I agree eBay search is terrible, etsy is worse. When I search for vintage collectibles 95% of listings are for something else.