Ebay has replaced Search with a marketing program

[deltilogical]

I needed to search for washington dc rotograph.   Ebay keeps changing the search to washington dc autograph.  OVER AND OVER.  There is no smart or intelligence there in this software anymore.  This isn't a matter of a typo or giving me the choice to choose, it just changes the term when I click search.  not exactly sure if its working in quotes or not.

We need an offsite non-ebay service now to search the site without Ebay forcing me into their search terms that have no bearing relevance or request - much like the independent and useful duplicate listing application.   

Sellers fees should be reduced as Ebay removes the efficacy of the software. They can make up the difference in their successful forced marketing implementation.  

[eburtonlab]

I searched for a specific issue of a magazine with name + date. Typically, I'll get 5-10 accurate results, choose the one I want and purchase. Today, I get over 400 of the correct *name* of the magazine, but from all sorts of years and months--completely useless.

What magazine, and how did you specify the date, exactly? Depending on how you do that, you may find results that contain the same keywords elsewhere in the item-specifics. If you specified month and year as separate keywords, your results would match any listing of that magazine that mentions that month and that year, or any lot that contained one of those magazines plus any magazine from that month and any magazine from that year.

For instance, if you search popular mechanics April 1977 then you will see results that contain all those keywords anywhere in the item-specifics. Many sellers listing magazines use "sell similar" and may not necessarily be diligent in updating the item-specifics from one magazine to the next, complicating matters. The search can only work with the data that the seller provides.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=popular-mechanics+april+1977&_sacat=0

In some cases you may be better off using filters rather than just keywords, at least if you want to eliminate false positives:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=popular-mechanics+april+1977&_sacat=0&Publication%252...

If you use the "Price plus Shipping: Lowest first" sort order, the results are apt to be filtered if there are enough of them, so either avoid that sort order or else use the "Show more results" link at the top of the search to see all results.

[deltilogical]

if it would return the results for which I'm asking it would be great - I don't always have things in quotes because the words may be in different order- but my real annoyance is the way Ebay is force changing my search. 

I just now needed to search for Quirigua - an archeological site in Guatemala, and ebay says: 

                   Showing results for quiroga. Search instead for Quirigua

It is infuriating.   I've already provided my exact search term.

I tested this and others on the other big postcard platforms and their searches returned as I would expect when I am searching.  

[eburtonlab]

I don't always have things in quotes because the words may be in different order

It is not necessary to put one set of quotes around all your search keywords; you can put quotes around just one keyword out of several. That will force eBay to search for exact matches of each of your search terms, but will still match those individual keywords in any order.

Using an exclusion term will also bypass the "smart" search features, and cause eBay to find exact matches to your individual search keywords.

eBay used to have a decent Help page explaining various search commands, but at some point the page was updated to just a vague description of how to use the Advanced Search page without much discussion of how the various options actually affected individual searches.

There was a version of the old page on ebay.ie for a while, but that is gone now, too.

[rugerskick]

Pretty much.  It factors in so much stuff that has nothing to with what the person actually searched for.

All the unasked for stuff being shoved in front of buyers is a major turnoff and along with poor search engine performance in general, is driving a percentage of buyers off the site.  They dont want to wade through junk they didn't ask for.

[anjofak]

You don't get to find what you want only what they want you to want..

Hmmm..I still don't remember any of those stores or sites that did not have what I was looking for..

[sailinship]

I hate to say this, but I just don't buy on ebay as much, or really, at all now. The search engine is just too suggestive. I get sick of being shown American comics with $20+ shipping fees, from the UK. I hit "US only" over and over, and a few pages later, it changes back. As a buyer, it's become difficult to find stuff I want, while trying to work around what the system wants me to buy.

[eburtonlab]

I hit "US only" over and over, and a few pages later, it changes back.

There is a third-party browser plug-in called "eBay Item Location -- My Country Only" that can let you override eBay's "default" item location if you install it in your browser.