Ebay search results unreliable

[goldrushfinds]

I am frustrated in that I feel I can't rely on Ebay search results to make a determination as to whether to buy an item to sell or not. I am in the process of listing a Nat Nast Men's silk shirt. I did a search with the words "mens Nat Nast silk bowling shirt". The initial parameters were "pre-owned", category "casual button down shirts". It returned 121 active listings and 148 sold, which is a good sell through rate. When I narrow it down to the size of my shirt, Large, it returns 55 active and 8 sold. That is just impossible. Please, please, please fix your program. How am I to be able to buy wisely (to sell), when I can't rely on the info. Ebay is supplying me. Do the search yourself and tell me if you find out otherwise. Thanks.

[rock.star]

Why do you find those results impossible ?

[myoasisjewels]

that's it? only 128 active listings for this item??? seems like very little.... i have done searches for other stuff before and only found very little active listings.... always makes me wonder if that is indeed accurate....

[goldrushfinds]

"Why do you find those results impossible" ?

Because Large is probably the most popular size, if not XL. There can't be that big of a difference in the ratio of listings to solds, in a very popular size. Additionally, I just looked at the data more closely, and the breakdown on size of the 148 solds is as follows: S = 0, M = 2, L = 8, XL = 6, and now the ridiculous one, Unspecified = 133. Since when do about 90% of the people listing a shirt not supply the size. Something is weird.

[gwzcomps]

Some of this sounds like the overuse of keywords and filtering. Some of it could also be people not using items specifics correctly.

[goldrushfinds]

"Some of this sounds like the overuse of keywords and filtering. Some of it could also be people not using items specifics correctly."

Not sure if you are talking about sellers in the creation of their listing title or buyers doing a search. Either way to me it is no excuse. I simply typed in a search phrase and came back with nonsense data. Their is absolutely no excuse for this, and if you believe their is, please explain. 

[hurryagain]

@goldrushfinds 

I found 55 sold listings in Nat Nast Men's silk bowling shirt - Large - Pre-owned.

[goldrushfinds]

"I found 55 sold listings in Nat Nast Men's silk bowling shirt - Large - Pre-owned."

Ebay's search results are very finicky. Please type in the search words exactly like this (including order and use of any punctuation) "mens nat nast silk bowling shirt". Then let me know your results. 

[hurryagain]

@goldrushfinds 

I copied your text that you wanted me to look up and pasted it into the search results and this is what I got...

The same 55 sold listings for large.

[hurryagain]

@goldrushfinds 

Okay,  I think you are going to hit the wall when I show you how I did this...

I do see your only 8 sold results...here it is...

What i did differently (and this is really stupid...this should NOT be happening...) is I "narrowed" down the search perimeters...which SHOULD make the search number smaller but it does not...it makes it bigger!!! WTH!!!

See how you looked under Clothing shoes & accessories < men ... right?

Well what I did was go further...

Clothing shoes & accessories < men < men's clothing < shirts

And poof!  The search widens...(???)  I don't get it.

This should not be happening yet it is.

[goldrushfinds]

Something is definitely messed up. I called Ebay tech support and had them run all the search variables with me and they had to agree that something was amiss. Of course they said they would pass it along to the IT department, but I won't hold my breath. If I can't rely on the data when making a purchase decision (to sell), then we have a problem. 

[hurryagain]

Must be something to do with the "upgrades" that are causing all of those glitches plaguing the clothing shoes and accessories category in particular...

It really needs to stop...