If I don't pay for "promoted" is it being hidden?! Common item w/ZERO views 15 days later.

[bluedesk7]

Isn't the huge cut Ebay takes out of the total sale supposed to cover the cost of using their platform?  Why do they "suggest" ANOTHER NINE PERCENT for "promoting"....?  And why do a lot of my items (that are reasonably common, say 10 are always listed at any given time, maybe 5 sell on average per week, and my perfectly and correctly listed (but no % agreed to under the "promoted" program) not even show up in specific search results? Even when mine is brand new AND the cheapest one listed?  I don't get even A SINGLE VIEW on the lowest priced of 10 similar items listed even 2 weeks later?!

This happens to me A LOT,  and I'm sure I can't be the only one.  It's one thing to be extorted to pay additional to get items promoted at an extra cost, but does anyone else feel that by not paying at all your listings are actually surpressed...?

[bonjourami]

" Common item w/ZERO views 15 days later."

Thats kind of an oxymoron when you dont know how many views the other 'common items' are getting.

[toysaver]

You can promote your own listings by offering competitive pricing and special sales.   

If you offer free shipping make sure your listings are total amount lowest priced.  You may get more views and sales with calculated shipping.  Many listings will show extremely cheap shipping for locations nearest to you while free shipping usually is set it up to compensate for longer distance shipping.  

[reallynicestamps]

@fashunu4eeuh Some believe throttling is a real phenomena, despite there being little in the way of hard evidence that holds up under scrutiny. (It’s primarily anecdotal.)

I suspect it's the opposite of throttling.

EBay has said it moves listings around so that not everything shows on every screen all the time.

If you sell a Doohickey, you get a little bump in Search for Doohickeys.

If you sell in Arkansas, you get a little bump on screens in Arkansas.

And as mentioned, there are bumps for accepting returns, bumps for being TRS, etc.

So if an Arkansasan wants a Doohickey, you who recently sold in Arkansas and sell Doohickeys, and are TRS with a 30 day return policy- there you are at #1.

No matter what price you put on your doohickeys.

[rugerskick]

The reality is ebay is more interested in throttling seller traffic and sales than they are allowing sellers to sell and prosper on the platform.  They are more interesting in curbing seller growth than actually letting sellers grow.  The reason is their stupid AI starts going crazy if you "grow too fast" - which they don't quantify and keep vague, plus they deny they throttle sellers sales and item visibility - yet they state they can technically do this in their TOS, sooo they do it! - and could very well place your account in the banned category if it determines you are "doing too well/too fast".

[broto_64]

---

@buyologist-3 wrote:

The fees we paid used to cover the costs of the listings and if you kept your nose clean, like sending fast, few complaints from buyers, paying fees on time, etc. being seen was the reward.  Not anymore. It takes all that and pay an additional fee.  When a seller makes a sale of $1,000., how much does the seller get to keep in the hand?  I found it to be a shocker! 

---

Especially once we take the cost of "free" returns into account.

[broto_64]

---

@movieman630 wrote:

While it's nice having a predictable income it's disheartening knowing you can't do anything to raise that income organically.  We have to try and figure out the secret to unlocking those "invisible gateways" within ebay's algorithm to earn more.  And as of now nobody seems to know how that's done or where those gateways are.

---

The problem is once everyone knows the gateways we're all right back where we are now.

[chapeau-noir]

It's an impression if it shows up on the search engine results page (SERP) - which is viewable real estate. If one cannot see it scrolling on that page, it's not an impression.

[redlinear]

Suppressed?  Hidden?
  Quite often, YES.   
I have very little problem finding Exact Match items that are not being shown where they should be shown. 
Yet sometimes considerable problems even finding Exact Match items. 
I consider that suppressed/hidden.

I ALSO think there's some sort of points system to what's shown and in what order... in a search result. 
As if there's 20 criteria for a total of 2,000 points.  You're the best seller ever, and have 2,000 points. 
Then a hundred, 1,900 point sellers promote their listings and now they have 2,100 points.  And get precedence over you.  (for awhile anyway). 

Another and/or Also scenario is AI taking photo's into account. 
AI knows what a Sprocket looks like from directly above on a white background (like eBay seems to prefer).
But if your initial picture is at an angle on a different color with a tape measure beside it?  AI sorts it at the bottom of the list and all the Perfect Examples are shown up top.

[bluedesk7]

It's not baseless.  After my Toyota NOS steering wheel part number x123456 has been listed for 2 days, my brother in law searches the part number and mine is not one of the 3 listed that comes up in his searches.  This is the case for A LOT of my listings.  I can post something that is very specific, and 4 of the other 8 online sell, mine is the cheapest and doesn't even get a single view.   Don't say "baseless" if you don't know what you're talking about.

[bluedesk7]

Nope.  I'm talking about one item that has a very specific part number, and there are 8 online on average, half sell each week, 4 new ones come on each week, and mine doesn't even get a VIEW.  And I KNOW because people in a car group search the part number and mine doesn't come up. AT ALL.

[bluedesk7]

That's not relavant-  How about you understand the question before offering your reply?  I'm not asking for advertising, I'm just asking for my item, Part # x12345 of which there is an average of 8 online usually, and mine doesn't come up in very specific search results.  Whether it's a commonly searched GTR factory steering wheel (which people search by the part number constantly hoping to find a bargain), and my part number is in the title, and there are NEVER more than 8-10 online at any given time) and mine doesn't even come up. AT ALL.  I'm not talking about having mine promoted, I'm talking about search results not showing mine.  And there is this problem on A LOT of listings that I don't pay the 5% or more on.   I shouldn't NEED promoting if people are searching for a 1985 Snoopy Yankees Anniversary Card.  or something simple like that where there are only 3 or 4 for sale on average, mine should come up WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL PROMOTION. 

[bluedesk7]

Did you read the question?  Common item BUT NOT A ZILLION.  Maybe 10 TOPS. WIth VERY SPECIFIC PART NUMBERS that people in car clubs search for DAILY.  Mine doesn't even get a single VIEW.  People say in the car club group that they don't see mine, though it's been listed for 3 days and on my end doesn't show a single view.

[bluedesk7]

Yes.  Once I add 5% they sell within a week.  Until that they don't even get a view, despite being often-searched for items with limited availablity, and mine almost always priced lower than any others.  They aren't even viewed until I add the 5% promotion fee.

[bluedesk7]

I meant a commonly searched item. 

[bluedesk7]

But if I sell a 1987 Doohickey Part# 123456789HL and there are. 5 for sale, 6 sold or unsold, and someone searches "Doohicky Part #123456789HL" on day 3 of the listing, IT SHOULD AT LEAST SHOW UP WITH THE OTHER 5 ITEMS WITH THE EXACT SAME TITLE.  This is what I mean. If I pay the 5% it shows up in search results.  IF I DON'T it doesn't show up.  That should not be.