Initial results of search's sort Price + Shipping: lowest first does NOT return lowest priced items

[somanypostcards]

Search has 6 sort options.  Here is an example of the initial results of these sorts when searching for Collectibles postcards new year: 

Best Match  86,000 results. 

Time:  ending soonst  76,000 results

Time:  newly listed:  76,000 results.

Distance:  nearest first  76,000 results. 

Price + Shipping:  highest first  76,000 results.  6 results less than $1, 49 $1-$1.99, and 686 $2-$2.99

Price + shipping:  lowest first  402 results.  No results less than $1, 1 $1-$1.99, and 3 $2-$2.99

So the initial search by lowest first only returns 4 results less than $3.00 and none of the lowest results less than $1.00 vs. the 741 results returned by highest first.  The initial search has a message:  "We've streamlined your search results to show you the best listings.  See more results."  When you click the message link you get 76,000 results.  So for this sort to actually work and show the lowest priced listings you must always click the link to see more results.

[ittybitnot]

@somanypostcards 

It has been like this for quite some time.  eBay knows, but doesn't say much.  Supposition is that it is likely intended.  Less monetary advantage for the managed marketplace to sell/display the lowest price.  At least, from your example the "see more" selection is behaving better than usual with the 76K.