Items have been ranking at the bottom of Best Match after I switched all items to proper categories

[oldbikeman]

Hello, This is my first post here.

Back in mid April 2018, before eBay began the " May 2018 Update", the Global Shipping Program removed most of of the international shipping destinations from the eBay Motors>Parts & Accessories>Motorcycle Parts>Engine & Engine Parts/Other Engine & Engine Parts category with exception to Canada. I listed most of my inventory in this category.  The Global Shipping Program (GSP) and eBay did not notify any seller or announce that this new restricted shipping destinations change happened. My sales instantly plummeted with the shipping destination change that GSP made. Previously, I sold 40-50% of my motorcycle engine parts internationally. I finally realized this change 3-4 weeks later, when an Australian customer contacted me and asked if I would ship an item to him in Australia.  Previously, I shipped to Australia regularly using the GSP.

Background:

1. My son and I both sell used motorcycle parts on eBay in separate accounts and locations.
2. My son started selling used motorcycle (dirt bike) parts in 2012, when he was still in high school, he used this eBay business to help pay for college.
3. I learned the process from my son and when I was forced to retire in early 2017, I started selling on eBay to help fill the gap in my loss of pay.
4. I sell collectible merchandise in addition to used motorcycle parts.
5. My son's account has consistently been Top Rated/Top Rated Plus with free shipping and free 30 day returns
6. In the last year, my account has been Above Standard with 30 day returns only
7. Both of us process and list new items regularly.
8. We do not have any other employees, both of us process our work separately and alone.
9. Prior to the May 2018 Update, both of us consistently ranked high and appeared on the first or second page of "Best Match"
10. We still sell items somewhat regularly, but not like we previously did.
11. We price toward the average low of similar items
12. We provide high quality pictures
13. We provide a complete descriptions and describe items well
14. Both of us have 100% feedback

Changes we made to comply with eBay's May 2018 Update:

Each of us decided to move all of our listings to the new proper eBay motor categories. We fill in the item specifics,  part compatibility table, and anything with an asterisk beside it for each item we have listed. We did this to comply with eBay's new policy change. This process was very time consuming. Eventually, this compliance was suppose to help our ranking and make it easier for eBay buyers to find our items.
This new category process allowed us to sell internationally again, although the GSP keeps restricting more categories regularly without any notice of revision.

Issue:

Since the May 2018 Update and the changes we made to comply with the update, both of our listed items have consistently ranked at the bottom/last page of "Best Match".  Currently, the same or similar items that are ranking highest in "Best Match" are in the original category, we were previously listed in "eBay Motors>Parts & Accessories>Motorcycle Parts>Engine & Engine Parts/Other Engine & Engine Parts" . You would think that eBay would rank the sellers who comply with the "May 2018 Update" toward the top of Best Match. But no they do not, there are sellers with lower feedback percentage, shipping charges, and only 14 day returns that consistently ranking higher then us in searches.

1. We have Promoted our listings and the sponsored listings are usually with or below our actual listing
2. We run sales and the sale items are still at the bottom/last page of "Best Match"
3. Sometimes, I do an eBay search for one of my items and they are not even listed.

We have contacted eBay customer service and technicians numerous times to help us identify the problem, but nothing has helped or improved  our ranking in "Best Match"

Why is eBay treating Top Rated and Above Standard sellers who comply with the May Update this way?

We are doing everything eBay wants us to do, yet eBay consistently ranks us at the bottom/last page of Best Match.

Any suggestion?

Any eBay staff help would be appreciated.

[tunicaslot]

First everyone gets their chance to be visible whether they've complied with everything or not - there is a rotation the listings go thru - even best match. 

To get better visibility in placement - have you checked your competitors titles against your own? It use to be that the 1st 4 keywords were the most important but over the last few months I've noticed that the algoritms have changed and that's not always the case. Do your competitors have more item specifics filled in that don't have an asterisk? I noticed that when I check no to modified item and does not apply to MPN - I get better visibility - also the algorithms for search take into account your item specifics so the more you have filled in the better. Even making new item specifics for you items helps as that is all searchable.

[gopetersen]

This is just a guess, but if you make changes to a listing (something eBay probably doesn't like but which is sometimes necessary), it might take time for Cassini to slot you back into the search rotation.

[oldbikeman]

Yes,
Most of my competitors do not fill in the item specifics and still appear higher in the searches.
I am always comparing titles, prices, description formats, and categories of my competitors' items. I revise each area as needed with exception to changing the category back to my original listing category. I try not to change an eBay category, because I loose all of the original item specifics and have to re-populate the item specifics again, which takes a lot of time to do.

[luckythewinner]

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@oldbikeman wrote:

Why is eBay treating Top Rated and Above Standard sellers who comply with the May Update this way?

We are doing everything eBay wants us to do, yet eBay consistently ranks us at the bottom/last page of Best Match.

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First, Best Match is a scoring system that considers dozen (if not hundreds) of factors, not all of which are covered by the May 2018 Update. 

Second, the May 2018 Update is not a "guidebook" for getting good placement in Best Match.

Lastly, there is no such thing as being at "bottom of Best Match". You are only at the bottom of Best Match for  the particular search that you just ran.

[oldbikeman]

Cassini seems to always slot me into the bottom section of searches, unless a buyer happens to use the filters on the left of the search pages, which I believe is where my sales are coming from now. I seem to be getting sales from buyers who use the Compatibility section also.

In addition, I have also tried Good Until Cancelled for 3 months (Mid-July to November 1) until all sales stopped around October 16th, so I gradually migrated the listings back to 30 day listings ( I have 25-30 items ending and relisting everyday now) and it seemed to help through December with an occasional store sale on select items.

[tunicaslot]

Stick with the 30 day. Good till Cancel are great for those items people routinely buy - but if no one shows interest in your item then GTC ends up falling to the bottom fast.

Have you tried promoting your store on Social Media - be it facebook groups, racing groups and platforms ect.. We pretty much have to be our own promoters being so many sellers use the venue.

Since the algorithms change all the time it seems - what works for a couple of months stops working and sales go down - so I go back in switch the title around, drop my price and charge shipping for awhile, up my price and do free shipping ect. 

I really wish you luck but things are a bit slow for many of us now.

[oldbikeman]

I have not promoted this marketplace on social media yet, but I am considering doing so.

Thank you for your replies

Have a great year!