Need Sellers Imput on issues discussed from todays Weekly Chat

[tomuchstuff5]

@tomuchstuff5 wrote:

When you have a situation where the only listings available for an item do not offer free shipping or free returns and customer has applied that or those filters for the listings to come up with a message such "These listings are available outside of your filter choices" or something to that effect.  Like International used to or still does. 

That way the customer would know that Ebay does have them, just not with free shipping or free returns. Presently you get no result in such searches. 

@tomuchstuff5  I don't expect a buyer who has chosen a filter to see free shipping and returns accepted would want us pushing product that didn't meet their selection. If they don't find what they are looking for, we show other inventory and they can always change their filter choices if they don't find the items they are looking for with the filter. 

Thanks for selling on eBay

Brian

QUESTION, This is 2nd time I have brought this up and gotten same answer. Thought I had better explained it this time.  I am referring to unique items such as a pattern match piece or a needed addition to a collection where a similar iten just doesn't cut it. It was mentioned something about someone asking to fix USA filter and reply was you mean if you couldn't get it in USA you would just do without. 

To me this is a similar situation. I just don't think all customers are that adept at the filters and search. The free shipping being a Bigbox type feature that just isn't possible in all situations for my type of merchandise. Giving the default available outside of your filter selection would make sense to me. 

What do you think? 

[tomuchstuff5]

Just seems you would want the person searching to know that it is the only one or only 3  and it is just something that people don't offer free shipping on rather than have them think it just simply is not available. If you think I am being thick headed, just say so. What makes perfect sense to me doesn't always make any sense at all to others. 

[missjen831]

I'm going to admit I'm not quite sure what you are asking, because it's late and my brain is frazzled after 3 hours of studying. But I wanted to point out that the answer you received is absurd IMO and makes no sense. And maybe that's because my brain is tired LOL but I'm going to say this anyway-- If a buyer is searching for a piece from a specific set of China for example and they use the free shipping filter and there are NO matching listings using the fee shipping parameter but there are some with a shipping charge, why on Gods green earth would eBay show the buyer "other inventory" and NOT the item they are searching for? What kind of idiocy is that? As a buyer I don't use the free shipping box because I shop total price but if I did use that box, I would rather see the item I am looking for WITH a shipping cost than be shown "other inventory". And what about best offer? They ignore the fact that some listings could have best offer and the buyer could negotiate a price within their budget and ask for free shipping (yes I know shipping is not negotiable but buyers still ask for it and some sellers do comply). I would also rather see an OBO listing for the exact item I searched for than be shown "other inventory". What kind of idiots are responsible for this? 

[tomuchstuff5]

@missjen831

Thanks, I was starting to feel like I was speaking another language. What I don't understand is the sort lowest to highest with shipping is a ALLINCLUSIVE filter anyhow. Half the time a free shipping listing is higher. 

An example is a heavy platter I have or had listed. A pattern match. Was 3 and all 3 had shipping charges. When searched by free shipping ..........nope, Ebay doesn't have any. Just pure doesn't make any sense to me. 

Get some rest, tomorrow is another exciting day on Ebay 🙂

[coolections]

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@tomuchstuff5 wrote:

@tomuchstuff5  I don't expect a buyer who has chosen a filter to see free shipping and returns accepted would want us pushing product that didn't meet their selection. If they don't find what they are looking for, we show other inventory and they can always change their filter choices if they don't find the items they are looking for with the filter. 

 QUESTION, This is 2nd time I have brought this up and gotten same answer. Thought I had better explained it this time.  I am referring to unique items such as a pattern match piece or a needed addition to a collection where a similar iten just doesn't cut it. It was mentioned something about someone asking to fix USA filter and reply was you mean if you couldn't get it in USA you would just do without. 

To me this is a similar situation. I just don't think all customers are that adept at the filters and search. The free shipping being a Bigbox type feature that just isn't possible in all situations for my type of merchandise. Giving the default available outside of your filter selection would make sense to me. 

What do you think? 

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The answer is perfectly clear. If as a buyer, I choose to search only free items etc. That is ALL I want to see. I don't want to see your stuff or I would not have filtered your stuff.

[nawlinsron2]

So...if an item with PAID shipping is CHEAPER than the same item with FREE shipping, you're not interested?
Color me bamboozeled...

[missjen831]

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@coolections wrote:

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@tomuchstuff5 wrote:

@tomuchstuff5  I don't expect a buyer who has chosen a filter to see free shipping and returns accepted would want us pushing product that didn't meet their selection. If they don't find what they are looking for, we show other inventory and they can always change their filter choices if they don't find the items they are looking for with the filter. 

 QUESTION, This is 2nd time I have brought this up and gotten same answer. Thought I had better explained it this time.  I am referring to unique items such as a pattern match piece or a needed addition to a collection where a similar iten just doesn't cut it. It was mentioned something about someone asking to fix USA filter and reply was you mean if you couldn't get it in USA you would just do without. 

To me this is a similar situation. I just don't think all customers are that adept at the filters and search. The free shipping being a Bigbox type feature that just isn't possible in all situations for my type of merchandise. Giving the default available outside of your filter selection would make sense to me. 

What do you think? 

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The answer is perfectly clear. If as a buyer, I choose to search only free items etc. That is ALL I want to see. I don't want to see your stuff or I would not have filtered your stuff.

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So if you are searching for a vintage rose tea pot with free shipping and there are none listed, you are ok with eBay showing you vintage rose platters and bowls and pitchers with free shipping but not vintage rose platters with a shipping charge? Alrighty then. Didn't realize free shipping made people this blind. Becsuse that's what the eBay rep said. If they don't find listings for the item you are searching for with free shipping, they are going to show you other items with free shipping. And you are ok with that because you only want free shipping listings? If shipping isn't free, you won't consider the item period? That's great for all of us who shop total price I guess but still baffles me.

[missjen831]

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@tomuchstuff5 wrote:

@missjen831

Thanks, I was starting to feel like I was speaking another language. What I don't understand is the sort lowest to highest with shipping is a ALLINCLUSIVE filter anyhow. Half the time a free shipping listing is higher. 

An example is a heavy platter I have or had listed. A pattern match. Was 3 and all 3 had shipping charges. When searched by free shipping ..........nope, Ebay doesn't have any. Just pure doesn't make any sense to me. 

Get some rest, tomorrow is another exciting day on Ebay 🙂

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You are absolutely right, it doesn't make sense and even more baffling/maddening is that the guy who answered you didn't quite understand either! I have to say, I'm only a buyer and I'm buying less and less here every year. I would love to support eBay sellers, there are so many wonderful sellers I interact with here on the boards, don't know how many would be comfortable selling to me but it's probably a moot point because eBay probably doesn't show me their listings anyway! I've noticed fewer search results and an increase in listings that don't match my search criteria so I'm finding myself looking elsewhere!  I didn't realize the search engine was this bad. I knew there weren't fewer listings. It's eBay showing me what they want to show me.  And I don't like it one bit. 

[tomuchstuff5]

@missjen831

I think you nailed the conclusion. They are showing you what gets the most hits, not necessarily what you are searching for. It's a algorithm on the search engine is my understanding. Picks what it thinks you would like to see based on what I don't know. Computer reasoning is I am quite sure not the same as human. 

See no need for the Free Shipping filter as sort low to high with shipping does it all (including showing all items) so why do you need a free shipping filter? Shipping is truly only free to the buyer when it is in concession for a larger order. It's an expense that sellers add to the item cost.  Free Shipping is a Gimmic. I add to mine when I can come up with a fixed rate no matter where the ship to is. Can't do that with all listings. Some will cost 10.00 to Texas and 30.00 to California. I have no control over who is going to buy it. 

Thanks for your kind comments on sellers and board. I am sure anybody here would be happy to sell to you. Does Ebay have the listings come up,,,,,,I just don't know anymore. Hopefully search will get the kinks worked out. I know I have had my moments with it. One minute you search for a circle and get every other shape but? The next it works. I hate to say it but if you try it with bad results, wait a little bit and try again. It seems they have been working on it. 

[ted_200]

What do you think?

I think Brian's reply to your question is pretty ironic, if not downright hilarious.

Brian:  "I don't expect a buyer...  would want us pushing product that didn't meet their selection."

Of course what you've suggested makes perfectly good sense.  It wouldn't be pushing product that doesn't meet their selection, it would be advising the buyer that eBay does indeed have the product available.  "Similar Items" is pushing product that doesn't meet their selection!

But eBay is hopeless stuck on the Free Shipping unicorn.   Your platter example...

There's one for $100 and $50 Shipping.  There's one for $250 and Free Shipping.  The buyer wants the platter, eBay only shows them the Free Shipping one, so they buy it.  As soon as they pay, eBay THEN shows them the other one.  Now they'll be mad at eBay, and the seller is going to get a "Return Request". 

[ted_200]

Didn't realize free shipping made people this blind.

In most cases it doesn't.  Certainly not for the sort of items the OP is talking about.

Blinded by free shipping is mostly an eBay ailment, one they acquired by reading poorly collected data.   Someone asked "Do you like Free Shipping?" and when nearly 100% of the replies were "yes" - a historic level of agreement on anything - they decided it was really, really important.   Thankfully no one has yet thought to ask online shoppers if they like free ice cream...  

[coolections]

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@nawlinsron2 wrote:
So...if an item with PAID shipping is CHEAPER than the same item with FREE shipping, you're not interested?
Color me bamboozeled...

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Your confused. I do NOT filter as I do NOT care. Those that DO filter DO care. If I was looking to buy a RED car and filtered to only RED cars, I do not want to see Yellow cars. It is up to the person who filters what they want to see. The explanation given by Ebay was right on the mark. It's just an answer you preferred not to hear. Personally I shop buy lowest price including shipping.

[jonathankirkland]

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@coolections wrote:

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@nawlinsron2 wrote:
So...if an item with PAID shipping is CHEAPER than the same item with FREE shipping, you're not interested?
Color me bamboozeled...

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Your confused. I do NOT filter as I do NOT care. Those that DO filter DO care. If I was looking to buy a RED car and filtered to only RED cars, I do not want to see Yellow cars. It is up to the person who filters what they want to see. The explanation given by Ebay was right on the mark. It's just an answer you preferred not to hear. Personally I shop buy lowest price including shipping.

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Maybe you're reading a different book than the rest of the class?

To me, Brian's second sentence directly contradicts his first sentence in that answer. And I also gather from what he said that if there were no RED cars, ebay would indeed show you YELLOW cars....

[d-k_treasures]

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@jonathankirkland wrote:

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@coolections wrote:

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@nawlinsron2 wrote:
So...if an item with PAID shipping is CHEAPER than the same item with FREE shipping, you're not interested?
Color me bamboozeled...

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Your confused. I do NOT filter as I do NOT care. Those that DO filter DO care. If I was looking to buy a RED car and filtered to only RED cars, I do not want to see Yellow cars. It is up to the person who filters what they want to see. The explanation given by Ebay was right on the mark. It's just an answer you preferred not to hear. Personally I shop buy lowest price including shipping.

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Maybe you're reading a different book than the rest of the class?

To me, Brian's second sentence directly contradicts his first sentence in that answer. And I also gather from what he said that if there were no RED cars, ebay would indeed show you YELLOW cars....

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He's not just reading a different book, but in a completely different class.

Yep - that's what Brian said - if there are no RED cars with free shipping, they may show you yellow or black cars with free shipping, or even a blue bike with free shipping.

What they WON'T show you is any other RED cars if they have a shipping charge. Another ... ahem ... not well thought out change.

[penguins_dont_fly]

I, personally don't think that the filter should be overridden. If I check a filter, I can always uncheck it.

That being said, I do think that there should be some indication that there are items available that match my search criteria but are filtered out by whichever checkbox I choose.

I am a Prime member. I always filter by Prime when beginning a search on Amazon. If there are no Prime eligible items that match my search, there is always an indicator that there are items that do match search but are not Prime eligible.

They don't automatically show them to me ... because I might assume that they are Prime eligible and get upset when they charge me for shipping ... but they do tell me "xx available new and used, non-Prime" (or something like that) so that I can choose to uncheck the Prime button, if I want to look at those other items.