New Enhanced eBay Search

[universalman69]

I just found a short but interesting article that was just posted on Ina's site about some new changes being initiated to ebay search designed to "enhance" customer search results. The article quotes excerpts from eBay product manager Jason Fletchall taken from eBays corporate blog. Here are a few doozys:

 "Providing too many options can be overwhelming for people shopping on eBay"

"At eBay, we've started enhancing our product and search results pages that will meet our customer needs at each step in the shopping process."

"As consumers browse eBay, we've leveraged machine-assisted and deep learning features to help surface the best items for their needs."

"Our goal is to make it easier and more convenient to understand the unparalleled breadth of eBay's inventory, as well as quickly cut through this inventory to find the best deal for you. Doing this well involves understanding the tradeoffs between different listings for something you are shopping for."

Here is the link to the article for anyone who wants to read it:

http://www.ecommercebytes.com/cab/abn/y16/m03/i30/s02

I am one day away from my worst sales month in 2 years, and this article instills little confidence that things are going to get any better soon for small sellers on eBay.

[savanna.dance]

What's in this article is a expanded explanation of the buyer specificity algorithm created by a buyers search history, purchases, keywords used, scroll overs, etc.

I posted about my experience awhile back, when I had a particular need for dark blue/navy men's shirts and sweaters. After awhile Cassini decided I was in LIVE with dark blue/navy, so, for, example I would do a search for king size sheets. All of the top returned results would be dark blue/navy. No need to enter a color keyword, for that to happen.

Then I noticed, if I decided to look at all of a sellers offerings, once again, if the had _anything_ in that color range, those would be the top best match. Vases, blouses, shoes, pants, kids clothing, dog toothbrush. Didn't matter, Cassini was sure if it was dark blue/navy I wanted it!

Recently I was searching for earrings with a particular finding maker. So now Cassini thinks I want earrings, any earrings, if I'm looking a a sellers goods, if they have earrings, best match has them on top. If no earrings, then we move down the jewelry list, ear gages, ear cuffs, then on to jewelry in general, necklaces, bracelets, toe rings, belly button adornments.

I'm guessing this expansion out in a particular category is what is meant by "deep learning" and showing me a tip of eBay's "breadth of inventory."

[universalman69]

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@pikabo-icu wrote:

That is absolute BALONEY!

I am NOT overwhelmed by too many results. I'm a big girl, I can handle it. 

I don't want eBay or anyone else limiting/throttling my search results! BAH!

That makes me angry.. 

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Pika, I agree with you 100% and I am angry too because limiting search results in order to help the poor overwhelmed buyer make the best choice is really giving the buyer no choice at all and small sellers little to no visibility at all because they are being throttled.

[blackbird*singing]

This thread has inspired me to create another:

http://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/What-changes-or-features-do-YOU-want-to-see-in-search-results/m...

[universalman69]

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@savanna.dance wrote:
What's in this article is a expanded explanation of the buyer specificity algorithm created by a buyers search history, purchases, keywords used, scroll overs, etc.

I posted about my experience awhile back, when I had a particular need for dark blue/navy men's shirts and sweaters. After awhile Cassini decided I was in LIVE with dark blue/navy, so, for, example I would do a search for king size sheets. All of the top returned results would be dark blue/navy. No need to enter a color keyword, for that to happen.

Then I noticed, if I decided to look at all of a sellers offerings, once again, if the had _anything_ in that color range, those would be the top best match. Vases, blouses, shoes, pants, kids clothing, dog toothbrush. Didn't matter, Cassini was sure if it was dark blue/navy I wanted it!

Recently I was searching for earrings with a particular finding maker. So now Cassini thinks I want earrings, any earrings, if I'm looking a a sellers goods, if they have earrings, best match has them on top. If no earrings, then we move down the jewelry list, ear gages, ear cuffs, then on to jewelry in general, necklaces, bracelets, toe rings, belly button adornments.

I'm guessing this expansion out in a particular category is what is meant by "deep learning" and showing me a tip of eBay's "breadth of inventory."

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Ha, Ha, Savana, I had to laugh at your experience because I dont see too much evidence that the way Cassini is manipulating best match shows much "deep learning" at all, and the so called "tip of eBay's breadth of inventory" isn't a very sharp tip, but rather on the DULL side both literally and figuratively (lol)!!!!

 Why doesnt Cassini just show people EXACTLY what they are searching for instead of trying to get into the heads of the buyers thus skewing and limiting their search results. Sounds more like "deep stupidity" than "deep learning". Of course Cassini is only doing what it is told to do by the "deep thinkers" who programmed it.  

[shawk2011]

Since ebay claims to want sales, and happy buyers, why can't these "rocket scientists" at ebay understand a few simple concepts like.......

When buyers can't find what THEY want, they rarely buy. This is especially true when money is tight.

If a sellers items aren't shown, buyers can't find them, and they don't buy.

If you show a buyer things other than what they are looking for, you may occaisionaly luck into a buyer who thinks "that's neat", and buy it even if they weren't looking for it.

However it's much more likely they will end up with frustrated, and angry buyers who leave without buying anything. Those are NOT happy buyers.

Those buyers who leave angry are less likely to come back, as it's easier to shop elsewhere.

If you show a buyer the things they are looking for, they are much more likely to buy, AND then  return to the site for future purchases. These tend to be happy buyers.

With profits slipping, why would anyone with any sense keep throwing money at a search that has proven detrimental to sales, and frustating to buyers? Not to mention it's also ticking off sellers. It seems to me the "brains" at ebay won't be content until they've alienated the entire customer base.

When I shop I know what I want, I DON'T want to see pages of other items, I'm sure most people feel the same way.

[gracieallen01]

Ebay wants sales - yes.

Ebay doesn't care if it is you that has the item for sale or if it is someone in China or if it is someone in Honolulu or Kalamazoo.  Ebay just wants the sale.

Ebay doesn't care if the item is what the buyer started out looking for.  If it is cheaper, more expensive, a different color or a different maker, ebay wants the sale.  It doesn't matter if the buyer was even looking for THAT tiem - they started our looking for a pair of shoes and, instead, bought 'shoes' (tires) for their car - ebay wants the sale.

Ebay doesn't care in the least - who, what, how or where - just so SOMETHING sells.  Ebay gets their money (fees, ads space, etc) paypal gets their cut ....

.... and all is right with the world.

[shawk2011 · Accepted solution]

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@gracieallen01 wrote:

Ebay wants sales - yes.

Ebay doesn't care if it is you that has the item for sale or if it is someone in China or if it is someone in Honolulu or Kalamazoo.  Ebay just wants the sale.

Ebay doesn't care if the item is what the buyer started out looking for.  If it is cheaper, more expensive, a different color or a different maker, ebay wants the sale.  It doesn't matter if the buyer was even looking for THAT tiem - they started our looking for a pair of shoes and, instead, bought 'shoes' (tires) for their car - ebay wants the sale.

Ebay doesn't care in the least - who, what, how or where - just so SOMETHING sells.  Ebay gets their money (fees, ads space, etc) paypal gets their cut ....

.... and all is right with the world.

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People are more likely to buy if they're shown what they are looking for.

People are less likely to buy if they are shown items they aren't looking for.

[gracieallen01]

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@shawk2011 wrote:

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@gracieallen01 wrote:

Ebay wants sales - yes.

Ebay doesn't care if it is you that has the item for sale or if it is someone in China or if it is someone in Honolulu or Kalamazoo.  Ebay just wants the sale.

Ebay doesn't care if the item is what the buyer started out looking for.  If it is cheaper, more expensive, a different color or a different maker, ebay wants the sale.  It doesn't matter if the buyer was even looking for THAT tiem - they started our looking for a pair of shoes and, instead, bought 'shoes' (tires) for their car - ebay wants the sale.

Ebay doesn't care in the least - who, what, how or where - just so SOMETHING sells.  Ebay gets their money (fees, ads space, etc) paypal gets their cut ....

.... and all is right with the world.

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People are more likely to buy if they're shown what they are looking for.

People are less likely to buy if they are shown items they aren't looking for.

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Quite true.

Now, all one has to do is convince ebay of that.

[kanoskorner]

From observing what i sell in best match it looks to me that all this new enhanced system does is bring people to the top of the search and basically leaves them there. why wouldn't it?

 If it decides what the best match is and it is a machine that is all it can do.

I look up what i sell and the same ten listings are in the first ten spaces almost everyday indefinitely. I have been checking it for about two months now.

 It is no wonder they have literally 1000s of feedback and sell 1000 items a month.

It is hard to understand that sellers from china and hong kong can be on the best matchwhen there shipping alone would diqualify them for buyers here in the states.

Personally i handmake my items and they are very nice but i will never be able to compete with people who pull things out of a box, raise the price and barely make any money off the product.. These systems leave no room for originality or personal or artistic import, just machine driven **bleep** designed to drive people to the people with the most and cheapest products  the only hope is that people actually shop rather than suck up to the best match.

 Ebay is incredibly unfair to their sellers. i would go as far as saying they are unethical and deceitful and don't really give a **bleep** about them, which is exhibited by their antiseller policies and their pro buyer balogna----

  I am gregory @ kanoskorner

                     I used to be a top rated seller

                                             I used to be a power seller

                                                       now ,quite frankly

                                                                             i fell like a struggling fool that can't sell anything

                                                                                                                        and the worst thing is i know it is not my fault

[doctorfegg]

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People are more likely to buy if they're shown what they are looking for.

People are less likely to buy if they are shown items they aren't looking for.

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Quite true.

Now, all one has to do is convince ebay of that.

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Amen!

I have been a long time seller/buyer (1998 or so) and gave up selling some time ago. I also gave up buying some time back for various reasons. On the rare occasion when I have tried to find something basic (a dark purple crew knit sweater) I get so much carp I give up, similar to Savannah's post.

I would like to know if anyone clicks on the tiny "tell us what you think" link on the bottom right of searches. It gives you the opportunity to rate and comment on how helpful you found the search results. 

I am not naive enough to believe that ebay pays attention to ANYTHING from sellers. But, but, but ... maybe they might spend .001% of their attention skimming the miniscule number of buyers (and many sellers are buyers) finding that tiny "tell us what you think" link who bother to tell ebay about their "buyer experience" with search results.

[graciejoy]

I assume this is why all sales disappeared as of March 15th. This is probably why they got rid of the defect system. They do not need it anymore. No sales and all of the small sellers will just eventually leave. They still do not quite grasp the small sellers are also the buyers. I am pretty much finished. Had a good first two weeks of March and then everything disappeared. No views, no questions. nothing. I had an 11 piece sterling silver vanity set from Gorham up at auction. Started it at .99 cents. I ended it 12 hours before the end of the auction at $29.99. I think that pretty much sums up what Ebay has become. A junk yard for fake stuff. After I ended the auction. I did have a man contact saying his wife wanted the set and he was willing to pay me $69 for the set. I can pawn it for more money. How pitiful has Ebay become when the pawn shop now pays more money for things.  I mean really $29 for a 1926 Gorham sterling silver 11 piece vanity set. That is just laughable.

[emerald40]

I mean really $29 for a 1926 Gorham sterling silver 11 piece vanity set. That is just laughable.

________________________________________

In all fairness you did end the auction early.  Many people (myself included) wait until the last minute to bid.

[ymeagainlord]

Yes, but how many times has a seller gritted their teeth and hung in there until the auction ends only to see ZERO last second bidding?

If buyers can't see it, then they're not going to bid.

[lakotak]

May be this is why I have not had a sale since 3/22/16.  1st part of the month I had sales.

[universalman69]

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@graciejoy wrote:

I assume this is why all sales disappeared as of March 15th. This is probably why they got rid of the defect system. They do not need it anymore. No sales and all of the small sellers will just eventually leave. They still do not quite grasp the small sellers are also the buyers. I am pretty much finished. Had a good first two weeks of March and then everything disappeared. No views, no questions. nothing. I had an 11 piece sterling silver vanity set from Gorham up at auction. Started it at .99 cents. I ended it 12 hours before the end of the auction at $29.99. I think that pretty much sums up what Ebay has become. A junk yard for fake stuff. After I ended the auction. I did have a man contact saying his wife wanted the set and he was willing to pay me $69 for the set. I can pawn it for more money. How pitiful has Ebay become when the pawn shop now pays more money for things.  I mean really $29 for a 1926 Gorham sterling silver 11 piece vanity set. That is just laughable.

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Graciejoy, I feel your pain. I stopped doing auctions over a year ago when I got burned a few times by starting items at .99 cents and not even ending up with what I  originally paid for the item. I started researching sold listings on peoples auction items and was horrified to discover how many sellers were getting burned and losing money on really nice items. I don't blame the buyers so much as I blame eBay for giving our items such limited visibility. Low views and low sales on my vintage items (stagnation really) became a big problem for me .

 My sell through rate on my vintage stuff got so bad that I felt I had to do something. I opened a shop at bETSY's Place last April and started moving my vintage over there. I had heard really mixed results about selling there from others on this forum with many saying that the platform didn't draw enough traffic and they had few to no sales. Since that was already the case with my vintage items here at eBay, I figured that I didn't have much to lose. Slow going at first, and a steep learning curve, but my sales there have been steadily increasing as I increase my inventory. No evidence that aunt Betsy has imposed any type of sales limits or throttling on my merchandise. Traffic is lighter over there but generally speaking, the customers are there to buy not windowshop. Haven't been scammed once and only ONE return with 175 sales under my belt. No more stagnation on my vintage items. For the past five months, my sales there have exceeded my sales here. Not trying to make a sales pitch here, just sharing my personal experience. As the saying goes: your mileage may vary.