eBay

my-cottage-books-and-antiques · ‎05-29-2023

A question about promoted listings on a seller's listing (aka "view item" page). There are rows of promoted listings on the view item page, and most are clearly identified as "Related Sponsored Items" or something similar. Listings are NOT individually identified as Sponsored, but the row is identified that way, which I assume meets the legal requirement for ebay to identify listings as Sponsored. I have no trouble with that.

But, I'm confused about the row entitled: "People who viewed this item also viewed"
None of the listings in the row I looked at are identified individually as "sponsored", and the row title does NOT indicate these listings are promoted.

Are the listings in this row being shown as organic listings?

Or, has ebay simply failed to properly identify them as sponsored/promoted?

slyders_finds · ‎05-29-2023

Who's to say, buy it seems like it is Sponsored by just the way the page is laid out. It was some years back but I remember eBay saying if you opt into promoted listings...the Organic and Sponsored will not be shown at the same time. Which begs the question....how much of the day is my stuff really being shown in searches?

valueaddedresource · ‎05-29-2023

@my-cottage-books-and-antiques wrote:
devon@ebay
kyle@ebay

A question about promoted listings on a seller's listing (aka "view item" page). There are rows of promoted listings on the view item page, and most are clearly identified as "Related Sponsored Items" or something similar. Listings are NOT individually identified as Sponsored, but the row is identified that way, which I assume meets the legal requirement for ebay to identify listings as Sponsored. I have no trouble with that.

But, I'm confused about the row entitled: "People who viewed this item also viewed"
None of the listings in the row I looked at are identified individually as "sponsored", and the row title does NOT indicate these listings are promoted.

Are the listings in this row being shown as organic listings?

Or, has ebay simply failed to properly identify them as sponsored/promoted?

@my-cottage-books-and-antiques that's a great question!

The FTC has very specific rules and guidelines about disclosing paid advertising, which like you said the rows that say they are sponsored probably meet but you're right that the "also viewed" row is ambiguous.

my-cottage-books-and-antiques · ‎05-29-2023

@valueaddedresource Right. Either ebay is (possibly) violating the FTC rules, OR ebay has decided that at least some of the listings shown on a view item page will be shown organically, which would be a significant change, and one you'd think they'd want to announce.

I know its Memorial Day, so I'm not sure if the Community Team has someone around today or not, but I figured I'd give it a shot....

elizabeth@ebay · ‎05-30-2023

@my-cottage-books-and-antiques wrote:

devon@ebay

kyle@ebay

A question about promoted listings on a seller's listing (aka "view item" page). There are rows of promoted listings on the view item page, and most are clearly identified as "Related Sponsored Items" or something similar. Listings are NOT individually identified as Sponsored, but the row is identified that way, which I assume meets the legal requirement for ebay to identify listings as Sponsored. I have no trouble with that.

But, I'm confused about the row entitled: "People who viewed this item also viewed"
None of the listings in the row I looked at are identified individually as "sponsored", and the row title does NOT indicate these listings are promoted.

Are the listings in this row being shown as organic listings?

Or, has ebay simply failed to properly identify them as sponsored/promoted?

Hi @my-cottage-books-and-antiques. I will be happy to reach out to the proper team regarding this, and will touch base once I hear back.

Elizabeth,

my-cottage-books-and-antiques · ‎05-30-2023

elizabeth@ebay Thanks! Looking forward to an answer from the team!

elizabeth@ebay · ‎05-31-2023

@my-cottage-books-and-antiques wrote:

elizabeth@ebay Thanks! Looking forward to an answer from the team!

Hi @my-cottage-books-and-antiques. Thanks again for the question. Following up with feedback from the team below:

"Yes, the row, or module as it's commonly referred to by the team, entitled "People who viewed this item also viewed" is in fact populated with organic listings, not promoted items. Both the "Related Sponsored Items" and "People who viewed this item also viewed" modules are personalized for each shopper. A shopper might see both modules, one or none throughout their shopping journey. The modules themselves, and listings recommended in each, are shared with shoppers based upon things like the item they are searching for, the category being shopped and country shopped in to name a few. We hope this helps clarify things."

Elizabeth,

my-cottage-books-and-antiques · ‎05-31-2023

Thanks for the clarification elizabeth@ebay Glad to hear those particular listings are being shown as organic.

valueaddedresource · ‎06-07-2023

@my-cottage-books-and-antiques wrote:
Thanks for the clarification elizabeth@ebay Glad to hear those particular listings are being shown as organic.

@my-cottage-books-and-antiques just FYI the "People who viewed this item also viewed" module has been on listings for years in various placements and based on Elizabeth's answer I would assume has always been organic.

Here's a random archived item page I have from 2021 with it:

https://web.archive.org/web/20210708121808/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fitm%2F29291816177

It's great to have it confirmed those are organic, but I don't believe this is something that is currently being tested or part of the new View Item page design - they may be moving the placement of it around as part of the test, I'm just not sure if having organic suggestions on the listing page is new or not.

elizabeth@ebay can you please confirm if the "People who viewed this item also viewed" module has always been reserved for organic placements or if this is a new development?

my-cottage-books-and-antiques · ‎06-07-2023

@valueaddedresource I'll await elizabeth's answer, but you may well be right, in which case I've been wrong for assuming for years that ALL the listings on a view item page are promoted listings, and then wrong again for assuming this is something new. Apparently, it may only be new information for me, but it has been present for years, so it is not any sort of change being made in response to a test or anything else.

Thanks for checking into this further!

valueaddedresource · ‎06-07-2023

@my-cottage-books-and-antiques wrote:
@valueaddedresource I'll await elizabeth's answer, but you may well be right, in which case I've been wrong for assuming for years that ALL the listings on a view item page are promoted listings, and then wrong again for assuming this is something new. Apparently, it may only be new information for me, but it has been present for years, so it is not any sort of change being made in response to a test or anything else.

Thanks for checking into this further!

@my-cottage-books-and-antiques no problem, it's a great question and one I hadn't really put much thought into before you mentioned it.

I had always assumed the modules marked sponsored were all sponsored and any that weren't, weren't but as we know it's never a great idea to assume anything around here. lol

I think they've always tinkered around with customizing what is shown on the page based on a variety of different criteria and tests so it's entirely possible what one person sees isn't the same as what anyone else sees at any given time....so it absolutely could be something new to you!