Quick question . . . .

[best_vintage_photos]

Does the use of punctuation in listing titles, like commas for example, mess up key word searches?

[muttlymob]

Wow. Just imagine if that was my trouble all along since Cassini. I have been complaining about low item views, and perhaps my punctuation was hurting me all this time.

You are selling in a unique category.  Pictures like yours have a very small, specialized market that it may take a long time for that one person who wants that one picture to find it.  I would not expect high view counts.  Especially since potential buyers don't have to open the listing to find out what the picture looks like.

[div_style]

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@muttlymob wrote:
potential buyers don't have to open the listing to find out what the picture looks like.

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And this perfectly explains why some items have a higher number of watchers than item views.

[muttlymob]

Is there a way to add an item to a watch list without opening the listing?

edit:  Why yes, yes there is.  I didn't know this.

[flyinhawaiiangirl]

my ability to do that disappeared a long time ago. I used to be able to hit the watch button underneath the info on the search page, but now the button is still there, it just doesn't work.

[best_vintage_photos]

"And this perfectly explains why some items have a higher number of watchers than item views."

Right. One time i had a listing with two watchers and zero views. I wondered, how can that be? Now it all makes sense. I like it when things make sense.

This explains low views. My galleries are quite large, but i don't think the images on my listings are large enough to simply steal to make any quality free duplicates from.

[sockmonkeydave]

@best_vintage_photos

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@best_vintage_photos wrote:

"I'd avoid punctuation if at all possible-Cassini is fickle we hear.  After all buyers search using words and not punctuation.  I should probably double check mine!"

Wow. Just imagine if that was my trouble all along since Cassini. I have been complaining about low item views, and perhaps my punctuation was hurting me all this time.

Well, every time i relist anything from now on, i will simply get rid of it all, and leave mostly nouns behind.

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What ever you do, avoid the Pluperfect Subjunctive, they drive the bots crazy.

Nice pictures.

My wife has become a nature photographer, not Ansel Adams, but good.

She put a black and white on her FB page.  Super cool pic.

She was contacted by a person who has an art gallery, wanting to make poster size prints.

[best_vintage_photos]

"

@best_vintage_photos

@best_vintage_photos wrote:

"I'd avoid punctuation if at all possible-Cassini is fickle we hear.  After all buyers search using words and not punctuation.  I should probably double check mine!"

Wow. Just imagine if that was my trouble all along since Cassini. I have been complaining about low item views, and perhaps my punctuation was hurting me all this time.

Well, every time i relist anything from now on, i will simply get rid of it all, and leave mostly nouns behind.

What ever you do, avoid the Pluperfect Subjunctive, they drive the bots crazy.

Nice pictures.

My wife has become a nature photographer, not Ansel Adams, but good.

She put a black and white on her FB page.  Super cool pic.

She was contacted by a person who has an art gallery, wanting to make poster size prints."

That's awesome dude! Lucky man married to an artist. Right on.

My best to you and the Mrs.

[outofroom]

After reading all the responses I revised all my active listings, removing punctuation, to see if it will make a difference in sales. It's far too early to judge  but no positive results so far.  For me, it seems strange to have a string of words without commas or semi-colons or dashes. Time will tell.

[thatsallfolks]

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@sockmonkeydave wrote:

She was contacted by a person who has an art gallery, wanting to make poster size prints. 

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Make sure she researches what poster-size prints should sell for, what that gallery sells them for, and what % she should expect to be paid for each sale.

[thatsallfolks]

I use punctuation to separate key phrases in my title. It makes things easier to read, and minimizes the chance that a buyer will misunderstand what they're buying.

I don't think buyers are having any trouble finding my items. Plenty of views, watchers, and sales.

[sidemouse]

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@muttlymob wrote:

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@zzydny wrote:

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@best_vintage_photos wrote:

Does the use of punctuation in listing titles, like commas for example, mess up key word searches?

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Other posters on this board have said that this is the case.

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Has anyone been able to verify this, or has it just been repeated often enough that it is now accepted as true?

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It's just another conspiracy theory, rather than taking personal responsibility this gives some sellers something on the outside to blame for when sales are slow.

[b86fiero]

The eBay catalog automatically fills in listing titles in the Books category using both parenthesis and a comma.

Title of book automatically filled in by eBay that I just listed using the catalog:

 The Collector by Nora Roberts (2014, hardcover)

Try it yourself.  Go to the Create Listing form and type The Collector by Nora Roberts then click the find product link.  You will be taken to a catalog page.  Select the hardcover version shown on the top right.  eBay fills in your title and other pertinent info about the book.

That should answer the question as to whether punctuation in titles hinders search.

[muttlymob]

That should answer the question as to whether punctuation in titles hinders search.

Not really.  eBay does a lot of things that don't make sense.

[castlemagicmemories]

Have read numerous times that punctuation is not necessary and bogs down search.

[castlemagicmemories]

OP, I didn't check the listings, but just so you are safe, I hope you are following the digital good policies as that non compliance could cost you your selling privileges.