Searching for multiple items in one search

[royaltr_53]

Hello is there a way to search for multiple items with one click? for example if im looking for 5 different books how can i put them into a search bar all at once and get results for all of them? 

[slippinjimmy]

Not if you want valid results.....GIGO

[kensgiftshop]

The search engine has enough trouble trying to find one item, don't know what would happen if you tried searching for five items in the same search.

[ads*and*ends · Accepted solution]

Agree with the above it won't be completely accurate in yielding the best search results possible for 5 different items...yet...I often use the comma combined with parenthesis for multiple variations in search. 

I'm going to use an example of musical artists:

Vinyl (Bach, Beethoven, Nirvana, Green Day, Pearl Jam)

I assume what you're searching for is not the same author? The commas are key if only searching titles between the parenthesis. I imagine your best bet is something like:

Book (title here, title here, title here, title here, title here)

I only use this to narrow to much more specific items, I've never tried 5 at once in the same search. I'm sure it works to eliminate unwanted search results just the same....but with so many in one search...possibly still not the most effective manner to find something you're specifically looking for. 
Hope that helps. 

[ads*and*ends]

Also in search, to reduce unwanted search results, a minus can be added in search...it would look like this:


Cat in the hat book -movie

But the minus must be right next to the word, no space between. 

[mam98031]

One at a time unless you are looking for all of them to be available in one listing.  

What you put in the search is what you want to see in a listing.  So if you put in 5 names, unless all those names are in the title or item specific boxes, the search return will not give you what you want.

[ads*and*ends]

@mam98031 

That is not correct. 

Parenthesis, commas, and the minus sign all can be used eliminate and narrow to specifics. Agree it must be in the title or item specifics, whatever word is being searched for...but I never have to search one at a time for anything. I narrow using those tools, and it is highly effective and accurate. 

I've never tried 5 at once between the parenthesis, but I have tried minus method on multiple words to reduce unwanted search results. 

It works. It is effective. It just depends on what item and what keywords one chooses to enter, and in the right places between the various tools of punctuation. 

[mam98031]

What I said was correct.  Yes you can narrow a search, you are correct.  But to put 5 different names and expect the return to give you listings with any of those 5 names is going to require a bit of programming that search, if it could even be done.  But with that said, there may be a way, but it will be complicated.

This time of year I search books a lot as my daughter is a big reader.  Every Christmas she asks for more books.  But I would never put 5 different names in the search unless I wanted to find a lot that had them all in it.  Then I would be sure to check the box to search the item description too.

[ads*and*ends]

Agree to disagree.

I want a Taylor Ward 2019 Topps Gold, Sepia, Blue, Prism parallel. 

My search is as such:

Taylor Ward 2019 Topps (Gold, Sepia, Blue, Prism)

All different items, all different sellers. Not narrowed to results for one seller who has all 4. I get results for all, without even using the minus here....All of them show up. 

Neil Young Mirrorball (lp, vinyl)

Again, no minus unless I deem it necessary (such as -signed) or something similar.

It works. It's how I've found and purchased items for years. 

Book titles are longer, and can contain more words...but the accurate placement of punctuation is key in making it work.

[slippinjimmy]

---

@mam98031 wrote:

One at a time unless you are looking for all of them to be available in one listing.  

What you put in the search is what you want to see in a listing.  So if you put in 5 names, unless all those names are in the title or item specific boxes, the search return will not give you what you want.

---

Mam, you might want to look at this old thread which explains a lot about this type of Boolean searching

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/How-to-use-Boolean-operators-in-ebay-search/td-p/29941476

[inhawaii]

I've always wanted to search for diapers and brake pads at the same time.

What a time saver that would be. 

[mam98031]

Not the same as what the OP wants.  "... if im looking for 5 different books...".  So they want listings for books written by Smith, Jones, Adams, Peppers and Whomever to come back in the same search, NOT the same listing.  But books Smith wrote, Jones wrote, etc.

Not the same as the search you described.  Yours was all about one type of card with the specifics you set out.  You did not create a search for 5 DIFFERENT card subjects.  All of your was about Taylor Ward 2019.

[eburtonlab]

If the titles are sufficiently unique, such a search might work.

For example:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=hardcover+%28for.whom.the.bell.tolls%2Ci%27m.ok.you%2...

[royaltr_53]

helpful, thanks

[royaltr_53]

just curious, what do the periods between the words in the title of the books do as opposed to just putting the title followed by a comma.