The MAIN problem with eBay Search

[z50com]

Members who don't know how to use it.

There's nothing wrong with Cassini, it's how members choose their words. . .

Here's an example I heard today.

I can't find many Sunjoe mowers on eBay.

Well, if the person searching had searched for:   Sun Joe Mower instead of SunJoe Mower

maybe they would've found what they were looking for!

[d-k_treasures]

The search using multiple words is supposed to be 'and'. Ebay seems to think it means 'or', even though the advanced search option "supposedly" defaults to 'and'.

Probably not enough chinese listings being shown if they use 'and'.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

You think the fact that Cassini automatically defaults the search category now is user error?

For the last 17 years we have been telling people on the boards they should use good search terms when listing their items. That the category doesn't really matter. Neither of those things are true any longer. We have seen searches lately that do not turn up where the search terms exactly match words in the title.

I see on a daily basis that I only see a third to a half of the items I'm looking for because Ebay chooses to specify a category on my searches, even when I ask for ALL categories.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

Oh and BTW I have an IT degree. I understand Boolean Algebra. This is not it.

This is not artificial intelligence, it's artificial stupidity.

[z50com]

"bluetooth mouse"

I got 13,338 results

 the 1st 5 have bluetooth mouse in the title, number 6, 8 & 10 do not.

But if you were in the market for a "bluetooth mouse" you would have NO PROBLEM picking one out from the list Cassini returned.

OK, who's next, step right up and I'll help you find what you're looking for.

If I can't find it on eBay it probably doesn't exist. . .

[skatefool]

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@z50com wrote:

"what I'm actually searching for."

What is it you can't find?

Maybe I can be of some assistance.

I consider myself a pro at searching eBay!

If I can't find it it's NOT listed. . .

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Z,

You'll never know about the customers you didn't get because they couldn't find your stuff and you weren't there next to them to help them find your stuff.

[Anonymous]

Well I for one have been a pro at searching for what i want for years, I can find anything on Google..But Ebay  not so much , I can search Vintage Sterling earrings and I get Vintage looking (not real Silver) earrings from China ...Pages of them .It takes so long to change to Us only , Used(which is what Vintage mostly is) To find any...

A few weeks ago I was looking for a Pink stuffed bear for someone.......I typed in Pink stuffed bear..I received page after page of purses..WHYYY? We may never know... Good luck..

[phcd1]

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@d-k_treasures wrote:

The search using multiple words is supposed to be 'and'. Ebay seems to think it means 'or', even though the advanced search option "supposedly" defaults to 'and'.

Probably not enough chinese listings being shown if they use 'and'.

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Correct, I think eBay's Cassini think it means "could have" (those words) and not "and".

[phcd1]

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@z50com wrote:

"bluetooth mouse"

I got 13,338 results

 the 1st 5 have bluetooth mouse in the title, number 6, 8 & 10 do not.

But if you were in the market for a "bluetooth mouse" you would have NO PROBLEM picking one out from the list Cassini returned.

OK, who's next, step right up and I'll help you find what you're looking for.

If I can't find it on eBay it probably doesn't exist. . .

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So, to put it another way, 40% of results were what I wanted (those two words somewhere in the title) and 60% were not. I get better odds in Vegas.

Why can't I choose from the 13,338 instead of just 5? I just wanted to choose between 5 mice, I'd go to Best Buy.

[phcd1]

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@Anonymous wrote:

...A few weeks ago I was looking for a Pink stuffed bear for someone.......I typed in Pink stuffed bear..I received page after page of purses..WHYYY? We may never know... Good luck..

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If your looking for a stuffed Bear, everbody knows that a Bear needs a purse, duh. If you can find the pink high heals for the stuffed Bear, you'll be all set.  😉

[retrose1]

So I just did a search for vintage pajamas.  In the 1st page of results there were dolls, stuffed animals, photographs - none were wearing pajamas or had the word in their name.  There were knick knacks - that didn't use the word pajamas in the title.

But what really got me were the two different pairs of retro hipster eyeglasses and the Fender bass guitar.

Yeah, that is one smart search engine ebay has, no wonder I am doing so well on the vintage site.

[d-k_treasures]

I would do much better on both places if I listed more - but I'm usually shot after working in front of a computer 12 hours a day.

But I do like the other site .... had my 2nd sale.

[phcd1]

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@retrose1 wrote:

So I just did a search for vintage pajamas.  In the 1st page of results there were dolls, stuffed animals, photographs - none were wearing pajamas or had the word in their name.  There were knick knacks - that didn't use the word pajamas in the title.

But what really got me were the two different pairs of retro hipster eyeglasses and the Fender bass guitar.

Yeah, that is one smart search engine ebay has, no wonder I am doing so well on the vintage site.

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Once again, everybody knows if you're looking for "vintage pajamas", that same person is going to need a vintage "Fender Bass" to go with it. I will take the Fender Bass for the price of vintage pajamas.  🙂

Really, you should be doing great here now that the word is out that vintage items have a full warranty. No other site offers that. (sarcasm)

[z50com]

I searched for "pink stuffed bear"

got 16,000+ results

The 1st 200 were "pink stuffed bears" ~ NO PURSES

Just as I would expect to see.

Better check your search preferences. . .

[z50com]

I searched for "vintage pajamas"

Guess what?

I got vintage pajamas, 10550 of them.

Most are older out of style womans atire.

I'm starting to think Cassini doesn't like you sellers. . .

[phcd1]

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@z50com wrote:

I searched for "pink stuffed bear"

got 16,000+ results

The 1st 200 were "pink stuffed bears" ~ NO PURSES

Just as I would expect to see.

Better check your search preferences. . .

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Just tried it myself. Although 2 of the first 4 were indeed pink bears, 1 was a chick and one was an unknown type of animal. Only 3 were pink, 1 was white. None of the 1st 4 had the word pink in it.

OMG, now I'm going to get pink bear emails. uggg