What is "show original title"?

[robxznyc]

I ended a listing and then created a new listing via sell similar. On the new listing page the listing title is followed with "-show original title". When mouse hovering over it it displays "Original text, the exact same title". I then edited the listing title and "-show original title" is still there it displays "Original text, the updated title". 

I've never seen this before. Does anyone know its purpose?

[ittybitnot]

And last but not least...

@valueaddedresource 

A few months ago while investigating another issue I figured out another reason  listings were being "changed".  eBay would show a listing would have been updated or edited but not exactly what the change was per se.  It would simply say something generic. 
 
At that time it  was amazing to me to see so many two day old ZERO feedback seller IDs that had items for sale that would be over any sensible newbie limit price.  Well, I started to watch.  (It would have been really useful for me as a buyer if I could click on that title and see it was previously for a $3 chair.)  I watched those "chairs" become Sony cameras,  IPhones, GPU Miners, etc. etc. 

So it was used to avoid selling limits.  Unfortunately, the product was simply "vapor" anyway as well. 

[valueaddedresource]

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@ittybitnot wrote:

And last but not least...

@valueaddedresource 

A few months ago while investigating another issue I figured out another reason  listings were being "changed".  eBay would show a listing would have been updated or edited but not exactly what the change was per se.  It would simply say something generic. 
 
At that time it  was amazing to me to see so many two day old ZERO feedback seller IDs that had items for sale that would be over any sensible newbie limit price.  Well, I started to watch.  (It would have been really useful for me as a buyer if I could click on that title and see it was previously for a $3 chair.)  I watched those "chairs" become Sony cameras,  IPhones, GPU Miners, etc. etc. 

So it was used to avoid selling limits.  Unfortunately, the product was simply "vapor" anyway as well. 

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@ittybitnot that's a great example too!

I've seen that happen as well and , I agree there are a lot of reasons why it can make for a very bad buyer experience to have listings changing like that.

If that's what eBay is trying to address with this test I could be on board with it but it would be nice to at least know one way or the other. 😊

[mybigsale]

Currently for my listings, "show original title" just displays word for word my current title.

While eBay certainly has a purpose, as an eBay user it appears eBay has just created an annoying bug that for my listings will not enhance sales and may interfere with my sales.  

In other words, business as usual. Will see where this goes and adapt to eBays shenanigans as necessary. Currently have to save Custom label several times as all the characters in the field aren't always saved. Started happening with the new interface I was just force into.

[devon@ebay]

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@valueaddedresource wrote:

devon@ebay  velvet@ebay  - 

A lot of people are seeing this come up on listings that have had no change in the title, which I agree with @mybigsale is distracting/confusing and might cause buyers to go looking for changes that don't actually exist. I've been seeing multiple reports of this across Twitter and Reddit as well.

Plus @intuitive reporting in this thread that they're seeing the original title and revised title apparently swapped in position from where they should be - it definitely sounds like something here isn't working as intended.

Can you see what you can find out for us about this test and get these issues reported, please?

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Hey @valueaddedresource! Let me reach out to the Listing Team with this information and once I get an update I will be sure to come let everyone here know! 

[valueaddedresource]

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devon@ebay wrote:

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@valueaddedresource wrote:

devon@ebay  velvet@ebay  - 

A lot of people are seeing this come up on listings that have had no change in the title, which I agree with @mybigsale is distracting/confusing and might cause buyers to go looking for changes that don't actually exist. I've been seeing multiple reports of this across Twitter and Reddit as well.

Plus @intuitive reporting in this thread that they're seeing the original title and revised title apparently swapped in position from where they should be - it definitely sounds like something here isn't working as intended.

Can you see what you can find out for us about this test and get these issues reported, please?

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Hey @valueaddedresource! Let me reach out to the Listing Team with this information and once I get an update I will be sure to come let everyone here know! 

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Thanks devon@ebay - appreciate it!

[valueaddedresource]

devon@ebay  just to add some more feedback for the team, a seller of vinyl records told me they are concerned that having a hyphen added at the end of the title could negatively impact their click through rates in search because it might confuse buyers and make them think the condition is not as good as it really is.

Apparently it's common in vinyl (and possibly other collectibles) to use grading abbreviations like VG for very good where VG- would be less than very good

For example:

VG means Very Good. Marks and scuffs will be visible, the record should play very well. Possibly some pops or slight noise may be heard. Even at this grade, the record may play perfectly with no noise and/ or pops.

VG- means that the record is just short of being Very Good. There will be visible marks. There is a greater chance that the record wail have pops and noise. Again, even at this grade, there will be no skips, and possibly, little or no distracting noise.

So with this new original title feature, on the listing itself it does show a message that says what the hyphen means, but within the search results it doesn't - there's literally just a hyphen tacked on to the end of title that looks just like the rest of the title.

If a seller just so happens to have placed VG at the end of the title to denote very good condition, that would then look like VG- to potential buyers who might just skip right on by if they think that means it's in lesser condition.

[devon@ebay]

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@valueaddedresource wrote:

devon@ebay  just to add some more feedback for the team, a seller of vinyl records told me they are concerned that having a hyphen added at the end of the title could negatively impact their click through rates in search because it might confuse buyers and make them think the condition is not as good as it really is.

Apparently it's common in vinyl (and possibly other collectibles) to use grading abbreviations like VG for very good where VG- would be less than very good

For example:

VG means Very Good. Marks and scuffs will be visible, the record should play very well. Possibly some pops or slight noise may be heard. Even at this grade, the record may play perfectly with no noise and/ or pops.

VG- means that the record is just short of being Very Good. There will be visible marks. There is a greater chance that the record wail have pops and noise. Again, even at this grade, there will be no skips, and possibly, little or no distracting noise.

So with this new original title feature, on the listing itself it does show a message that says what the hyphen means, but within the search results it doesn't - there's literally just a hyphen tacked on to the end of title that looks just like the rest of the title.

If a seller just so happens to have placed VG at the end of the title to denote very good condition, that would then look like VG- to potential buyers who might just skip right on by if they think that means it's in lesser condition.

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@valueaddedresource thank you for the additional information. I will get this over to the Listing Team as well and let you know if they need anything else!

[skipio_18]

I created an error on the title, and now I can't fix it by using edit. Ridiculous update.

[mybigsale]

I see a solution to the thread on "What is 'show original title'?" has been chosen.

If I read all the posts correctly so far,

The Solution: An eBay team member is going to ask the eBay team for information on "What is 'show original title?" and pass the information back if/when the information is received.

The Problem:  Still no solution for "What is 'show original title'?" 

I do appreciate any assistance from Devon.  As a longtime eBay Member, I don't believe changes that affect eBay Sellers should just pop up. Getting answers should be part of the process - not an eBay favor. This is not a free service I am using. Preaching to the Choir - all I can do is tell other Members 🙄

[threetabbycats]

Same here.

[threetabbycats]

I just called eBay help to ask about this. Agent was clueless. SURPRISE!!!!

[ajs_coins_and_alchemy]

A buyer shouldn't have to concern themselves with what a title used to be or what a listing used to be. The current offering in the listing is what matters, no?

Here is the contract. Here are the terms. Sign, or don't sign. You need to know what it USED to say? Why? That's no longer on the table. The present terms are what apply, not previous. Are you going to somehow make things negotiable now...?

[gotta-have-it-collectables]

An easy solution would be to just get rid of it.

Find out who put it in eBay's program and remove it.

Simple. Thanks!

[devon@ebay]

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@valueaddedresource wrote:

devon@ebay  just to add some more feedback for the team, a seller of vinyl records told me they are concerned that having a hyphen added at the end of the title could negatively impact their click through rates in search because it might confuse buyers and make them think the condition is not as good as it really is.

Apparently it's common in vinyl (and possibly other collectibles) to use grading abbreviations like VG for very good where VG- would be less than very good

For example:

VG means Very Good. Marks and scuffs will be visible, the record should play very well. Possibly some pops or slight noise may be heard. Even at this grade, the record may play perfectly with no noise and/ or pops.

VG- means that the record is just short of being Very Good. There will be visible marks. There is a greater chance that the record wail have pops and noise. Again, even at this grade, there will be no skips, and possibly, little or no distracting noise.

So with this new original title feature, on the listing itself it does show a message that says what the hyphen means, but within the search results it doesn't - there's literally just a hyphen tacked on to the end of title that looks just like the rest of the title.

If a seller just so happens to have placed VG at the end of the title to denote very good condition, that would then look like VG- to potential buyers who might just skip right on by if they think that means it's in lesser condition.

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Hey @valueaddedresource! It looks like there is now an open ticket for the issue of 'show original title' opened on our end. If there are any members that are experiencing this they can reach out to customer support here and let them know that they are running into ALRET14069. We also have this added to our tech board here as well. 

[lessthanthreerecords]

I'm experiencing this issue as well.  I clicked the link you provided, and gave the code to "JOHN DARREN" who had no clue what I was talking about or what they were supposed to do with that code.  Can you do what needs to be done from here?