Why in the world would eBay change it so you can't research completed auctions now?

[mypalrocco]

Today I was researching completed auctions to determine which price point to list my item. Part of this research for me involves reading the completed auction description of similar items I'd like to sell to do a comparison of condition, included components, features, etc. So today, they apparently changed it so now I can see the list of completed auctions but when I click on the item to try to open the listing I get a "The selected item is no longer available" and instead, it shows an item that's still active and available for purchase. Why? What purpose does this change serve??  This was an invaluable research tool for sellers!

Now if an item sold for $2 and another similar item sold for $100, I have no idea what the differences were to affect the prices because I can't see or read the body of the completed auction. The other problem with this is that if I'm wanting to buy something at, say, a garage sale or local antique auction, to resell on eBay, I don't know what to pay for it now because I can't make appropriate comparisons. Of the things that eBay should change, THIS somebody at eBay determined needed to be changed??? I'm finding myself more and more finding other avenues to sell my stuff because of nonsense like this! If somebody from eBay ends up reading this, for crying out loud, change this back to the way it was! I've included a screenshot as an example of an item that just ended as recently as 5/26 (5 days ago) so this change has nothing to do with the auction ending a long time ago.

[mypalrocco]

I called eBay last night when I first discovered this change. The phone operator was unaware of this being implemented so she put me on hold to ask a supervisor about it and came back to confirm that this is has been purposely done. I told her to please pass along to management that this change is bad. After all the typical "thank you for that" blow-off responses, she assured me that "IF they EVER have a meeting, she will bring it up." Everybody should call and complain about this, maybe us bombarding their call center will make them listen.

[madmaxmedia]

This is ridiculous. I bought an item and can't even view the original listing just to check the description to look at details, confirm what is included, or any other info from the listing. Browsing through desktop or phone gives me the same results, searching completed auctions gives me the same results- no simple access to a listing I bought.

Only way is to search for the item in the mobile app on my phone, hopefully they don't change that!

[walwalwill]

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@d-k_treasures wrote:

I have no problem researching completed listings and going into any of them.

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I posted a link to one in post 19. You're saying that clicking that link gives you all the information on the sold listing?

Here's another link to a sold listing:

https://www.ebay.com/p/The-Presidents-Photographer-Fifty-Years-Inside-the-Oval-Office-by-John-Bredar...

Since you have no trouble accessing the details, and all I get is the same "The selected item is no longer available.", would you please be so kind as to tell me which 4 people signed it?

Thanks!

[fern*wood]

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@labs118 wrote:

This was really getting to me last night as I was on the phone with my sister & trying to Display a sold item from my watch list & I kept getting the blue bar (Which I am also getting this morning on some items)
But After I posted the above screen shot and playing around until 2AM I discovered in the blue bar the word listing was clickable and brought me to the sold listing!

A Test ? A roll out of the new format to come?
It's hit or miss so far this morning happening on some items I am researching , not happening on others

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Thanks Labs!!  My sold listings just switched to the new format this evening and I would never have found that "listing" link if I hadn't read your post.   This is among the most annoying changes from a very long list of new annoying changes.

@labs118

[rainbowcolorz]

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@everdissever wrote:

Dear mypalrocco,   Boy are there a lot of stupid replies (above) to your excellent comment.  Ignoramouses.  Anyway, I just discovered this exact problem as well, and a quick Google search of the phrase "The selected item is no longer available" brought me here. I too am outraged for all the same reasons you delineate.  I have been an eBay user for decades (practically since day one) and the last few years it seems that eBay employees have too much time on their hands and no common sense -- a dangerous combination...

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@everdissever, I didn't see one stupid reply.   

[ekmadonna]

To hell with all this filtering and wasting everyones precious time. if i cant find it from the search bar I MOVE ON! no sale sorry

[hotspotauctions]

I have noticed the solds don't stay very long either. I for one hope they stop keeping the sold information for any amount of time. Then people will have to go back to using their judgement, just like the business was before the internet, and I can make a killing again. 

[phono_0490xxxxxx]

I still get completed listings showing via this link posted yesterday. @walwalwill

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=sony%20cyber-shot%20dsc-h300&LH_Complete=1&r...

Anyone else see them?

[cherry*fizz]

On everything I've looked up today I was able to view completed listings. I just followed the link to that Presidents Photographer though and it did take me to a current listing saying "this item is no longer available" at the top. Has this been happening on all listings you have looked up? I just looked up another completed listing and I was able to view the completed details, it did not give me that same message. 

[cherry*fizz]

Now with this one I'm getting a 3rd message, this has the blue bar and takes me to an active listing at $105. I don't know what the heck is going on. Three different things happening with 3 different complete listings. Strange.

[everdissever]

Thanks !

[electrola_man]

This is disappointing.  I ran into this today, too, looking back at something I sold recently.  I used to pull up similar items and hit, "sell similar."  I found I still could do it, but not the same way.

[ted_200]

This is ridiculous. I bought an item and can't even view the original listing just to check the description to look at details, confirm what is included, or any other info from the listing.

Oh... that's REALLY not good.

What are these people thinking?

[hioctane62]

Ebay doesn't want reality getting in the way of what they TELL you to sell it for.

[walwalwill]

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@phono_0490xxxxxx wrote:

Anyone else see them?

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Is there anyone saying they don't?

What people are talking about is when they click them.

I posted one of those links post 19. Are you telling me that when you click it, it takes you a completed listing?