eBay is violating their own search & browse manipulation policy

[vintage_games_for_sale]

eBay is violating their own search & browse manipulation policy both in practice and intent by allowing sellers to pay extra money to sponsor their listings which puts them at the top of the list, even when sorting the listings. The following are the rules eBay requires. They should read and follow their own rules.

The references are as follows:

under  Search and browse manipulation policy overview

3rd paragraph first sentence. "It's against our policies to do anything that manipulates the search or browse experience. "

Under  Why does eBay have this policy?

sentence #3 "When a listing or product has information that could mislead people or gives one seller an unfair advantage over another, we do take action. "

These sponsored listing should only be put in the advertising main pages instead of ahead all other sellers. I realize I could pay more money to put my listing ahead of others but this is a matter of principle then anything else. I talked to 2 supervisors who agreed and said they will send it to the rules division but I'm not going to hold my breath. If you agree, please let eBay know. Power in numbers. eBay just needs to end this practice of sponsored/promoted listings. If you have a good product at a fair price, it will eventually sell. You're thoughts?

[tunicaslot]

This is another money grab because sales are down here. No different than putting an ad in a local newspaper - some take a small ad in the classifieds while others pay for a quarter page. It's pay to play and is happening on other sites. Ebay may not allow sellers to do it - but if they are the ones profiting from it - it fair game.

Many buyers are put off by sponsored listings so it doesn't always mean a sale.

[fern*wood]

They also violate the duplicate listing policy, but as Tuni points out, money talks.  

[lawnmowerpartsstore2]

You have to remember. Its their sandbox and they can do whatever they want at any time. Remember you agreed to it when you signed up with Ebay ? This is why the boards are not as busy as they use to be as a lot of sellers are putting in all their extra effort on their own sight or another venue. The Internet sales game is changing fast at record speed and that goes for Google to. Its now a pay to play game unless your a China seller selling on Ebay.

[nc-daydreamer]

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@tunicaslot wrote:

This is another money grab because sales are down here. No different than putting an ad in a local newspaper - some take a small ad in the classifieds while others pay for a quarter page. It's pay to play and is happening on other sites. Ebay may not allow sellers to do it - but if they are the ones profiting from it - it fair game.

Many buyers are put off by sponsored listings so it doesn't always mean a sale.

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"This is another money grab because sales are down here." 

eBay is not smart enough to see their own mistakes, let alone admit them. It started with we sellers warning them when they started the "Great Purge" - about what the future would hold - remember that? One of the biggest financial errors in the history of eCommerce, IMO. They ran the bigger, better, accounts - along with their sales, customers and money - away... and then went "DUH?" when sales started dropping.  I wish the BOD were smarter instead of richer - the grabbing may be working for them, but if they don't start respecting sellers and buyers, there won't be any left... [sigh]

[greg5000]

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@vintage_games_for_sale wrote:

eBay is violating their own search & browse manipulation policy both in practice and intent by allowing sellers to pay extra money to sponsor their listings which puts them at the top of the list, even when sorting the listings. The following are the rules eBay requires. They should read and follow their own rules.

The references are as follows:

under  Search and browse manipulation policy overview

3rd paragraph first sentence. "It's against our policies to do anything that manipulates the search or browse experience. "

Under  Why does eBay have this policy?

sentence #3 "When a listing or product has information that could mislead people or gives one seller an unfair advantage over another, we do take action. "

These sponsored listing should only be put in the advertising main pages instead of ahead all other sellers. I realize I could pay more money to put my listing ahead of others but this is a matter of principle then anything else. I talked to 2 supervisors who agreed and said they will send it to the rules division but I'm not going to hold my breath. If you agree, please let eBay know. Power in numbers. eBay just needs to end this practice of sponsored/promoted listings. If you have a good product at a fair price, it will eventually sell. You're thoughts?

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It's just a matter of time until antitrust and business practice laws catch-up with eBay. 

[xxlostspiritxx]

Yup.. It was more organized or they would take action about year ago or so.

Now nothing happens.

Read this if you have time.  (Talks about scammers, Spammers, False Advertisement in my Desktop Computer Department, It's Absolutely insane..)

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Why-won-t-Ebay-remove-spam-scam-listings-or-force-them-to-move...

[grayirongolf]

eBay has to keep up with the tricks & gimmicks.  They're about to have caravans of free health care recipients camped out at their front door.  That can be very expensive & draining. 

[trukur_0]

Ah yes but  PAYING for an advantage has been considered fair play now.

[tunicaslot]

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@nc-daydreamer wrote:

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@tunicaslot wrote:

This is another money grab because sales are down here. No different than putting an ad in a local newspaper - some take a small ad in the classifieds while others pay for a quarter page. It's pay to play and is happening on other sites. Ebay may not allow sellers to do it - but if they are the ones profiting from it - it fair game.

Many buyers are put off by sponsored listings so it doesn't always mean a sale.

---

"This is another money grab because sales are down here." 

eBay is not smart enough to see their own mistakes, let alone admit them. It started with we sellers warning them when they started the "Great Purge" - about what the future would hold - remember that? One of the biggest financial errors in the history of eCommerce, IMO. They ran the bigger, better, accounts - along with their sales, customers and money - away... and then went "DUH?" when sales started dropping.  I wish the BOD were smarter instead of richer - the grabbing may be working for them, but if they don't start respecting sellers and buyers, there won't be any left... [sigh]

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I do remember that but at the time worked a real job full time, had two kids at home and sold very little. I did still buy here and loved the boards and read them often to stay on top of what was happening. Those bigger accts and good sellers - went to other venues or set up their own sites and like you said - with them went the buyers.

Just as posters here have left to go to groups on social media. There are a lot of disgruntled sellers that aren't heard and seen on these boards. Ebay is only hurting themselves - because while sellers may suffer here - this is not the end all like it use to be.

[mvls1]

I am fairly sure the best you can expect is a policy change that allows ebay to do what they are doing.

[vintage_games_for_sale]

Thanks for your input! It's true that it's their sandbox but it's our sand. Without sellers, eBay wouldn't exist. Further more, unless they start treating all good sellers the same, they may find their sandbox running out of sand. Not everyone can afford to pay for additional advertising especially when they sell lower priced items. It's really simple. treat all good sellers the same or change the wording in the rules so eBay is not in violation of them. Optics count.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

How exactly is Ebay violating anti-trust laws? 

[dhbookds]

Ebay has had at least 3 programs where in sellers pay more (one way or another) for placement.......since I've been here.......2004.  One was a bigger insertion charge for top placement in search and there was another, similar to the one we have now, except your item could show up in related subcategories at the bottom of the page.  There was also a box on the left at one time where in those stores with the largest number of items in that search showed up.

In this one, ebay has "skin" in the game.......if an item doesn't sell, the seller pays nothing......

Almost every venue that sells "advertising" sells some kind of tiered charges.  Groc stores get more $$ for better placement on shelves, newspaper/magazines charge more for larger ads/placement in certain sections, etc., tv charges more for spots in popular shows, Amazon has a "buy" box.  Just a fact of the advertising game that people here don't want to recognize.......

[totoro470]

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@dhbookds wrote:

Ebay has had at least 3 programs where in sellers pay more (one way or another) for placement.......since I've been here.......2004.  One was a bigger insertion charge for top placement in search and there was another, similar to the one we have now, except your item could show up in related subcategories at the bottom of the page.  There was also a box on the left at one time where in those stores with the largest number of items in that search showed up.

In this one, ebay has "skin" in the game.......if an item doesn't sell, the seller pays nothing......

Almost every venue that sells "advertising" sells some kind of tiered charges.  Groc stores get more $$ for better placement on shelves, newspaper/magazines charge more for larger ads/placement in certain sections, etc., tv charges more for spots in popular shows, Amazon has a "buy" box.  Just a fact of the advertising game that people here don't want to recognize.......

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All that makes sense to an extent, especially for "best match" searches. What ebay is doing though is manipulating ORDERED searches that buyers request. It's the equivalent of reading the alphabet and adding an ad within it: A, B, C, D, Coca Cola, E, F, etc

The weird thing is it doesn't seem to affect my PC version of search, only my mobile ebay searches. Do a "lowest first" on mobile and the 3rd & 4th listings and last 2 listings of each page are sponsored and out of order. They're basically breaking their own "lowest first" ordering to add more expensive sponsored items right in the middle of where your eyes meet. Not only that, as others have said, these are duplicate listings as the sponsored item also appears where it's supposed to in the order. So not only is it boosted to where it doesn't belong, it also appears where it does belong.