eBay's search has not been working right at all.

[quadcitypickers]

In all honesty they should be refunding us fees if people can't find our stuff!

I did a search tonight for a specific model number, so I typed in "XA521" (just an example)

Completely different items popped up, NONE had "XA521" in their title.

The items that DID, showed up in "results matching fewer words".

The next item I searched for, there is a regular and a pro model, so I searched for the item with "pro" in the search bar.

Nearly every single item shown was the NON PRO MODEL and did NOT have "PRO" in the title!!!

[eburtonlab]

What category were you searching? What sort order did you use? Those matter, and can affect the results you see.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=%22XA521%22&_sacat=0&_sop=10&_oac=1

eBay considers listings with your keywords in the title or item-specifics to be potential matches for your searches.

eBay may also consider alternative keywords that are related to your keywords, or correct spelling, or substitute keywords. If you do not want any keyword substitutions or corrections, try putting one of your search keywords in quotes to force eBay to provide exact, literal matches.

Lately the "Best Match" sort order provides additional, loosely related results. "Price plus shipping: lowest first" may provide filtered or streamlined results. Other sort orders show much more consistent results.

If you want keywords to appear in a certain order, put a dash between them, or enclose both words in quotes.

If you use quotes or exclusions, you may have to manually select your category, as either of those techniques will bypass eBay's automatic category navigation which will steer the search into certain categories for certain keywords.

[inhawaii]

Please give us one specific listing that you're unable to search for.

[slippinjimmy]

I did the XA521 search, All Categories, Best Match

I got 23 results, only a couple were motors related (I'm assuming that was what you were searching for?) but the first 10 - 15 listings all had XA521 (in one form or another) in the Title. I then came on some other listings where it did not appear in the Tile, not in any form. When I checked the Item Specifics for a couple of them they had  XA521 in there.

[bgt_masters_of_tiki_d]

I tried searching for items as I was trying to list items and was getting 10,000+ hits and almost none of them were the part number I was searching. Among other issues I am currently having. Something funky is going on with the system right now.

[eburtonlab]

I tried searching for items as I was trying to list items and was getting 10,000+ hits and almost none of them were the part number I was searching.

What part number? What category?

Did you try using quotes? Did you try changing your sort order to something other than "Best Match"?

10,000+ results indicates you need to narrow your search further using additional keywords, filters, or by changing the category you are searching in.

[inhawaii]

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@slippinjimmy wrote:

I did the XA521 search, All Categories, Best Match

I got 23 results, only a couple were motors related (I'm assuming that was what you were searching for?) but the first 10 - 15 listings all had XA521 (in one form or another) in the Title. I then came on some other listings where it did not appear in the Tile, not in any form. When I checked the Item Specifics for a couple of them they had  XA521 in there.

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So ... the search IS working?  Amazing!

[bgt_masters_of_tiki_d]

If you change it to lowest it corrects it but if you search as a normal buyer would who may not be familiar with ebay you get flooded with listings. The last one was W10780044 any part number I've searched tonight has been going the same thing. Its rarely ever perfect or even great but usually not this bad.  

[dryophelia]

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@bgt_masters_of_tiki_d wrote:

…Something funky is going on with the system right now.

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Well, it is Thursday, after all. 

As a seller looking for one’s own listings, in default settings, it makes sense to me, that one’s own listing wouldn’t be a ‘best match’. 

Are results different when you log out and search in a private browser not associated with the current one? 
Just wondering. I see this question a lot and have often wondered, but never asked. 

[eburtonlab]

Just a basic search with no special search tricks:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=W10780044&_sacat=0

37 results in Washer & Dryer parts seems reasonable to me, even using Best Match, assuming you are looking for Washer suspension rods.

Adding the keyword washer to the search finds a few additional results in other categories:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=W10780044+washer&_sacat=0&_odkw=W10780044&_osacat=0