"Sell as Lot" setting - Impact of search rankings?

[poptoys]

I tried searching for background on this through this forum and a general web search and had no luck.

Many of the items we sell are bundled as lots that are related in some way, but only recently did I find out how to add the "sell as lot" option to specify how many items are included in each bundle. I think it's usually clear from the photo and title, but I want to add clarity.

Does anyone know if there is any impact for search rankings based on using this? I would hope the search engine is able to account for unit cost in some way, but I suspect it does not. Even when using "sell as lot" in ways that should clarify that a group of 20 items for $20 should not be treated the same as a single of that same item for $10. But various eBay cues imply to me that is not the case. I've never seen "sell as lot" listed among the various best practices for SEO.

I'm going to try using this in new lots going forward, but this might affect as many as 1,000 existing listings. I tried to bulk edit some listings, and it doesn't seem to be one of the options. I'm unsure how much value there would be for me to edit each listing individually.

[mtgraves7984]

I would hope the search engine is able to account for unit cost in some way, but I suspect it does not.

@poptoys 

I think it doesn't, either. For example, in your 'Bookmark' lot... if a user only searches "Yoda Bookmark" (2 words only from your title), yours would be there at $29.99... so appearing to be priced high. It'd be up to the user to look through all the offerings and see that you have 'Yoda + 4' for one money, making it more valuable.

For what it's worth, I searched your listings with the word "Lot" and skimmed through them. Yours are great! 🙌

[poptoys]

@mtgraves7984 

Thanks! When I do test searches, I see similar issues where better value lots seems to be treated less favorably when compared to single item listings. But much of our business is built around buyers who want multiple items, and problems with the eBay combined shipping system already seem to suppress a lot of sales. 

And when I create new listings, the eBay suggested price information based on past sales seems based in single item sales, rather than unit cost for lots.

[ltldpr]

"And when I create new listings, the eBay suggested price information based on past sales seems based in single item sales, rather than unit cost for lots."

That irks me. I have left feedback about it for the eBay bot too. One item for $10 is not the same as a lot of 10 items for $100, but they never take the number into account in their price suggestions.

I've never tried the lot listings, because I don't understand it enough to know if it will just open a can of buggy coded worms like so many other things eBay related lol. And, the how-to pages tend to have outdated info and links that don't work with no way to report it to a real human who can do something about it.

Let us know how it goes - like if you see a drop in sales after using it - or if you see an uptick. I'm curious.