since when did ebay enable search by image

[lasantino]

well well.  I don't use my mobile app often.  just noticed that ebay now offers search by image.

This will completely decimate a large majority of resellers.   I'm scared to even ask if buyers can add keywords to their image search results.

[eburtonlab]

A quick search turns up references to image search in the app going back as far as 2017.

[slippinjimmy]

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@lasantino wrote:

This will completely decimate a large majority of resellers.

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Why? Every eBay listing has images of what is being sold.

[lasantino]

oh  gosh,,  I guess i just never have seen the option before.  I used to use my phone extensively when sourcing items.  I never had the option right within ebay search bar to just push the camera icon and search ebay.  I guess I didn't notice it.

Thanks for clarifying.   

[mybigsale]

@lasantino 

since when did ebay enable search by image?

I found this eBay announcement from 2017:

An Easier Way to Search eBay: Computer Vision with Find It On eBay and Image Search Is Now Live (eba...

eBay has removed and then returned the feature in the past. I remember it being there in the past.  I remember it did go away (because of glitches) and then come back within the past year or two.

[redlinear]

Is why they are trying to get you to remove the background (making background solid white). And making your pics look like bad photoshop. 
I feel this also has quite a bit to do with what is shown from normal word searches also. If you have several really similar items such as a 97 5.9L engine block, 99 5.9L engine block, 2003 5.9L engine block.  All "should" show in a vague search.   
They are all different, yet have an extremely "same" appearance in a photo.  And ALL will not be seen in a search that common sense says they should.

[mybigsale]

@lasantino 

This will completely decimate a large majority of resellers

Why? 

I have been using it for years to search items I can't readily identify. Google search can also search images and seams more accurate (it works to identify plants and many other things as well as collectibles etc.).  

[lasantino]

I think it will negatively affect any pricing power that good sellers may still have.   

Not all sellers are good at listing with accurate , thorough keywords.  Nor do all sellers take good pictures or write detailed accurate descriptions.  

If i'm a buyer looking for something. I will then just find the item i'm looking for, then do an image search via ebay and see who else is selling it.   For sellers who don't take the time to make appealing listings, buyers won't care. As long as they are getting the same item at the lowest price.    

Buyers know that they can always return something if they don't like it.  So there is really no risk in buying an something from a seller who has less than ideal pics or lighting or little to no description.  As long as I find some seller who has the item i want and that seller took the time to take great pictures and list specs.  I can then do an image search,  verify that the item is the same and purchase for the cheapest price. 

I'm having a long day, I may not have explained this clearly.   Basically,  image search allows buyers to use an image from a great listing (and priced higher)  to find the same item cheaper.

[onefootflippers]

The search by image is old news, like 6 years ago. 

I would be willing to wager money that it is a feature overwhelmingly used by sellers and not buyers.

The seller with the cheapest price almost always gets the sale anyway.

Also, any really cunning buyer is going to be searching from a web browser and not the ebay app anyway.

[ten_o_nine]

@lasantino 

What do you think people are doing with their phones at thrift shops, Googling and eBaying with the images, there are more image searches on other sites too.

[gwens*4saleitems*]

Me, me, me. I use it all the time. It's easier to find things quickly and see what pricing / selling numbers are like for that particular product.