where did all the customers go and why - you tell me?

[percgrabbe-0]

want to hear your take on it, go

[retrose1]

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@the*dog*ate*my*tableclothwrote:

The search is terrible and I agree with Rose's point although I don't think it's the worst thing about Ebay.

I hate buying something then seeing something cheaper that was there before but Ebay didn't show me. I'm tired of all the stuff coming up in the vintage category although it's obviously new. I've had numerous purchases cancelled on me in the past year which wastes my time.

There are so many things going wrong, where would you even start?

---

I see the problems I bolded as being part of the problm with search.

ebay seems so proud of the fact that their search uses several algorythms and criteria (and I am sure a dartboard and a random generator) to give buyers their search results when it should be simply all the keywords the buyer put in search in the title.  If that is not enough, the buyer will start drilling for better, perhaps ebay could include a Item specific search option for the buyer to check instead of ebay automatically including it.

When i am on the other site - I pop in a couple of keywords and it gives me everything i asked for - if there is way too much, or some new or handmade item I didn't realize would be included is filling the results, I click on Vintage instead of All listings and I'm finding exactly what I want.

[yuzuha]

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@the*dog*ate*my*tableclothwrote:

The search is terrible and I agree with Rose's point although I don't think it's the worst thing about Ebay.

I hate buying something then seeing something cheaper that was there before but Ebay didn't show me. I'm tired of all the stuff coming up in the vintage category although it's obviously new. I've had numerous purchases cancelled on me in the past year which wastes my time.

There are so many things going wrong, where would you even start?

---

I honestly have never had a problem with search, but that could also be because I search with very specific search terms that don't bring up much unrelated stuff if any at all. My last search - "Philosophy hot cocoa shower gel" - got me exactly what I wanted, with only a couple of results that weren't the specific thing I was looking for (and one of those results was due to the seller keyword spamming in the title).

I've never run into a search full of unrelated items, and while I'm sure it does happen, I'm not sure how much of that isn't due to HOW people search rather than search itself.

[castlemagicmemories]

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@Anonymouswrote:

Yes I understand that, After My Home Flooded From Hurricane Harvey, I have been replacing alot of Items, I did buy Most large items at Walmart as well.. I have been replacing bedding this month, I  was looking for Pre-owned items here and bought alot, But Some sheet sets I could not find, Most  New sets on here was cheaper then the used, But Walmart had new ones even cheaper then the new one's here so Got them at Walmart. I did buy alot of Pj's, Shoes, Socks( lot 's of Socks) outfits here. I am still trying to shop here First, But having a hard time finding what I am looking for. I will keep trying1 Good Luck all!

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So sorry for what you have gone through.  Hope you find what you are looking for, and wishing you all the best as you recover from Harvey.  God bless.

[Anonymous]

 There is alot of Great sellers on here,  that gave me great deals, We are going to be just fine, Thank you and God bless as well!

[southern*sweet*tea]

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@retrose1wrote:

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@the*dog*ate*my*tableclothwrote:

The search is terrible and I agree with Rose's point although I don't think it's the worst thing about Ebay.

I hate buying something then seeing something cheaper that was there before but Ebay didn't show me. I'm tired of all the stuff coming up in the vintage category although it's obviously new. I've had numerous purchases cancelled on me in the past year which wastes my time.

There are so many things going wrong, where would you even start?

---

I see the problems I bolded as being part of the problm with search.

ebay seems so proud of the fact that their search uses several algorythms and criteria (and I am sure a dartboard and a random generator) to give buyers their search results when it should be simply all the keywords the buyer put in search in the title.  If that is not enough, the buyer will start drilling for better, perhaps ebay could include a Item specific search option for the buyer to check instead of ebay automatically including it.

When i am on the other site - I pop in a couple of keywords and it gives me everything i asked for - if there is way too much, or some new or handmade item I didn't realize would be included is filling the results, I click on Vintage instead of All listings and I'm finding exactly what I want.

---

I don't have much of a problem with Ebay's search, but I only buy shipping supplies and vintage/used here, and I don't buy clothes.

An hour ago I was searching for 9x6x2 boxes. I looked here, and saw plenty of 9x6x2 boxes. Like  a good little cheapskate I then set my search for lowest price. Saw plenty of 9x6x2 boxes.

Just for giggles I went over to Amz and searched for 9x6x2 boxes. I saw a few 9x6x2 boxes. Like a good little cheapskate I then set my search for lowest price. I saw pages and pages of one cent lunchboxes from China.

Guess where I'm going to buy my boxes at? (hint - it ain't Amz)

Screwy search isn't just an Ebay thing.

[max39666]

First of all consider  the buying exprience of any new buyer-he or she only has 100 dollars to spend-

buys a item for 99$ on the 3rd of the month and with much excitement of his /her  item being found  paid for.

Then the wait game begins--5 days pass-then 7 days pass--once excitement turns to a ?--Message after message--no reply from seller--now the ? turn into what to do ? 

Actualy a rare buyer that finds and reads the buyer protection policy-starts the process by filing INR'

Told item may still be on the  way--if you haven't heard back by March 10  come back and we will help you.

 finally march 10 Arrives--no item received- told wait two days--finaly receives money back--during all this waiting other items  decovered that could havebeen bought if money hadn't been locked up with  many days waiting'

No only did the buyer leave-they left upset and several friends were told the situation---Don't believe word of mouth can't damage business--Think again!

Anything that gives a buyer a bad  buying   exprience-Long term glitches trying to pay for something--wrong item received--broken or  missing parts-etc etc has  real chance of becoming   neg word of mouth being spoken or posted thruout the real world or  in the vast space of cyberland.

IMHO E bay has become the housewhole word of mouth of no longer being the once fun to shop or sell on. 

[imakesugar]

I

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@doffboxwrote:
I think the increasing number of misleading ads and the lack of being unable to have eBay do anything about them is maybe driving people to Amazon and other sites. I waste so much time reading an item description and when I place my order the price is much higher than the price at the top of the item listing. The most recent experience was with my trying to get a harness for my dog. The price at the heading is one thing and the check out price is 10 times or more higher. Unless I am misunderstanding something. 

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Have been complaining about this for months and months. I even pointed out in My post that eBay is losing money on these listings...It falls on deaf ears! I personally get tired of spending My time looking at listings and then find out it is a  "BAIT AND SWITCH!"

[ted_200]

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@percgrabbe-0wrote:

want to hear your take on it, go

---

Well, here are a couple of good starting points...

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Deceiving-Listings-Does-the-Seller-Know/m-p/28263774

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Product-Catalog/Product-Landing-Pages-Are-A-Disaster-If-You-Let-People...

[ted_200]

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@luckythewinnerwrote:

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@percgrabbe-0wrote:

want to hear your take on it, go

---

My take is that the dollar volume of merchandise sold on this site has been increasing steadily every quarter for the past 5+ years. 

So I think the more accurate question some sellers should be asking is where did my buyers go?  And I think there are many different answers to that question, based on the different sellers who have come here asking it.  

But basic economics says you are less likely to get regular sales unless:

• your prices are as low or lower than the competition
• what you are selling is in demand
• supply does not exceed demand
• your presentation of the items will attract buyers

---

eBay is undermining their sellers... not the other way around...

[ted_200]

Being brutally honest, too many American sellers who have listed their items via eBay's Global Shipping Program don't realize that they have priced their items unattractively relative to similar or comparable items.

Many of those sellers don't even know they're in the GSP or what it is, let alone "listed their items" that way on purpose - eBay opts new sellers in, they have to figure out they're in it, and then opt out.  Most won't opt-out, because they don't care if the don't get a sale they weren't going to get anyhow.

And even if you're opted-out and offer to ship international for cheap, most international buyers won't bother looking here anymore, because most of the items (even if it's not your items) have ridiculous shipping costs. 

The presence of the GSP, even though I won't use it, has undermined my international sales severely.

[demyan1978]

Maybe it is so because of 2018 Spring Seller Update? Ebay change some things as a results search is not working good, seller search position can be change, some bugs...

[ted_200]

---

@max39666wrote:

First of all consider  the buying exprience of any new buyer-he or she only has 100 dollars to spend-

buys a item for 99$ on the 3rd of the month and with much excitement of his /her  item being found  paid for.

Then the wait game begins--5 days pass-then 7 days pass--once excitement turns to a ?--Message after message--no reply from seller--now the ? turn into what to do ? 

Actualy a rare buyer that finds and reads the buyer protection policy-starts the process by filing INR'

Told item may still be on the  way--if you haven't heard back by March 10  come back and we will help you.

 finally march 10 Arrives--no item received- told wait two days--finaly receives money back--during all this waiting other items  decovered that could havebeen bought if money hadn't been locked up with  many days waiting'

No only did the buyer leave-they left upset and several friends were told the situation---Don't believe word of mouth can't damage business--Think again!

Anything that gives a buyer a bad  buying   exprience-Long term glitches trying to pay for something--wrong item received--broken or  missing parts-etc etc has  real chance of becoming   neg word of mouth being spoken or posted thruout the real world or  in the vast space of cyberland.

IMHO E bay has become the housewhole word of mouth of no longer being the once fun to shop or sell on. 

---

I can't argue with all that, it's just that most of the bad buying experiences are now caused by eBay, not eBay's sellers.

[ted_200]

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@demyan1978wrote:

Maybe it is so because of 2018 Spring Seller Update? Ebay change some things as a results search is not working good, seller search position can be change, some bugs...

---

It's a work in progress... one that started clear back in 2008.

[tunicaslot]

I can apply most everyone's points to other e-commerce sites or B&Ms. 

Buyers are disappointed going to a grocery store for the sale item - only to find they are out of stock or it never came in. They can't find the sale item because now it isn't in aisle G - they moved it to an endcap on aisle B.

I routinely have orders cancelled for out of stock from stores like Penny's, Target, Abercrombie, Easy Spirit. I haven't shopped at Macy's in 7 yrs due to an overcharge that took weeks to fix. So  buyers will sometimes leave the business and shop elsewhere but there is no business - no matter how wonderful - that won't have a disappointed buyer -  it's the nature of the beast - you can't please all the people all of the time.

[aquajoe07011]

Why would a buyer use a site that has:

A terrible search engine that pulls up unrelated items then what was searched for.

Multiple technical issues that are rarely fixed.

Constant changes to the page layout.

Millions of listings of cheap junk from China that takes weeks to arrive after purchase.

Hundreds of duplicate listings by Chinese sellers.

Scam sellers who sell items at below market prices but never ship item.   Refund doesn't occur until case is opened after expected delivery date.  Money is tied up for a long time.

Need more reasons?