Ebay search tip

[rb46dk]

Hi all.

Here's a tip for ebay that I discovered that might help others:

I made 3 ebay searches, all exactly the same with the same filters on and got 3 very different sets of results. I made one on the ebay phone app, one on the desktop as a guest and finally, one on the desktop signed in to my account. EVERY search had results that were not in the other two searches!!!!! You would hope that the same search terms with the same filters on would get the same results but IT DOESN'T!!!! I didnt find what I needed until I searched on my desktop whilst signed into my account.
So.... if you are not finding what you are looking for, try the different methods and you might find it, because the results ARE NOT THE SAME!

 

[Matt Quinn]

...If you find your way to the eBay community forums, you'll find sellers tearing their hair out because their items aren't being seen. Basically; eBay are actually HIDING items from view! - And trying to push 'promoted' listings for which they charge sellers extra! It's pretty scandalous TBH.

I don't sell on eBay (though I do buy a lot); but I was researching for a project (business) which would sell craft items online... eBay being a common platform for this. I've come to the conclusion it's not a viable platform for that. - If you list something on eBay the normal way the chances of it turning up in a search are roughly 13:1 AGAINST! - And this mainly seems to impact searches done in the 'lowest price first' modes; although the discrepancies between mobile APP, signed in and guest mode are also (clearly) a problem for both buyers and sellers.

The collated/notated screenshots below show one of the many problems; the basic search is for a solitary brand name, and was originally made from the front page with no categories selected: you can see how eBay have interfered with the search. ...Forcing a category and limiting the display to 169 items. ...the first of which is a long long way from the 'lowest price' required!

But for now; if you're searching for something you need to be 'tricky' about it. ...One common tactic is to reverse your search order (to highest price first) and navigate to the bottom of the last page; though that's often baulked where there are large numbers of items. - And it seems eBay are even interfering with that tactic!

This may well blow up in eBay's face as the press ARE looking into it... and eBay's reaction is to try and 'censor' criticism!