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From eBay Search Forum
EBAY IS RUINED!!!
http://forums.ebay.com/db1/thread.jspa?threadID=2000405068&tstart=0&mod=1185292335012
denizappleby (68 ) Jul-22-07 07:57 PDT
Let me start by saying how Ebay is a part of my day. I search for my items, and shop. Not a big buyer,but a heavy duty shopper. That is now gone, due to this ridiculous search process! It may work better for the techy who wrote the program, but in turn ruined it for the shoppers! I am truly disappointed in Ebay. Now I have gone back to my local papers, and yard sales. Still just shopping, but disappointed that I can't use Ebay any longer!!
touch*my*toes (12 ) Jul-22-07 11:02 PDT 1 of
HA! I was searching for Birki's -cork using search title and description. Best match tells me that Harley Davidson boots are a better match than Birki's. HUH? This is beyond stupid.
.
[email protected] Jul-22-07 11:15 PDT 2 of
Hi denizappleby,
We'd love to hear specifics on how you use search. Can you post your queries etc and we'll do what we can to respond and/or resolve the issue you're seeing.
touch*my*toes,
I tried birki's -cork on both the current search and the playground. http://playground.ebay.com
I get identical results on each and neither are showing any harley davidson results. Would you mind posting your queries and or URLs so we can investigate?
Title and description search isn't complete yet for the playground but on the current search, even using best match from the dropdown I'm seeing women's shoes at the top.
Thanks,
Jeff
.
touch*my*toes (12 ) Jul-22-07 11:32 PDT 3 of
Here is the identical search I ran, same results.
Search terms: birki's -cork
Searching title and description.
Harley Davidson boots are #4 on your "Best Match" results:
There are also more HD boots that show before Birki's on other pages. I understand WHY they show up. I don't understand how they would be in the top 10 of a best match search result. What exactly is the criteria for best match?
fairly_dinkum (6 ) Jul-23-07 08:34 PDT 4 of
touch, this may actually NOT be a problem with any of the new search functions. OTOH - it does illustrate how "gaming the system" is even easier with the new search.
It appears that the seller of those items is Keyword Spamming within all listings. Besides an internal search/browse that utilizes various brand names...
...there's several keywords that are being used under the guise of a FAQ page.
Quite ingenious. But, definitely a rule breaker.
fair treatment for Stores - just do it
~me
glenda (1349 ) Jul-23-07 10:34 PDT 5 of
Hi fairly_dinkum
I think the issue isn't that the listings are coming up, and I think touch*my*toes understands that they're coming up because of the keyword spamming.
I think the issue is that they are coming up high in the results as a Best Match for birki's -cork.
Glenda
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V3 You can write to eBay support by clicking on Help then Contact Us.
It's hard to tell where the road will lead, just looking at it from the one end.
zag001a (1708 ) Jul-23-07 11:30 PDT 6 of
Pink: I have not been able to get rid of the location by miles part of the search results. Today I even lost the shipping cost section and when I go to customize (for the 10th time) it says everything I want is OK. Help please. zag.
zag001a (1708 ) Jul-23-07 12:34 PDT 7 of
Also it "APPEARS" that all of my searches have the Title & Description box checked as well as Best match. Very frustrating. Just cuts down on the time I spend searching to change everything back. zag
zag001a (1708 ) Jul-23-07 12:37 PDT 8 of
I Rarely put in my opinion to this boards, but since no one else is responding, I would like to say I feel like that Twilight Zone episode where all the people n the neighborhood are worried and upset about new situations going on in their block and at the end, the camera pulls away to a little girl playing with her dollhouse people. ebaY is yanking our strings...zag
glenda (1349 ) Jul-23-07 14:42 PDT 9 of
Hi zag001a
You're in, I believe, one (or more) of the unannounced tests. I know that some people have experienced the title w/description checked off situation, and some people have experienced the shipping column disappearing situation. You're the first one who's commented on having the Location by miles displaying all the time when you don't have it specified to do so, though.
You might try deleting cookies and clearing your cache, though I'll be honest that it hasn't worked for some of the people who have been dropped into those particular tests.
Glenda
--
V3 You can write to eBay support by clicking on Help then Contact Us.
It's hard to tell where the road will lead, just looking at it from the one end.
zag001a (1708 ) Jul-23-07 16:25 PDT 10 of
Exactly Glenda, although it has happened at two different computers now. I can live with it. Thank you for your reply. I still feel like I am in the T.Z. tho. LOL:_|
touch*my*toes (12 ) Jul-23-07 17:20 PDT 11 of
Title and description search isn't complete yet for the playground but on the current search, even using best match from the dropdown I'm seeing women's shoes at the top.
Thanks,
Jeff
Oh, there is definitely women's shoes at the TOP. Is there only ONE best match result? LOL!
BTW, those Harley boots are now the #2 best match result ebay provides.
touch*my*toes (12 ) Jul-23-07 17:23 PDT 12 of
I think the issue isn't that the listings are coming up, and I think touch*my*toes understands that they're coming up because of the keyword spamming.
I think the issue is that they are coming up high in the results as a Best Match for birki's -cork.
Exactamundo, and thank you very much!
BTW, you were right. I was obviously being subjected to some sort of random test as my search results have now reverted back to the ones I had set. Thanks!
touch*my*toes (12 ) Jul-23-07 17:28 PDT 13 of
It appears that the seller of those items is Keyword Spamming within all listings. Besides an internal search/browse that utilizes various brand names...
...there's several keywords that are being used under the guise of a FAQ page.
Quite ingenious. But, definitely a rule breaker.
That PS should, and probably does know better. Disgusting.
I hope Jeff takes a look at the link soon. Those listings might be gone shortly. That is if ebay is fair and even handed. We'll see.
8270elizabeth (197 ) Jul-23-07 17:57 PDT 14 of
I agree that the new search leaves much to be desired. I do not have time to weed through all of the stuff I wasn't even searching for. On top of that I tried to enter a new search in my favorites today and after the fifth attempt, I gave up. This is ridiculous.
8270elizabeth
fairly_dinkum (6 ) Jul-24-07 08:52 PDT 15 of
touch, I wasn't sure if you knew it was due to KWS, or thought that it was part of the category/auto-linked-words feature.
I will offer my opinion as to why those items come up so high w/in BM. Since those listings are doing some major KWS, they come up in more searches.
Since they come up in more searches, more peeps are likely to click on them. With those "more clicks", comes a higher placement in Relevancy.
In the words of Esteban Kozak, "with Best Match, what buyers do on the site will affect the order in which listings are displayed. In other words, if buyers running a particular search often end up viewing, bidding on, or buying a certain type of item more often, this will be factored into our relevance calculations. The Best Match scores for these types of items will be higher, and might display higher on the page because they are similar to items that have been more relevant for that search in the past."
It is a direct result of the BM search functionality that listings engaged in KWS will benefit with higher placement. It is simply a matter of logic.
Ebay will (again) be rewarding the rule-breakers. They have NEVER stated that they are even aware of this situation. It would appear that the end of their collective noses is the extent of their vision.
I hope Jeff takes a look at the link soon. Those listings might be gone shortly. That is if ebay is fair and even handed. We'll see.
Now I know you're just kidding. 
Right? 
fair treatment for Stores - just do it
~me
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