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Ina Steiner

EcommerceBytes Blog
News and insight focusing on ecommerce.
by Ina Steiner, Editor of EcommerceBytes.com

Wed Dec 5 2012 05:49:27

How Will Deluge of Motors Listings Impact eBay.com Search?

By: Ina Steiner

Sponsored Link

In a surprise announcement on Tuesday, eBay announced it was merging listings from eBay Motors into core search results on eBay.com. eBay spokesperson Todd Witkemper said having two sites was confusing to customers and said the change would roll out in April.

eBay launched eBay Motors as a separate site within eBay on April 24, 2000. On its 13th anniversary, eBay Motors Vehicle listings in all Vehicles categories will be integrated into eBay.com while continuing to reside on the eBay Motors site.

The move is reminiscent of eBay adding Store inventory to core search results. At the time, some eBay sellers said it overwhelmed search results and made it more difficult for shoppers to find their listings.

Just how good a job will eBay do at differentiating between searches for toy cars and searches for real cards? As I asked in today's news story, will a search for "Mini Cooper convertible" bring back Mattel's $26.99 Ken and Barbie Mini Cooper toy alongside a $26,000 Mini Cooper automobile?

With little to no reaction on discussion boards that I could find, I suspect sellers haven't fully absorbed what the announcement means. Let us know what you think!

Update 12/6/12: See eBay Clarifies Motors to Core Announcement.

Comments (40) | Leave Comment | Permalink

Readers Comments

How Will Deluge of Motors Listings Impact eBay.com Search?

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by: Al G

Wed Dec 5 09:22:08 2012

Doesn't the little drop-down thinamajig in the search box or the area at the left allow you to then choose what catagory your Mini-Cooper will be found?

I'm assuming the servers will be updated properly to handle the additional load from a single search engine (Cassini? or by then Huygens?).

How Will Deluge of Motors Listings Impact eBay.com Search?

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by: permacrisis

Wed Dec 5 09:48:15 2012

I'm laying in a big fat supply of Mountain Dew Code Red and Act II Microwave Popcorn for this one!

The whole thing's gonna come crashing down like level 99 in 'Angry Birds!'

How Will Deluge of Motors Listings Impact eBay.com Search?

by: blaumann This user has validated their user name.

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Wed Dec 5 10:02:46 2012

From this no good will come.

How Will Deluge of Motors Listings Impact eBay.com Search?

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by: Anonymous Annie

Wed Dec 5 10:10:34 2012

''SEARCH WTF'' indeed!

Looking beyond the 'eBay-speak' that includes such phrases as ''customers are confused'' or ''you spoke, we listened'' --- a more critical analysis would likely reveal that this is yet another poorly conceived ''solution'' to a systemic problem. And it's a ''solution'' that's likely to have a domino-effect and create more headaches than the original problem it was intended to solve.

This move is an admission by eBay that they have FAILED at being able to make eBay Motors a stand-alone success. They have FAILED at promoting it, and they have FAILED at making it strong enough to stand on its own.

Instead, by doing this, the deluge of listings will likely make eBay's core even MORE difficult to navigate and use. They're using whatever strength eBay has remaining to ''prop-up'' the faltering eBay Motors.

The predictable outcome will be that eBay Motors does NOT benefit... but instead, eBay Motors will put even MORE STRAIN on eBay.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, I suppose. They're grasping at straws and looking for easy solutions to complex problems.

Who's in charge? Whose idea was this? A single person? A committee? The analogy of a dozen cannon-balls rolling around on the deck of a ship in a storm comes to mind.

What a MESS this is going to be!

Do you have your EXIT PLAN ready? Are you making plans to DIVERSIFY? Are you prepared to CYA with other income streams as the SS Ebaytanic continues to take-on water?

How Will Deluge of Motors Listings Impact eBay.com Search?

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by: Marie

Wed Dec 5 10:43:57 2012

While I understand why they would do this, one would hope they would have the search working properly before doing such a HUGE thing. As it is right now, I get stuff I did not ask for when I do a search and sometimes I don't get what I asked for unless I do it a couple times. There has actually been times that the search told me that it pulled a dozen items yet only 3 or so showed up. No matter what I did, I couldn't get it to show me all the items.

And I can't tell you how many times I will type something in to do a search and the search will change what I typed to what it thinks I want, which isn't correct, and then I have to try a couple times before it will leave it the heck alone. Annoying, that's an understatement.

This is trouble. Buyers are really going to have problems. This coupled with the problems of Cassini could create a perfect storm.

How Will Deluge of Motors Listings Impact eBay.com Search?

by: Brainiac jones This user has validated their user name.

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Wed Dec 5 12:05:14 2012

As my personal income is no long tethered to the idiocy that is eBay policy, I can safely say that I no longer give a flying fark what eBay may choose to do, one way or the other. I had a good career at eBay from 2003-2010 (RIP) with my business there and have moved on to other businesses and venues.

For those who haven't yet found the time or gumption to kick the monkey out of their business lives...and believe me...it feels like monkeys run the place (consultants, committees, groupthink), my utter sympathy.

I remember being so upset with eBay all the time, despite the fact that business still went well (despite slipping margins) but now...

Good luck!

How Will Deluge of Motors Listings Impact eBay.com Search?

by: NXeBaybiz This user has validated their user name.

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Wed Dec 5 13:45:05 2012

Ever notice how eBay's QTR reports typically describe their GMV results as 'excluding eBay motors?'

Now, consider that 'item ASP' on the 'core site' is much lower than it is on eBay motors....

And with 'item ASP' along with GMV being a 'boasted parameter' by them...

And NOW, no longer having to 'exclude' eBay motors in such reports - but rather INCLUDE them by default once they're all one big mushy pile of 'successful vision'.....

Just imagine how much 'growth' (artifical though it may be) they'll be able to boast after their 4Q (by their prediction to be 'less than estimated') results are revealed.

Does ANYBODY still exist that BELIEVES that eBay's 'typically justified motivation' of 'we're doing this to benefit the buyer' is accurate?

And that doesn't even BEGIN to address what kind of mess this well result in operationally.

Remember 'store to core'?

Yeah - THAT worked out so fine.

And don't EVEN get me started on the timing of this nonsense.

The Mayans were right. End of days.

How Will Deluge of Motors Listings Impact eBay.com Search?

by: Massachusets Howler This user has validated their user name.

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Wed Dec 5 13:51:04 2012

This ''merge'' shows that ebays search is working for ebay. The search is working JUST LIKE THEY WANT IT TO or they would not merge the 2 parts.
We all scream (myself included) that ''how can they do this when search is ''broken'' but the truth is is that for them, it is working. It certainly is not working for the small sellers who BUILT the site.
Support Auctions, Support Used.
Mass Howler

How Will Deluge of Motors Listings Impact eBay.com Search?

by: richknobsales This user has validated their user name.

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Wed Dec 5 14:00:51 2012

Worst. Idea. Ever.

How Will Deluge of Motors Listings Impact eBay.com Search?

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by: Ric

Wed Dec 5 14:11:28 2012

This is GREAT!!!

Now, when Cassini is implemented, and search results are scaled back, the limited number of irrelevant items I will be able to choose from will now include cars and car parts along with the other flotsam eBay's search engine decides I want to see...

Let the CHAOS begin!!!

How Will Deluge of Motors Listings Impact eBay.com Search?

by: bitbybit This user has validated their user name.

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Wed Dec 5 15:04:27 2012

It looks to me like ebay is looking at their 2nd quarter since this fiasco is being implemented at the end of April 2013. Also looks like they are finding it harder and harder to pull any more tricks out of their a$$ (I mean hat)to make those numbers look good.

''Oh what a tangled web we weave when at first we do deceive'' This looks to be ebay's new motto.

How Will Deluge of Motors Listings Impact eBay.com Search?

by: Patricia This user has validated their user name.

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Wed Dec 5 16:55:40 2012

Sounds awfully dumb to me. Buyers are already turning off in droves because they can't find what they want and now they have to navagate around vehicle listings? Looks like a stupid move simply to inflate listing numbers and hoping for extra sales!

How Will Deluge of Motors Listings Impact eBay.com Search?

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by: Anonymous Annie

Wed Dec 5 18:16:53 2012

Headline From The Future:

''Seeking PPC Revenue, Ebay Strikes Deal To Merge Amazon Product Feed Into Core Listings ~ Quadruples Database Size ~ Reports Optimistic Outlook to Shareholders ~ Wall Street Responds Positively''

How Will Deluge of Motors Listings Impact eBay.com Search?

by: mjr55

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Wed Dec 5 18:20:57 2012

Call me really confused....especially since we sell strictly on Motors.

You have ALWAYS been able to search on the .com site and have Motors listings come up. What exactly is going to be so different?

How Will Deluge of Motors Listings Impact eBay.com Search?

by: mjr55

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Wed Dec 5 18:23:18 2012

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=99+audi+a6&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_t
rksid=p2045573.m570.l1313&_nkw=mercedes+sl&_sacat=0

Here is a sample search on the .com site for Mercedes SL.

It brings back Motors listings....it always has. On the left (as it shows)....there is an option to hit either Ebay Motors....or Toys and Accessories (or right under it...more categories).

How Will Deluge of Motors Listings Impact eBay.com Search?

by: mjr55

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Wed Dec 5 18:26:15 2012

Here is the same exact search term if you go to Motors and do the search

http://motors.shop.ebay.com/eBay-Motors-/6000/i.html?_nk
w=mercedes+sl&_trksid=p2050890.m570.l1313&_rdc=1

On the left it has the parts categories listed...it doesn't have toys and accessories (presumably because that is a .com category and Motors searches do not bring up listings on the .com site).

So...there must be some confusion here. I believe there was a time many years ago that the .com did not include Motors listings for a few months (and it was literally only a few months). Most everyone who does searches for car parts go to the .com site.....not the Motors site.

How Will Deluge of Motors Listings Impact eBay.com Search?

by: mjr55

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Wed Dec 5 18:31:48 2012

Also...read the announcement....he says MOTOR VEHICLE listings (meaning NOT parts and accessories).

Comparing it to when they added stores in core? Be real....not even close to the same thing. I think Ina misunderstood the announcement or the importance of the announcement. If you put Mini Cooper in, there are 246 actual Mini Coopers for sale that would be added to the search results....that's hardly comparable to the several million listings of junk added in overnight when stores were included.

How Will Deluge of Motors Listings Impact eBay.com Search?

by: Massachusets Howler This user has validated their user name.

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Wed Dec 5 18:43:17 2012

Gee. The car and parts sellers must not be getting enough exposure and must be READY to drop their stuff off of ebay for JD to do this!
This will once again DILLUTE our exposure but this is a real sign of JD DESPERATION folks.
He is already blaming the fiscal cliff for slow sales and a TERRIBLE season and now motors to CORE? Bad, bad, bad, and POORLY thought out.
Mass Howler

How Will Deluge of Motors Listings Impact eBay.com Search?

by: jlkautoparts This user has validated their user name.

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Web Site

Wed Dec 5 18:55:10 2012

Moving store listings to core was the worst idea for small sellers.Will wait and see what happens with the new change.

How Will Deluge of Motors Listings Impact eBay.com Search?

by: bitbybit This user has validated their user name.

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Wed Dec 5 19:04:20 2012

Don't forget all the various car names such as Fiesta. So I will get Fiesta cars, parts and dinnerware. Am I understanding this correctly? Who knows how Cassini will work with this.

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