Seller Claims eBay Search Censors Certain Items

by: AddyUp

I generally google to find things on ebay, that ebays own search doesn't show me.

Of course the google search also often shows me better items on other sites including the manufacturers own.

My gain ebays loss.

by: Snapped

“ eBay search results are manipulated intentionally.”

So it appears eBay’s machinations don’t seem to ‘Best Match’ the OP’s goals.  For about what, 20 years now?  Imagine that.

All isn’t lost though.  Rumor has it sellers can ‘promote’ (read, buy) their way into what’s ‘best’ now - highest ‘bidder’ wins.  Imagine THAT.

by: etectra

Not only are the search results a complete fraud but the number of items that are reported sold and unsold are a complete fraud. eBay's research tool is also a complete lie.

For years when you searched on eBay for an item and selected the Sold filter the Completed filter would automatically be selected by eBay. If you unselected the Sold filter it would automatically unselect the Completed filter. You could select the Completed filter by itself.

The completed filter is suppose to show all completed items, both sold and unsold. The sold is suppose to only show sold items. The difference between the two are the unsold items. The number of unsold items is required to manually compute the STR using the following formula.

Items Sold  / (Items Sold + Items Still Listed + Expired Unsold Listings)

These filters have not worked for years.

Lets examine an example while also exposing a so called YouTube eBay expert using his own words.

Jride Flips, claims to be an eBay expert on YouTube but has posted many videos claiming a sale through rate above 100%, which is mathematically impossible since the maximum STR is 100% (i.e., every item sold). Any elementary school level math teacher can tell you that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rpdgs9Na954&t=56s


In the above mentioned video he states a DVD has a 200% STR.

A recent search for this DVD set under UPC 883929057542 using eBay's main search engine in new condition shows the following results in the last 90 days.


Listed = 16
Sold Filter = 25
Completed + Sold Filter = 25
Completed Filter Only = 25

I counted the number of items sold and it shows 25 since the filters are unreliable and the Sold filter will often show sold and unsold items. In many cases the unsold items are not shown at all. eBay's Research Tool shows a STR of only 9.52% and only 2 sold in the last 90 days to obviously eBay's main search is hiding the unsold items.

But even if eBay's main search numbers are true and there are no unsold copies, an extremely unlikely scenario, especially for  more popular items, the STR is not 200%.

25 (25 + 16 + 0)
25 / 41 = 0.609756097560976 x 100 = 60.97%

Not accounting for the unsold items and not using the correct formula will give inflated STR rates, even rates above 100%, as the data and math being used is wrong.

When confronted in a live session of his channel this dude doubled down on stupid and tried gotcha moment in chat by providing an example of where STR must be above 100%. He stated what if you had 10 units on hand but sold 1000 units by accepting preorders. Using his completely delusional method he would have you believe the STR is 10,000% ((1000 / 10) x 100 =  10,000).

If you had 10 samples units on hand to immediately ship out, but sold 1,000 units then your STR is 100% of the items you offered for sale based on a open ended preorder volume. On the other hand if you were hoping to sell 2,500 units as that was the minimum factory order then your STR is only 40%.

Anything these so called eBay experts on YouTube say should be viewed with a high degree of suspension. Constantly claiming to reveal items that have STRs above 100% will draw naive viewers to the channel. The primary purpose of these channels is to draw viewers is to draw viewers to raise fund via YouTube advertising and to sell you services, products and classes you do not need.

You run as fast as possible away form any YouTube author repeating the same nonsense about STRs being above 100%. They can't do grade school level math who can't think for themselves or are outright con artists.

by: Snapped

By definition, semantics notwithstanding, any item ‘sold’ must have been ‘listed’ (i.e. made available, aka promised) no matter what any fulfillment terms may apply to the transaction contract.  This includes selling inventory not on hand, at the moment any order for such is “accepted”.

STR can thus never exceed 100% of ‘available’ volume.

As for taking advice from ANY source, think critically.  Duh.

by: Geetar

Well I know ebay sends to the back of search or takes out high return items. I sell covers for guitar pickups. Buyers refuse to figure out what size they need by measuring. So of course it's my fault they didn't measure, and they return it. I cant blame ebay for that. I can blame ebay for this return nightmare though.

by: Snapped

“ So of course it's my fault they didn't measure, and they return it “

Yeah.  eBay needs a tuning on this one. And not just for g-strings, well, those too yes.  Any ‘return’ that results in ‘replacement’ or indicated as buyer remorse should not be included in the algorithm that determines listing value.  It is still a sale the buyer found appealing.  ‘Demoting’ it is both unwarranted and contrary to their own interest.

They either can’t conceive of that, or they are willfully ignoring it.  Whichever you’re most comfortable doing business with.

by: Tahiti_Tom

Searches are manipulated by how much you pay in promoted listings. If you’re not paying at all and someone is paying 2% they will show up first. If you’re paying 2% and someone is paying 3%, they will show up first. If you’re selling a unique item, there’s no need to promote it because it is going to show up first.