Ebay policy changes

Posts: 1346 · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 7:47 am

I have seen the new search features, and they suck. I downgraded myself back, after trying what I normally do "show items ending in one hour" and "items marked BIN started within an hour." After I had switched, I couldn't do either, and searches removing sellers didn't work right. Just glad it wasn't a mandatory change (probably will be soon, though.)

Posts: 3999 · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 10:43 am

mbassoc2003 wrote:

Well, it seems I am privelidged. I have a new front end to the search engine, which is designed to present the items eBay thinks I want based on a search, rather than giving access to searching all of eBay's listings. Both my basic search and advanced search windows changed at midday yesterday. Did you knwo that as there are only 14 items listed for 'battletech' in the new search facility, and only 62 worldwide searching both stores and regular auctions, and item description as well.
Unfortunately, thei new search facility I seem priveliged to experience has no way of searching eBay auctions not selected to be presented in it.

How much more can this company fuck up eBay?

Do you not the 'New. Search has changed. Find out what's new.' flag in your search window? Do you get the same number of resuclts you used to get when you searched for 'Dungeon Crawl' or 'GenCon' or 'Fanzine' as you used to?

I get practically nil results for a lot of searched now. It's like RPGs have been removed from the search engine all together. Even if you specifically try to search in 'Wargames' or 'Role Playing Games' catagory.

I wondered what was going on last night. I couldn't get the search engine to list all of a certain type of module, even though I knew the auctions existed.

Posts: 101 · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 11:28 am

I just encountered this new eBay search option. eBay told me that there were only 3,700 items in the D&D section. After I figured out how to opt out of this new crappy engine (at the bottom of the search page you can click a tiny "opt out" link) the number in the old search jumps up to 12,700 items.

Are you kidding me!?!?! I get to miss out on what, 9,000 items???

Insanity. How can they think limiting what you can find is a GOOD idea??

Zen

Posts: 4716 · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 2:22 pm

http://news.yahoo.com/s/bw/20080603/bs_bw/jun2008tc2008062112762

Maybe they know something we don't.

Posts: 2523 · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 2:37 pm

Well, I am one of the lucky eBay members who do not have the opt out option. Apparently (according to UK eBay support) certain buyers in the UK were selected at random to have their businesses crippled.

If anyone can help, I'd really appreciate it.

Posts: 4543 · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 2:49 pm

Deadlord39 wrote:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/bw/20080603/bs_bw/jun2008tc2008062112762

Maybe they know something we don't.

Wow, for once in my stinking life I'm ahead of a trend. The majority of my items have been fixed price for many years, and I dropped auctions completely, except for special items or promotions, last year. I've actually saved quite a bit of money going "Auction Free"...about $40-$50 a month from fees so far this year.

Unless you have a unique, rare or popular item, or are shilling, you will lose money on an auction compared to fixed price. The only time to auction anymore is in the above case, or if you have to sell an item immediately (within a seven day period instead of say waiting a couple of months to get your price).

Mike B.

Posts: 1439 · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 2:52 pm

Deadlord39 wrote:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/bw/20080603/bs_bw/jun2008tc2008062112762

Maybe they know something we don't.

Yahoo auctions ended on June 3rd.
period.

Posts: 4543 · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 3:05 pm

mbassoc2003 wrote:

Well, I am one of the lucky eBay members who do not have the opt out option. Apparently (according to UK eBay support) certain buyers in the UK were selected at random to have their businesses crippled.

If anyone can help, I'd really appreciate it.

Ian, there is no way to opt out? Did you talk to a human being on the phone or skype? And is this permanent, or just for a period of time, because I know they are still "testing" their new features. Maybe if you threatened to close your account? I would think with all the recent defections they would want to try to keep a good seller around...but then again this IS ebay, who knows.

Mike B.

Posts: 4716 · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 4:31 pm

Write this down and save it.
ebay is moving to a fixed price model. The reason they are doing this is because it produces a more predictable and steady stream of income, AND allows them to pitch to the major retailers/wholesalers. I am beginning to think this new CEO might be a genius.
For example, they can go to Nike, and offer to sell Nike products at a discounted fee, lower than the retailers can. So, Nike says sure, we'll link our site to yours, and when someone clicks on our site, we have what amounts to a storefront. As a bonus, every Nike auction contains a link to Nike's site. If you're looking at an eBay auction for green pump-up Super Jumper tennis sneakers, but you are really looking for something else, you click the Nike link and get redirected to Nike's list of merchandise. There, you find purple high-cut Marathon Man sneakers that you fall in love with, click the link and lo and behold, there is the eBay auction for you to buy them and have them shipped right to your door.
eBay is trying to become the storefront for as many businesses as it can. They could care less about Grandma auctioning off her Mason jar collection, they are after the big game.

Posts: 3999 · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 6:03 pm

Zenfinite wrote:

I just encountered this new eBay search option. eBay told me that there were only 3,700 items in the D&D section. After I figured out how to opt out of this new crappy engine (at the bottom of the search page you can click a tiny "opt out" link) the number in the old search jumps up to 12,700 items.

Are you kidding me!?!?! I get to miss out on what, 9,000 items???

Insanity. How can they think limiting what you can find is a GOOD idea??

Zen

What is the purpose of this feature?

Is it to punish certain sellers?

Are buyers supposed to be grateful for a certain level of mind control?

I cannot be understanding this right.....there has to be a reason beyond just bone stupid or something petty.

There must be some sort of logic behind limiting my searches.

Anyone?

Posts: 3999 · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 6:19 pm

OK...I just ran an Ebay search for Judges Guild.

The result came back with 32 items.

Anyone else? What did you get?

Posts: 101 · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 6:27 pm

25

Posts: 1346 · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 6:35 pm

83, total.

Posts: 74 · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 7:12 pm

50 items found for: judges guild
+
276 items found for: judges guild in All Stores Categories

Nice

and in quotes

59 items found for: "judges guild"
+
275 items found for: "judges guild" in All Stores Categories

9 more items listed within 3 seconds for putting quotes around judges guld?

double nice

Posts: 3999 · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 7:36 pm

OK...

I drove home from work.

From my home computer:

Now I have 59 items up for auction and 277 Buy-it-Now and another 168 on Ebay Express.

1) Is a different computer somehow given different settings?

2) Why are auctions listed as separate from Buy-It-Now if I am searching in "All Items?"

3) Is Ebay Express a separate list from the one I normally use? Are these different items, or selected items from the entire list?

Question

Posts: 995 · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 7:39 pm

I had trouble with searching yesterday. I don't understand this. Why would Ebay downgrade their search engine reducing the potential customer base for listed products?

Posts: 3999 · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 7:41 pm

HermitFromPluto wrote:

I had trouble with searching yesterday. I don't understand this. Why would Ebay downgrade their search engine reducing the potential customer base for listed products?

It makes no sense...so it is either a misconception or there is more to the story.

No one could be that stupid.

Posts: 406 · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 7:56 pm

FormCritic wrote:

OK...

I drove home from work.

From my home computer:

Now I have 59 items up for auction and 277 Buy-it-Now and another 168 on Ebay Express.

1) Is a different computer somehow given different settings?

2) Why are auctions listed as separate from Buy-It-Now if I am searching in "All Items?"

3) Is Ebay Express a separate list from the one I normally use? Are these different items, or selected items from the entire list?

Question

1) More likely you are accessing a different eBay server via a different route.

2) Pass

3) Pass

This sounds like a collation problem with some of the Ebay servers. They probably create multiple, distributed search indices to spread the massive traffic load. Perhaps some of these indices are not being updated properly or are missing data following update due to infrastructure faults. As you say, it serves no purpose from eBay's perspective to limit availability. I wonder could it be a bug or series of bugs related to their recent seller visibility program?

Posts: 101 · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 2:33 am

Searched Judges Guild on the main page. At 2:30 AM EST, I get 69 items.

I have to scroll down to click the tiny link for viewing Buy-It-Now items. Then I get an additional 275 items.

I wish I could pick some eBay corporate bigwig's brain and just see what direction they are taking. Maybe it makes sense, we're just missing something? I can't see how limiting search results helps them, in any way, shape or form. *shrugs*

Zen

Posts: 2523 · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 6:05 am

I spoke to a human being (presumabley) on eBay's select customer support line. I was told there is no way to opt out of being a test subject, and the fact that it is crippling my business is the sort of feedback they will take on board. I was told that the search facility for the test subjects only has limited access to eBay's full list of auctions, and only presents items I will want to buy based on my previous purchase history.

Apparently we will all be privelidges eventually to have our search options specifically tailored to our needs, but in the meantime some of us have to be arbitratily selected to be fucked in the ass, and only get to watch as everyone else is given full access to eBay's full selection of auctions. They also have no problem closing my account and are grateful for my feedback.