Ebay searches

Posts: 342 · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 12:29 am

Have they just changed the ebay search engine? I know they tried to beta me but I thought I was able to opt out. Luckily I have a bunch of saved searches good for a few months, but this new serach engine is wacked.

Posts: 74 · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 11:06 am

A couple of days ago, I noticed the searches on one of my computers does what appears to be the new search and another one still does the older search. No clue what changed on my one computer, but I'm leaning towards a cookie or something new from them that doesn't have the same information the other does. I might investigate it further if my questions to them don't get answered soon.

Posts: 28 · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 11:44 am

Ive also noticed something weird. On my one computer, if I want to goto "completed auctions" I check the box and then click the button. On my other computer, the "completed auctions" box is not there, just a button to go straight to completed. Im not sure if one computer has different cookies, or if on is running a newer EBAY update. Overall I feel Im getting the same results either way, so its just a matter of getting used tothe new.

I contacted EBAY a couple weeks back concerning this, but never received a reply.

Posts: 342 · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 1:13 pm

I know that ebay is testing some beta programs and they are simply forcing some people to use them and others have the choice of opting out. I think I've been tagged for this beta testing. I wouldn't mind but these new searches and listing pages suck.

For example, I go to a huge category, books, fiction, which has several hundred thousand listings, then I go to the sub-category fantasy, which normally had only 4 to 6 thousand listings. Using advanced search you can exclude certain words, like Harry Potter (which accounts for about 700 listings) and certain sellers like 'Buy' a massive ebay lister (which just for the fantasy listings excludes around 1000 listings)

But now when I try to use the advanced search it takes it back to the main listing for Books, fiction (with 3 to 4 hundred thousand listings.

I have old searches saved so I can just use them for awhile, but they've changed too. The format is different, much less compact and harder to scan quickly. If you click on a listing to look at an auction there is no way to get back to the list, just back to my ebay, so you always need to use the back button instead of page link on the auction listing. No big deal but they've put the 'Back to my ebay' in the same spot they had 'back to list of items'.

There are lots and lots of fiddly little changes as well, very, very annoying.

Posts: 3151 · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 6:08 pm

There is an opt out button near the bottom, but I find it only works for like a session unless you are signed in and then for a day before reverting back. Kind of a pain, but not being stuck with it permanently is good, so I hope they don't change to this.

ShaneG.

Posts: 1002 · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 6:10 pm

A couple of days ago the ebay.us changed to the "new" style while my computer at home is the "old" style page.. I would suggest getting used to the "new" style as from past experience thats all that will be offered at some stage..

Brette:)

Posts: 493 · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 4:34 pm

In France we still have the old form but when I go on ebay.co.uk I have the new search engine. It is impossible to exclude some words without adding a given word to search... So now, impossible to search through a category simply by excluding some words like minis or VGC ( Twisted Evil

)... It sucks! I asked ebay about that too but never got any reply...

Posts: 57 · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 5:24 pm

I also discovered that I didn't like it. I clicked the "Opt Out" link a week or two ago and haven't seen it since then. Wink

~Kat ^_^

Posts: 2269 · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 5:39 pm

Katchoo wrote:

I clicked the "Opt Out" link a week or two ago and haven't seen it since then.

I didn't realize there was an "Opt Out" link on the top of My Ebay. I'd been using the new format for a while but don't like that I can't do a list everything for various categories.

Posts: 342 · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 5:47 pm

Mars wrote:

I didn't realize there was an "Opt Out" link on the top of My Ebay. I'd been using the new format for a while but don't like that I can't do a list everything for various categories.

Too many people opt out so ebay isn't letting some of the user who get tagged get out of it. Thank you ebay.

Posts: 4451 · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 6:07 pm

JZavoda wrote:

Too many people opt out so ebay isn't letting some of the user who get tagged get out of it. Thank you ebay.

Yeh that should tell those geniuses something....

Anyway Mbassoc had the "non-opt out" version awhile back and got out...I think it involved deleting all his cookies and reloading something....does anyone remember how he did it?

Mike B.

Posts: 1277 · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 6:08 pm

Yeah -- he formatted his computer and reinstalled the operating system. A tad extreme, methinks.

Scary thing:

When I log in, if it lets me (it likes to tell me my browser isn't allowing cookies because I don't just allow any website to do so, and I must be blocking one of the random ones eBay throws at me...), I get a "try the beta" option. I think I'll stay away from that, thanks.

Posts: 2893 · Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 12:32 am

Semi-on-topic: I upgraded to Firefox 3.0 a week or three ago, and lost all of my eBay queries saved in my web browser cache/history/whatever, and just downgraded tonight back to 2.0.16 and alas they're not recovered.

*sigh* Had I know that not only TabbedBrowser Preferences as well as my eBay queries would have been lost in 3.0, I wouldn't have ever upgrade in the first place....

*double sigh*

Posts: 1277 · Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 12:41 am

Successful FF3 Data Migration should help if you plan on trying it again.

Posts: 342 · Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2008 8:44 am

Ebay has been opting me into their beta search everytime I log back in. Luckily I can still opt out, but it just doesn't stick. I wouldn't mind if the beta search didn't completely suck, but it is amazingly useless.

Anyone else getting opted in after they've opted out?

Posts: 3151 · Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2008 10:10 am

For a while it was like that, then went back to the old way for a little longer, then back to the new crap. Its been maybe a week or more now that its back to the old way..how long it lasts I'm unsure.

ShaneG.

Posts: 2893 · Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2008 11:37 am

I get opted back in after a day or three, Jason: perhaps your browser's not setting their opted-out cookie properly??

Posts: 1736 · Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2008 11:52 am

I got opted in on ebay.co.uk this morning with no option to opt out (as before). So I: cleared all my private data (including cookies); closed Firefox, opened it again, then ran a search on ebay.co.uk and it automatically opted me in, but this time gave me an opt-out (hooray), and I am still opted out even after logging in. I assume that there is a %age chance of getting the opt-out option when you open up ebay and it does not recognise you - so might be worth trying this a few times if it does not work the first time.

Plus I sent them another snippy email, suggesting they fire some of their web developers. Very Happy

Posts: 101 · Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2008 2:05 pm

red_bus wrote:

I got opted in on ebay.co.uk this morning with no option to opt out (as before). So I: cleared all my private data (including cookies); closed Firefox, opened it again, then ran a search on ebay.co.uk and it automatically opted me in, but this time gave me an opt-out (hooray), and I am still opted out even after logging in. I assume that there is a %age chance of getting the opt-out option when you open up ebay and it does not recognise you - so might be worth trying this a few times if it does not work the first time.

Plus I sent them another snippy email, suggesting they fire some of their web developers. Very Happy

Unless ebay is changing to the new beta permanently, then I would, for those who do not have the "opt out" selection, I would demand to have the pre beta style put back in place or threaten to close your ebay account. If ebay refuses, then I would do everything in my power to cause ebay as much discomfort as humanly possible. And yes, there are ways to do this. Just use your imagination.

Posts: 1179 · Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2008 2:58 pm

To completely purge your browser files I would recommend a handy little utility called CCleaner.

http://www.ccleaner.com/

Removes temporary files, cookies, URL history, autocomplete information, index.dat files, etc.

Works with Internet Explorer, Firefox and Opera (no Safari version).

It is free. Alternatively, you can obtain another free utility from the Major Geeks website called Dial-A-Fix that purges browser files.