MSE Local eBay Deals tool discussion 16 March 2012 at 6:47PM edited 21 March 2012 at 11:13AM in Ebay, Auctions, Car Boot & Jumble Sales 147 replies 56.6K views

QuackQuackOops

toffe wrote: »

because they are affiliate linked, all of these "tools" are, so when you find something you like and buy it the owner of the "tool" gets some affiliate commission.

Not the way I do it.

I have Ebay on my account opened on one window and then search for local items on another. If I see something I like, I then go to my ordinary account and bid from there.

The reason why I do that, is that my window is linked through Quidco, so I get the commision.

I didnt think many regulars on MSE would buy something from a link on here when they can use Quidco etc.

steveo3002

would be nice to have the sellers location or postcode visable without clicking the map

thelawnet

QuackQuackOops wrote: »

There are already several such sites that do this such as BayCrazy (which has all kinds of Ebay searches, not just local ones) Although this works fine, why would MSE want to be bothered with it?

This is just another tool to skim off commission from an already popular site without really adding any value.

Like the Amazon Deal Finder (which got wheeled out pre-Christmas, yet doesn't work properly), this doesn't do anything that wouldn't be better done on ebay.

Example, I would quite like a new bicycle, so I just go to ebay, and to

• Sporting Goods >
• Cycling >
• Bikes

then I select 'distance < 10 miles' on the left.

Or 'sort by distance'.

I don't see any advantage to use the MSE tool at all.

Zanderman

Not sure what the limits are on the resulting listings - if I pick ending soon I get a different list to newly listed - but would expect, it to be, more or less, the same list but in the opposite order. It's clearly only giving the top X number of listings in each report - but how would I get the next batch - can't see a 'next page' button.

Also, in choosing the cars category it comes up with nothing. Which is clearly nonsense as i know there are cars being sold within 5 miles of me on Ebay (I'm selling one myself). So it's obviously NOT working for that.

My own version, saved as a search on my account, saerches for items within 10 miles with the search:

(("cash on collection", "buyer must collect", "collection only", "local pick-up", "local pickup", "no postage", "pick up only", "pickup only", "unable to post", "needs to be collected", "Collection in Person only", "can't post"))

Not infallible, but it comes up with some useful stuff - and more than MSE's version does! So I think the MSE's version needs a little tweaking...

shammyjack

The MSE tool is poor and only scratches the surface !

It only picks up 50% of what my standard ebay search for local items does.

Canny ebay buyers have had their own search tools for years .

custardy

shammyjack wrote: »

The MSE tool is poor and only scratches the surface !

It only picks up 50% of what my standard ebay search for local items does.

Canny ebay buyers have had their own search tools for years .

I just don't know why folks dont save their custom searches
I get email updates for searches on pretty specific stuff
then I go into my eBay to do manual searches on the likes of general local stuff

VoucherMan

Fail!

Since when was MSE short for Money Spending Expert?

Surely all this is going to do is encourage people to buy stuff they don't want/need.

If you want to waste your money go ahead.

But before you do why not try an eBay search -

Choose the advanced search option

Select your chosen category.

Tick the Auction, Free P&P, Collect in person boxes

Enter your postcode & the chosen distance.

Choose your desired sort by option.

then Search


Now compare to the MSE search. Similar?

Okay the eBay search may have one or two items with free P&P on the list but it will also have all the collection only. And with lots of other useful filtering options such as refining the category, limiting the price range, and best of all, entering a description.

With a bit of practice you'll be able to use it to find something instead of anything.

StaffsSW

What a fantastic idea - did MSE come up with one this all by themselves...?!

StaffsSW

patman99 wrote: »

Now, how about one for eBid ?.

Ebid do not have an affiliate payout system based on sold items, so no incentive for MSE to "create" such a tool...

Skyliner

Is there a way of customising the search panel, rather than having to change it each time - for instance, in my case I should like to change it to 20 miles and newly-listed, rather than the default settings.