Ebay Best Match search result.

Simmysim

Sorry if this has been done before but there is simply no way to compete on Ebay when "Best Match" is the default search result. Im trying to sell an item that only two other people are selling (Buy it now). I have undercut both of them but both are premium members, (over 100 sales with no problems, free delivery an express option and 14 day returns).

Despite having over 900 feedback 100% positive 5 stars across the board (only 71 sales though) I cant get near the top of "best match". And as long as its the default search result its another way ebay are screwing over the little guy.

Rant over

soolin

Simmysim wrote: »

Sorry if this has been done before but there is simply no way to compete on Ebay when "Best Match" is the default search result. Im trying to sell an item that only two other people are selling (Buy it now). I have undercut both of them but both are premium members, (over 100 sales with no problems, free delivery an express option and 14 day returns).

Despite having over 900 feedback 100% positive 5 stars across the board (only 71 sales though) I cant get near the top of "best match". And as long as its the default search result its another way ebay are screwing over the little guy.

Rant over

TOp rated or what used to be power sellers do come higher in best match, then if they add The requirements to show a premium service they will be higher in best match. As a TRS that is what we were promised for jumping through all the hoops and playing the eBay game and I would be unhappy if a standard seller who had not jumped through all the hoops showed higher than me.

The way to beat them is to become TRS yourself and offer the premium service.

charlies_mum

I am offering premium service on some of my items, but can't find them in the first three pages -I gave up after that. Sellers above me include private sellers and items charging postage.

soolin

charlies_mum wrote: »

I am offering premium service on some of my items, but can't find them in the first three pages -I gave up after that. Sellers above me include private sellers and items charging postage.

There is that as well, the new search engine thingy is confusing. I sell a range of items in the same category, around 10 MVL listings in total, all same price, free postage premium listings. Last time I checked I could find 3 in the first 8 listings, 2 further down on the first page , and the other three almost invisible.

I did phone eBay at one point to complain that one of my MVLs was below a 'private' seller with poor feedback and stars who was selling for more than I was and with the postage shown separately.The guy in Dublin was as confused as I was by that one.

Simmysim

soolin wrote: »

TOp rated or what used to be power sellers do come higher in best match, then if they add The requirements to show a premium service they will be higher in best match. As a TRS that is what we were promised for jumping through all the hoops and playing the eBay game and I would be unhappy if a standard seller who had not jumped through all the hoops showed higher than me.

The way to beat them is to become TRS yourself and offer the premium service.

As a power seller you would say that but Im offering exactly what they are offering but cheaper so why am I not at the top? As a buyer surely the default top result should be the cheapest?

ballisticbrian

eBay make less money from you than the others if you have under cut them in price.


What you are saying is you want to be at the top BOTH if the user selects the most popular choice "by price" and the default search, "best match", and on both occasions eBay will make less money from you than they will by selling UP.

mrcol1000

I am selling a low value item (purely to increase my transaction numbers) am a power seller and a business. This item could only be really sold by a business in great numbers. Yet if you search for the item a private seller is selling it for more than what I am for, and is above me in the best match listings!

ballisticbrian

Although eBay don't give out details on how their search engine works, typically if a search term is resulting in a click through a number of items and resulting in a completed sale lower down the list, that item will increase it's score for that search term.

paulc333

"best match" is one of the most frustrating things on ebay.

It seems really hard to work, i'm a premium seller, TRS, 100% feedback, at least 4.9 on all stars, no lows on expanded dashboard, but even when i search for my exact title I sometimes appear below items with a slightly different titel or below private sellers listing in worse condition or higher price!

I also believe it works differently for different people/ areas.

It's only anecdotal evidence but over the past couple of months i've had a disproportionate of sales to Yorkshire and now recently to West Midlands. Nothing about my items is region specific.

Simmysim

ballisticbrian wrote: »

eBay make less money from you than the others if you have under cut them in price.


What you are saying is you want to be at the top BOTH if the user selects the most popular choice "by price" and the default search, "best match", and on both occasions eBay will make less money from you than they will by selling UP.

I don't want to be top of "BOTH" I dont want to be top of best match at all. I don't think its should be the default search result. That is my gripe. I have no way of competing with these sellers despite offering what they are offering on the very same platform only cheaper.

This is a perfect explanation, I listed my item 2 days ago the "best match" top result has sold 4, the guy below him has sold 2 (he is cheaper than the top guy) then both of them have several quantities of the item X2, X5 etc then there is me, 8th on the list with the same listing as the top guy, cheaper than both and I don't even have one look. I kid you not, not even one look! How do I compete?

ballisticbrian

How do I compete?

I would recommend fining a way to add value to your product rather than trying to under cut. This might mean finding a unique selling point or adding or modifying or finding alternative uses for your product.


What you have done, is set up a "race to bottom", otherwise known as "school boy error", as each seller undercuts the other by a few pennies.