The ebay search function is getting worse

soolin

I know there's been issues around the odd ebay search results, but it is driving me to distraction.

I'm trying to find a particular car model from a certain brand. I put in the brand, the car type and I have results from neckties to ladies shoes - none of them with car or the brand title in the name . I am actually looking to see what keyword the search is picking up, it isn't a van I'm searching for as perhaps then shoes might be obvious due to the Van brand- it is a car. 

I have searched on a pc and an ipad and the results on them are different and I have finally tracked down quite a lot of these cars- with the correct brand spelling and model - but most are well down the search.

Krakkkers

I know its not what you asked about but i find a good way of finding a bargain is to deliberately misspell the item you are looking for as it will have fewer bidders.

Krakkkers

I think the answer to your question is to go one step further and then filter the results by price, category, etc.

soolin

Krakkkers said:

I think the answer to your question is to go one step further and then filter the results by price, category, etc.

I tried filtering by category but that didn't help much as these were listed all over, some in toys, some in collectables, some in models. Price doesn't help as it is not an expensive item so the cost of ties, shoes etc all fitted my search criteria. 

martindow

How do you get on if you search on google for "ebay brand, car model"?  On many sites google brings up better results than the in site search function.

badmemory

I'm not sure this is entirely an ebay problem but also a problem of those listing.  Whilst I am normally looking for something much cheaper than a vehicle, I also sort by price, in my case low to high but probably in yours high to low.

RedImp_2

I have a few saved searches for particular items I collect.  I do notice that going into that search twice in a short space of time it returns completely different lists each time.

Krakkkers

I am not sure if the OP is searching for real cars or toy cars and that might be part of the problem.

soolin

Krakkkers said:

I am not sure if the OP is searching for real cars or toy cars and that might be part of the problem.

Ah apologies- it is a model die cast car a car that a family member had once and mentioned they would love a model of- it might have been helpful if I had said that. 

I did manage to find one at a very reasonable cost and strangely it was not a new listing but it had never shown up in my searches before. Title included the make, the model and the scale from a private seller. I wonder if this means private sellers don't always show up in searches as this is exactly what I was looking for.

Murphybear

Krakkkers said:

I know it’s not what you asked about but i find a good way of finding a bargain is to deliberately misspell the item you are looking for as it will have fewer bidders.

I tried that but eBay outwitted me.

I was looking for some Estée Lauder products so put in “Esteee Larder”.  It assumed I meant Estée Lauder and searched for that instead.  

RedImp_2

Murphybear said:

Krakkkers said:

I know it’s not what you asked about but i find a good way of finding a bargain is to deliberately misspell the item you are looking for as it will have fewer bidders.

I tried that but eBay outwitted me.

I was looking for some Estée Lauder products so put in “Esteee Larder”.  It assumed I meant Estée Lauder and searched for that instead.  

I know your post is tongue in cheek but I always get the option to revert to search what I typed in such circumstances.
ps there isn’t anything under Esteee Larder although Estee Larder has some items!