Ebay Search Visibility Algorithm - Smart or Dumb?
Summary: In this discussion, lotsa.luck questions the intelligence of eBay's search algorithm, specifically regarding its ability to optimize listing visibility based on geographical and compliance factors. electronicsextraordinaire suggests that, in theory, eBay should have strategically promoted international listings before international tariffs took effect, similar to strategies used by US businesses. However, they express skepticism about eBay's foresight, given inefficiencies like the extra charge for .co.uk listings. shallow_karl criticizes eBay's search functionality, claiming it's easier to locate items via Google. marnotom! adds that other platforms, like Amazon and supermarket apps, also have unhelpful search algorithms.
So is the search algorithm smart or dumb, for instance, is it able to:
- increase Canadian listing visibility in Canada and Worldwide, while in exchange, reducing listing visibility in USA.
- indentify CUSMA compliant listings and increase the visibility of those listings in USA, while in exchange reduce the visibiltiy of the non-CUSMA compliant items.
If the algorithm is smart then Canadian sellers should see sales INCREASE dramatically within Canada and/or Worldwide.
If the algorithm is dumb then sales of items will naturally DECREASE, perhaps dramatically.
marnotom!
·1 year agoOr the one on my supermarket’s app, for that matter.
shallow_karl
·1 year agoPoor. Do you know it's easier to find something on Ebay using Google than using Ebay's search mechanism?
You get what you pay for. Except WE don't.
electronicsextraordinaire
·1 year agoIn theory, sure. Lots of factors/thresholds/predictors go into search result ranking, and I'd be amazed if there weren't some manually coded factors.
If eBay was smart, they would have blasted international listings on the US site in the weeks/months before the August 31st worldwide tariffs took effect to get those sales (and eBay commissions!) rolling in before they fell off a cliff, and then let the US domestic listings take over.
Kinda like how US businesses moves tooooons of extra Chinese goods into the US before the Chinese tariffs hit.
But like I said, that would be smart for eBay's numbers and ya know how their foresight goes. They still charge extra for a .co.uk listing for some reason.