Search Oddity
Summary: snoopwiz is experiencing difficulties getting their eBay listing for Dynaco a25 tweeter and woofer to appear higher in search results using expected search terms. Despite collaborating with an eBay customer support staff member and using different accounts and search terms like "Dynaco a25 tweeter," the listing does not appear prominently unless searched with "Dynaco tweeter a25." byto253 and pjcdn2005 report reasonable placements on searches and suggest that using specific item categories can influence search visibility. reallynicestamps notes that search habits vary, and eBay's algorithm might alter results based on repeated searches, while flipistics emphasizes the importance of selecting the correct item category. snoopwiz expresses appreciation for these insights, noting that adjusting the category to include "vintage" improved search visibility.
Happy Thanksgiving to all. I will do my best to keep this under 5,000 words. Been trying since yesterday to come up with a listing title that search would actually find.
Few notes first. I went back and forth, on and off, for a few hours yesterday with a knowledgeable staff c/s person at eBay FB. HIs suggestions all made sense but, none worked. Even used the exact words other sellers were using and showing up in a good search location. No go again. He seemed as baffled as I.
For search, I used my seller id, my buying i.d., guest, and a friend in a different city searched on his end as well.
Check my listing for Dynaco a25 tweeter. If found, it will be WAY down at the bottom of the page under "more to consider" Many other items higher up and have pretty much zero to do with the search term.
Now, check using Dynaco tweeter a25 and, holy guacamole, it shows up at the top of search plus, my smiliar listing for the Dynaco's matching woofer shows up as the 2nd in search. Truthfully shouldnt even be in that search but, if so, at the end, at best. Realistically, few, if any would search using Dynaco tweeter a25. The natural "rhythm" for most who would search it would of course be Dynaco a25 tweeter. (Brand/model, part number/ what it is)
I added a few percent tithe to eBay for each. When one searches my listing for Dynaco a25 woofer, it comes up in search at 3rd place with my listing for the Dynaco a25 tweeter also showing on the page as a "similar sponsored item"
I may be getting too close to 5,000 words so, if you have the time, and can help, it is appreciated.
byto253
·2 years agoNice to hear of the success. They are very desirable speaker parts, so they would go at some point but nice to move it quicker than grinding it out!
snoopwiz
OP2 years agoThanks for the kind words.
pjcdn2005
·2 years agoMy instinct would be to search for Dynaco Tweeter a25 and as you said, best match showed it as the first listing om both .ca and .com.
Searching for dynaco woofer a25 didn't give the same results though it showed as the 5th result on .ca and second on .com.
I think that it would drive one crazy to figure how the best way to title all listings. One thing that I have found though is when a poster comments that a specific listing can't be found it is often because eBay defaults to a specific category and the sellers item is in a different category making it almost invisible in search. So I do try to make sure that my items are listed in the category that ebay thinks it should be.
snoopwiz
OP2 years agoYou hit it bang on. Much appreciated, thanks for the heads up.
flipistics
·2 years agoTwo things to note.
1) Add item specifics (if they are available to that category). They are extremely important to the search engines.
2) Check your categories. Your competitors appear to be using a different category on the tweeters. eBay search will show the results from the most popular category first (or perhaps the one they think is correct, I'm not sure which). Results from other categories will be buried.
snoopwiz
OP2 years agoHi. We actually did change the category (added vintage) a few hours ago, giving the listing time to index/reindex and bingo, it worked. Thanks for your suggestion and your time.
reallynicestamps
·2 years agoAlso, it's been my observation, that if you do many Searches for the same item, that the items you saw the first times, and in the algorithm's view, rejected, will disappear and different items from the billions of listings will start turning up, some pretty far fetched.
Because why show the customer something they didn't want? Try something different.
Anecdote is not data.
reallynicestamps
·2 years agoJust because you think that way doesn't mean others do.
My own thought would be I need a tweeter. My machine is a Dynaco. The instruction manual says it takes an a25.
Then I would Search "Tweeter Dynaco A25".
And I would curse when that didn't find it, check the manual, and change it to "Tweeter Dynaco a25"
listing for Dynaco a25 woofer, it comes up in search at 3rd place with my listing for the Dynaco a25 tweeter also showing on the page as a "similar sponsored item"
Is it not a 'similar sponsored item'?
When I search for Jewel Straite Firefly, I also get merch from Stargate and Family Law, because that's what 'similar' means.
BTW, my normal Search is Highest Price plus Shipping because it puts the cheap and fake garbage at the bottom of the list and lets me see my actual cost not just the asking price.
I realize that Best Match and Lowest Price are more popular Searches.
snoopwiz
OP2 years agoThanks much. Appreciate your time.
byto253
·2 years agoThis is a 45 year old very well known vintage speaker so no manual involved. Folks looking for these know exactly what they want and it can be expected someone looking for this would start with Dynaco. I would think that starting with "tweeter" is similar to a stamp search indicating for "Stamp Canada Bluenose ", which is assume is not typical in your field.
What some of the other listing have in their description is the code stamped on the back of the tweeter, which is more specfic. I sell tweeters and woofers as well and would have had the specific info from the back of the part. That's why I thought is odd that snoopwiz's description with the briefest description ranked the highest under best match.
snoopwiz
OP2 years agoHi. Thanks. I too found it tres odd that after I changed the category, I was coming up first or 2nd in search, using the barebones description. This was so as I tried at least a dozen variable titles and, for whatever reason, the simplistic one scored best. I dont think it should of but, search is what it is.
byto253
·2 years agoMy search through .com has you 4th with "Best Match" and when I go lowest price with shipping, you are 2nd after the woofer being sold "As Is" withouth terminals. That is pretty good, you will get eyeballs.
The tweeter comes up first for "best match"and "lowest price" which is funny since you have the most barebones description there. Wonder if to many terms fries and conflicts the algorithm at times?
snoopwiz
OP2 years agoThanks much. As suggested by someone, I changed the category, adding in "vintage" as apparently the others who did come up in search used. And sonofagun, it worked. Thanks for your
time.