eBay

froogal_electronic_parts_and_overstock · ‎09-22-2014

Using firefox or chrome, on ebay.ca, I searched for a battery for a camera np-bx1. Once I narrowed the category down to Cameras and photos >camera and photo accessories>batteries, I click on price+shipping lowest.

Under 'default' for area search, the lowest price that shows up for me is from China and is $7.65

I thought this was strange as I had bought the same battery a couple weeks earlier for 5.50.

I searched and scrolled through the list and could not find it cheaper.

Then went into my purchase history and there is the purchase, and the seller is still active, selling the same battery for the same price.

So I go back to the ebay search and filter it to North America only, and guess what? It showed up and now the lowest price is $5.48

I have had this happen many times and I believe that ebay is actively filtering listings based on their own criteria and own motives and are not providing sellers with an honest show of their listings and as a consequence are causing buyers to pay more.

tobyshitzu · ‎09-23-2014

There is no glitch, they've never intended nor ever said all listings worldwide show up everywhere for every search result. Its obvious to anyone whos ever searched that doesn't happen

You can read the UK international visibility page http://sellercentre.ebay.co.uk/basic-international-selling#visible "Your listing's international visibility isn't guaranteed. On sites with a lot of inventory, it may only appear when a buyer selects international listings in the advanced search options"

And being your unusual example is probably related to this for .com intl visibility fee (reverse case) "

If you're listing on eBay.com or eBay.ca, your item's location country can't be the UK or Ireland
http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/globalexposure.html
Which makes sense that a domestic seller deliberately listing overseas isn't targeting a domestic buyer

Granted, no idea why anyone here would care an American listing listed in Uk doesn't show by default on .ca. If you expect to sell to .ca/.com buyers I wouldn't recommend moving your listings to .uk

pocomocomputing · ‎09-23-2014

@pocomocomputing wrote:
On eBay.ca, there is an option in the SYI to have international site visibility on the UK site. It costs from 10 to 30 50 cents depending on duration and format and this puts an eBay.ca listing in default search on eBay UK.

Do eBay UK sellers have the same option to show on eBay.com USA?

If so, that would explain why some UK sellers show on eBay.com regular search because they pay for it.

Update: I just checked eBay.com USA SYI form and they have the same option as eBay.ca Canada for international site visibility on eBay UK.

I will try to check eBay UK.

Correction, 50 cents

froogal_electronic_parts_and_overstock · ‎09-24-2014

@toby**bleep**zu wrote:

There is no glitch, they've never intended nor ever said all listings worldwide show up everywhere for every search result. Its obvious to anyone whos ever searched that doesn't happen

I am sure this is not obvious to the vast majority of buyers. Do you think they would be OK if Ebay came out and said "When you search for the lowest price item available to you, we may not show it"? Is this stated ANYWHERE to EBAY sellers in clear easy to understand wording?

You can read the UK international visibility page http://sellercentre.ebay.co.uk/basic-international-selling#visible "Your listing's international visibility isn't guaranteed. On sites with a lot of inventory, it may only appear when a buyer selects

international listings in the advanced search options"

And what are the criterial for whether an item shows or not. That ebay says it might happen and how they implement it are 2 different things and does not change the fact that ebay is filtering listings for their own benefit. Unless you can provide some information on how they filter, then this means nothing.

And being your unusual example is probably related to this for .com intl visibility fee (reverse case) "

If you're listing on eBay.com or eBay.ca, your item's location country can't be the UK or Ireland

http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/globalexposure.html

Which makes sense that a domestic seller deliberately listing overseas isn't targeting a domestic buyer

Granted, no idea why anyone here would care an American listing listed in Uk doesn't show by default on .ca. If you expect to sell to .ca/.com buyers I wouldn't recommend moving your listings to .uk

I think people would care because they are being redirected to buy from other sellers for Ebay's benefit. If I want the lowest price available to me, and I search for the lowest price, and Ebay says it's the lowest price, then really, I expect it to be the lowest price. And I certainly have an issue with their criteria changing where it was available 2 weeks ago, but not now. That suggests an active filtering of listings based on criteria that are not in the buyers best interest.

I have NO IDEA why anyone who sells on Ebay wouldn't NOT care. (or is that would NOT care).