Ebay erroneously adding "+" character to searches?

[riffer3]

I set up some searches today and ebay has erroneously added the "+" character to them, rendering the search useless.  For example:

Atlas (Missouri Pacific,MP) -Lionel  saved as Atlas (Missouri+Pacific)+-Lionel resulting in nil results.

Cleared cookies, Firefox.

Any one else having this problem?

[momcqueen]

Nope, not me. I use Safari as my default browser. Are you searching on ebay.ca or ebay.com? 

[riffer3]

ebay.ca

edit - It's doing it in Explorer as well

Just the searches I added today.  Strange.

[pocomocomputing]

There are similar topics on eBay.com USA.

Today

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Technical-Issues/Plus-signs-between-words-in-quot-Search-quot/m-p/2826...

Older

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Technical-Issues/When-I-save-a-search-eBay-puts-a-between-each-item-Wh...

[momcqueen]

Wow, weird. You'd think that something as basic as 'search' would be executed flawlessly....

[riffer3]

I guess we'll have to wait for ebay on this one.  I'm on another computer/Windows Version and Explorer version and same thing.

[pocomocomputing]

tyler@ebay.com

@happy_pigeon

[happy_pigeon]

Just to clarify--are the plus signs appearing in the URL, or the search box itself?

For a plus sign to appear in the URL of a search result is an intended result. The '+' is added to the parameters to indicate a space, usually meaning there's several words in the search term. E.g.:

Search term: "adidas shoes"

Shows in the URL as: "adidas+shoes"

Search term: "adidas"

Shows in the URL as: "adidas"

Search term: "adidas " (note the extra space at the end)

Shows in the URL as: "adidas+"

So, if it is adding pluses, it's working as designed. However, it shouldn't impact your search in any way, for example, by resulting in no items found as some have mentioned.

Does anyone have a screenshot they can share?

[riffer3]

As an example, I want to search items in O Scale with the road name Union Pacific, but nothing from Lionel .

Search:

Union Pacific -Lionel

URL:

https://www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313.TR11.TRC1.A0.H0.XUnion+Pacific+...

942 Results is correct

I Save the Search.

From Saved Searches:

Search Name: Union Pacific -Lionel

Search Keyword: union+pacific+-lionel

View items fills search field as:

union+pacific+-lionel

URL:

https://www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?_sacat=19145&_nkw=%28union%2Bpacific%2Cup%29%2B-lionel

1 Result

Incorrect

[riffer3]

A simpler example would be search on:

aaa bbb

After saving etc this would show up as aaa+bbb in the new search, so ebay requires the entire string "aaa+bbb" for a result.

[svsonsie]

I hope Ebay is paying attention to all these threads here and elsehere on the community boards 'cuz there are a lot of frustrated searchers out there!  I would think sellers would be in an uproar too as buyers are having so many problems searching.

[tyler@ebay]

Thanks for the tag @pocomocomputing!

Hi @riffer3 I've been running across reports of this same thing today and have filed a ticket for further review. I've included the ids of everyone on this thread who mentioned seeing the same thing. While issues can take time to be investigated and resolved, I appreciate you taking the time to get me a great breakdown of the issue to cut down on back and forth!

[buzzlightyear!]

I have had this problem as well for at least a week -- very annoying as it seems to be infecting other searches each succeeding day,

[riffer3]

Just to keep this thread alive.  It is still a problem.  There is more info on the US threads.

[trasibyl]

All my new save searches are CORRUPTED with the pluses and irrelevant matches.  I have NO TIME to re-type each search with all the exclusions in EACH TIME.  Great way to LOSE BUSINESS.  My condolences to sellers losing sales and potential buyers who need to search 10X, 20X or 100X the number of irrelevant listings now.......it is stupid & BORING for buyers - we will just give up soon!!!!!!!!! 

[momcqueen]

This is a very silly glitch with massive implications. Search should be the simplest task on ebay. 

@happy_pigeon

tyler@ebay

Can this be fixed for once and all? I cannot blame buyers for being irate about it. 

[tyler@ebay]

Thanks for the page @momcqueen!

This is still an ongoing issue that is being worked on. I've added @trasibyl to the ticket filed in March and hope to see it fixed quickly.