Don't trust "price + shipping- lowest first" in Ebay search anymore

[fergua3]

In the last couple of days, while casuallly looking for things of interest on ebay, i have noticed that the 'price plus shipping lowest first' refinement on ebay search does not give accurate results.

Three times i found cheaper items by scrolling down the page, or even going to the second page.  The higher priced items  that appeared higher in the search were not sponsored.

These searches were done on ebay.ca.

[ypdc_dennis]

'We’ve streamlined your search results to show you the best listings. See more results"

Did you click on See more results when doing the search ?

Also, are you using app search or seaching on a PC/mac ?

[fergua3]

yes i always click on 'see more results' when i search.  To be clear, the lower priced item was there, it just was well below many more expensive items.

I use a pc.

i've done a couple of other searches today and didn't spot anything  out of place price wise.

search for 'touareg 1/18' and tell me if you see one from the UK (priced 75 pounds plus 25 pounds shipping to Canada) in its correct place or if it is below higher priced items.  Make sure to use 'price plus shipping lowest first'.  In some searches (eg newly listed) that item doesn't appear at all!  And yes, i'm doing a Worldwide search and am searching on ebay.ca.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@fergua3 wrote:

yes i always click on 'see more results' when i search.  To be clear, the lower priced item was there, it just was well below many more expensive items.

I use a pc.

i've done a couple of other searches today and didn't spot anything  out of place price wise.

search for 'touareg 1/18' and tell me if you see one from the UK (priced 75 pounds plus 25 pounds shipping to Canada) in its correct place or if it is below higher priced items.  Make sure to use 'price plus shipping lowest first'.  In some searches (eg newly listed) that item doesn't appear at all!  And yes, i'm doing a Worldwide search and am searching on ebay.ca.

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@fergua3 

@ypdc_dennis 

I too search by either price or closest and have gotten wishy washy results....once you scroll down. Items out of order or USA mixed in with Canada. Often have found searching by closest  (when i open listings) items from China and then items from Alberta or BC. I am in Alberta so makes no "rational" sense how this has been working. Just how it is. For the pricing segment that math the system is doing is routinely incorrect.

As a side in a similar fashion eBay, (maybe AI driven) suggests incorrect categories when in the process of creating listings. Extremely annoying when you see these things happen all the time.

[pjcdn2005]

I did the search for touareg 1/18 and it seemed to be in the correct place dollar wise.  I used worlwide as you did, price plus shipping lowest and click on see more results.

Higher priced items at the top of the lowest price search could mean those listing are promoted.  But if they were listings from sites other than .com and .ca, I wouldn't think they would show as a promoted listing here. 

I've never understood why the price plus shipping lowest category is so messed up anyway.  The searcher shouldn't have to click on see more results to see less expensive listings.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@fergua3 wrote:

yes i always click on 'see more results' when i search.  To be clear, the lower priced item was there, it just was well below many more expensive items.

I use a pc.

i've done a couple of other searches today and didn't spot anything  out of place price wise.

search for 'touareg 1/18' and tell me if you see one from the UK (priced 75 pounds plus 25 pounds shipping to Canada) in its correct place or if it is below higher priced items.  Make sure to use 'price plus shipping lowest first'.  In some searches (eg newly listed) that item doesn't appear at all!  And yes, i'm doing a Worldwide search and am searching on ebay.ca.

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@fergua3 

I'm starting to think search results even when you filter are being sku'd....messed up because of promoted listings getting tossed in the mix. Almost like over riding your search results. Brief recent discussion on the topic from dot com.

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Report-eBay-Technical-Issues/Search-Lowest-price-doesn-t-work-anymore/...

-Lotz

[fergua3]

i did the 'touareg 1/18' search again today.   Now the less expensive item from the UK is not showing up at all!   It's vanished.  And no it hasn't been sold, it's still in my cart up for sale.

I did the same search on .com and the item from the UK is showing up and in the proper location it should be using 'price plus shipping lowest first'.  

So it's the ebay.ca search engine that is the problem.  i'll be using .com from now on since .ca is not reliable or trustworthy.