Sold one item this April. My items aren't showing up in the search results.

[lud-4367]

The sales have gone down significantly, and this April I've sold only one item. The strange part is that when I search my items (movies) on ebay, often they don't show up instantly in the results. I recently set the prices very low for obvious reason, but still they are not showing up in the top of the results even though they are the cheapest. What happens most is that my items are hidden in "See more results". I can only see my items when I click that link even though my items have the exact same keywords. Another thing is the search result shows differently when I click "Search" button for the second time. My items show up at the second try. Keep in mind that I've never experienced those weird behaviors with the same items before. Somethings definitely have been changed, and I can only assume those are the reasons why my sales are down drastically. Is this because I don't use store, or any premium features? 

[reallynicestamps]

When I click on See Listings next to your name, nothing shows up.

How many listings do you think you have?

Could you post the listing number for one or two?

Are you listing on dotCA or dotCOM? If the latter are you giving a price for shipping to Canada?

Another thing is the search result shows differently when I click "Search" button for the second time

That's normal.

I think what is happening is that the algorithm notes that you did not View anything in the first Search and therefore showed you a different batch of listings from the billion or so available.

. Is this because I don't use store, or any premium features?

Stores don't give you any boost. They are really just a way to organize your slower moving material and keep the number of listings on eBay up.

Premium features like Promoted Listings probably do, but none of the others.

Top Rated Sellers may get a boost, but mostly because we are listing and selling regularly.

And when you sell, you get a boost.

It just occured to me that this is your posting ID.

It's difficult to investigate a problem without facts, like your selling ID.

[lud-4367]

It just occured to me that this is your posting ID.

It's difficult to investigate a problem without facts, like your selling ID.

---

As I explained, I've never experienced this strange search results until now. It's really not about my listings.

Another thing I've noticed is that the search results instantly refreshes and shows a different result.

- typed a keyword and clicked "search" with an option of Price + Shipping: Lowest. 

- the result shows the listings as I intended, BUT, within a half second, it refreshes the results all of sudden, and then shows the listings from a seller with big store on top of the result. The "Refresh" simply removes cheaper listings like mine in the result.

- I click "search" the button again, now it shows all the listings in order as in Price + Shipping: Lowest.

[ricarmic]

As femme says, we really can't help you when you are using a posting id, we don't know what how where or when you are selling so realistically we can't give you any useful advice either....

PS price is very far from the only thing that has an impact. If you have any defects you will fall below someone selling for double your price......understanding the search algorithm as best as is possible (nobody does) might help.

[femmefan1946]

BUT, within a half second, it refreshes the results all of sudden, and then shows the listings from a seller with big store on top of the result

I wonder if that seller is using Promoted Listings and/or a higher percent fee in PL?

Those of us who use PL must be paying for something, right?

[ilikehockeyjerseys]

My sales are down quite a bit over the last month or so. This was after a huge rush of sales. I also sell media. I do not think it has to do with eBay's algorithm. I think people have less disposable income over the last 6-8 weeks due to work from home ending, and the price of food and other goods going way up.

You don't have to link to your seller account, but roughly how many items do you have listed, and how many sales do you usually have per month?

My guess is that you are a more casual seller with not a lot listed. To put things in perspective, I have 4000+ listings, and a great month might be 500-600 sales. A bad month is anything under 300. So if you have let's say, 200 items listed, and you're selling maybe 30 items a month, a bad month will be a lot more noticeable to you. 

eBay defaults to the 'Best Match' search function. What might be happening is that because your sales are dropping, eBay might not be showing your listings as often in 'Best Match'. Nobody knows the exact algorithm. I can't give you any concrete advice about improving your listings without seeing your store.

I can give you general advice, which is that if things aren't selling, you can either make less money by slashing your prices via sales and spending money on promoted listings, or you can make no money at all by having your things not sell. If you are a casual seller, it might be preferable to wait out the slow periods and not slash your prices or increase your input costs via spending on promoted listings. If you are a full time seller who has thousands of listings, and needs to move inventory to make room for more inventory, you might value slashing prices, even if it means you make less money.

[dobo5250]

i have just recently started to use promo listings -- when my sales went to zero for two weeks i started using 2/3 % but that did nothing then i went to 4/5% avg on all my listings for two weeks - which increased to almost where i was before the drop off -- - i now started using what they recommend 5/6/7/8/10% depending on the item--- mostly in all my new listings its costing me a lot more and i also   know that since i went to a basic store things have slightly improved -  these where recommended by a couple of  ebay you tubers who said today's reality is you have to use promo listings to be seen at all let alone sell - i will try this on all my new listings at least the next 100-200 new ones adjusting my selling prices and i have almost stopped using free shipping but use partially covered shipping costs about 1/2 of the 19.99 to 24.99 shipping costs cp expedited - on avg for my items shipped in canada  -- depending on the cost and size of the items/weight trying to find a happy medium -  i lose money but need the the cash flow to stay afloat - till things pick up

just keep plugging thats all that you can do -- till you can do no more and fail- then you are done -later rather than sooner 

doker bohm 

[reallynicestamps]

and i have almost stopped using free shipping

Free Shipping is a marketing ploy.

It means you are including your cost of shipping in the asking price for the item.

Which is cheaper : a $10 item with $5 shipping or a $15 item with Free Shipping?

but use partially covered shipping costs about 1/2 of the 19.99 to 24.99 shipping costs cp expedited - on avg for my items shipped in canada -- depending on the cost and size of the items/weight trying to find a happy medium

Free Shipping is very popular with customers, especially those shopping on phones, where it can be difficult to see all costs.

Free Shipping is just one more way to keep the purchase smooth and easy.

But it does NOT work with parcel rates because those vary, as you say, not only with weight and dimensions, but with destination.

For Parcels, it is safer (and more profitable) to go with Calculated Shipping.

- i lose money but need the the cash flow to stay afloat - till things pick up

There is a place for "loss leaders", but those have to be based on a lower than average procurement cost .

For example, you found a lot of 100 greeblefrowsers at the thrift store for $10 that normally cost $10 each.

You can then put them up at $75 each with Free Shipping and still make money.

Even better, those loss leaders draw in browsers who don't need a greeblefrowser at the moment, but fall in love with your chrome faucets.