eBay Search Visibility

[pocomocomputing]

I came across this topic on the eBay.com forum on Search Visibility. What is interesting is that an ebay staff member responded twice in the topic and corrected some misinformation given by some eBayers. It is so rare to see an eBay staff reply to a topic discussion and correct information and even more so on the topic of Search.

If you are interested in reading it, here is a link.

http://community.ebay.com/t5/eBay-Stores/VISIBILITY/m-p/18010395

The one thing I thought that was interesting was that the title should be clear and meaningful. No need to list keywords first in the first 2 or 3 words as has been recommended by many eBay members in forums.

The new Cassini search may have changed how to write an effective title.

[msmaggie060]

Interesting reading poco, even though that was an older thread (2011).

The new Cassini search may have changed how to write an effective title.

Just what is the way to write an effective title now we have Cassini search? Is it a secret or does anyone know? There must be some changes or why have my sales halved in my store this month even though I follow best practices and list new items every day?

[recped]

Just what is the way to write an effective title now we have Cassini search?

Keep in mind, your title has two purposes, first is to use keywords that will have your listing show up in search, keywords need to be the words BUYERS use to search which may not be as obvious as you think, and b) eye-catching to buyers as they scroll through the search results. There is no point in having your items returned in search if buyers are not stimulated to actually click through to the listing.

In fact appearing in search and NOT get click throughs will over time send your listing to the bottom of Best Match.

Of course the best thing is to avoid Best Match entirely by having listings that present a small number of search results to buyers or having goods which buyers tend to use price or ending time as their sort.

Many of my buyers find my stuff using Ending Soonest or Newly Listed and they also find them by browsing my Store, in those situations Cassini & Best Match are irrelevant.

If you sell in a crazy overcrowded category like jewelry or clothing you have a real problem.

[rose-dee]

You're right, it is unusual for eBay staff to give such a complete and detailed response to a discussion thread.  It looked to me as if this was a fairly recent discussion (2013), not 2011.  I'm not sure where the other poster here saw 2011. 

In any case, after having experimented a few times in my own category(ies) recently, I've come to the conclusion that if you use common sense and follow eBay's best practices recommendations -- and keep your seller status up -- you will get better visibility.  Not everyone can be on page 1, although everyone seems to want to. That doesn't make sense, given the high numbers of listings in some categories. 

Something I do see a lot (which was obviously debunked by that eBay staffer), are listing titles that desperately try to grab every thinkable keyword and string them all together, presumably hoping one of them will be the charm, resulting in a weird, unintelligible title.  I think that properly and clearly describing an item in the title, but making it flow in an interesting way, is probably more sensible and more important to placement, as the eBay staffer pointed out. 

One strategy I've occasionally tried (when I can justify paying for it) is listing in two categories.  The results can be interesting - and informative in terms of searching and placement.  This of course is one legitimate way of getting more exposure for a particular item, which is why eBay charges more for it.    

The remarks about pictures in the description (i.e. use of listing frames with photos) has me a bit concerned, although my use of a 3rd party auction management service -- with pictures in the descriptions -- doesn't seem to have affected placement of my listings.  I do wonder about mobile viewing though.  On the other hand, I was more or less assured by one of the 'Pinks' recently that such issues are becoming less and less relevant as mobile technology catches up to eBay and eBay improves its mobile platform.  I can only hope. 

[pocomocomputing]

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@msmaggie060 wrote:

Interesting reading poco, even though that was an older thread (2011).

The new Cassini search may have changed how to write an effective title.

Just what is the way to write an effective title now we have Cassini search? Is it a secret or does anyone know? There must be some changes or why have my sales halved in my store this month even though I follow best practices and list new items every day?

---

Where do you see 2011? It is 10-25-2013, just a few days ago with a couple of replies over the next days. I suppose just a mistake but it made me do a double take on the topic.

Under the old search, supposedly you should put the most important keywords in the first 3 words in the title.  This led to a confusing Title for a buyer to read. Now you can use a proper title grammatically that makes more sense to read and just add extra keywords at the end of the title in the space remaining. In addition, Item Specifics have been added in the past 3 years adding more keywords to search on.

So write a title that makes sense to read, add keywords at the end of the title and use item specifics, especially eBay Item Specifics for the category you list in and add in some Item Specifics that you think are important.

My understanding so far. I need to read the topic and links again a few times to understand all the details and how it might apply to me.  When it comes to technical reading, I have to read and reread and come back in a few days and read again to understand more. Just a slow learner here and need repetition to absorb it.

[pocomocomputing]

rose-dee, I do not think you lose any significant sales due to mobile devices. Most of the current mobile devices gives them a buyer experience that is comparable to a desktop computer. Which is why they use the mobile devices as a replacement (full or partial) to their desktop computer. Hopefully buyers with older devices with less capabilities do not buy as much.

I have access to an Apple iPhone (an old 3GS and the current is %x models) and have checked my listings and yours on it as well as others. Description looks fine like a desktop computer but it is physically small. You can read the description, can see the photos but why someone would buy off a smartphone, I do not know why. You can enlarge the photos on the phone in the description too.  But I am so old school desktop computer. But the current generation is comfortable with using a smartphone it seems.

As for a smart tablet, they are amazing devices with bigger screen than a smartphone. The iPad gives a great user experience on the Internet with a bigger screen.  As good as a desktop computer for buying.

For a seller, using a mobile device can be done and I have seen listings. I would find that hard to do with a smartphone. With an I pad I can see it as being relatively easy.

[recped]

but why someone would buy off a smartphone

if it's not true already it certainly will be soon..........

People are dumping their desktops, people who are not running a business or using a computer for work/school are ditching the old for the new. I know of plenty of people who rarely turn on their desktops because they do EVERYTHING on their mobile device.

It would be like asking "why do people buy online when they can just go to a store".

When was the last time you saw a television ad for a desktop computer? When was the last time you watched tv for 30 minutes and did not see an ad for a smartphone or tablet? I was watching the world series last night, I was bombarded with ads for smartphones and tablets (plus pick-up trucks & Viagra of course!)

[boutiquestepup]

wow that is very interesting link.. I am selling similar product as this seller and I am experiencing the same problem.