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ebay manipulates best match

Started by tabcom,

47 posts in this topic

tabcom

tabcom

Posted
Posted

Has anyone ever experience a sudden drop off of their ebay sales?

 

Since the first of the month my sales are down about 80%. Nothing has changed from my end. Having researched this topic I've found that the term is 'throttling'. Here is an interesting post found on the subject:

 

"I had an hour long conversation with my friend that has a master's degree in IT and programming and he stated that 'Best Match is solely designed to hide manipulation of the company offering the items to favor selected vendors, products or items that they want shown first. Best Match has nothing to do with the buyers' interests rather the issuing company. Best Match allows for hidden manipulation of search.'

 

He goes on to explain that regional search results are caused by search queries hitting servers in certain cities, i.e. starting in LA, then Austin, the Miami and up the Eastern seaboard, etc. Therefor if your items are 'down' on a server in Austin due to manipulation but are visible in Miami, you will notice sales to specific states or regions since that is where the search query is finding the data.

 

He goes on to explain that 'placing limits on impressions, views, monetary daily, weekly, month, yearly totals, total items sold, etc. is an extremely easy -script to write and is a completely normal process in setting up a site like this.'

 

My only suggestion is the have many selling accounts and have multiple IP addresses fixed throughout the US or abroad. It's a shame that this is what we are left to deal with but there are far too many people reporting the same exact issues for this to purely be speculation or conspiracy. "

 

If anyone would like to conduct a simple test of the Best Match algorithm, lets do it here.

 

I'm in the midwest. We would need someone from other regions to see if their listing are being viewed out of their area.

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slym2none

slym2none

Posted
Posted

So, if one was to search, let's say "Dynamic Forces Authentix" in, say, Michigan, they might not see results for that book unless it was in their relatively local geographic location?

 

That's ridiculous, why would eBay, who offers free listings so the only $ they'd make is if an item sold, not want to get any listing seen by everyone?

 

I am not saying that isn't what is happening, BTW. Just it seems they are shooting themselves inthe foot by doing so.

 

:shrug:

 

 

 

-slym

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tabcom

tabcom

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Oh, and I am in NC, so I might could help you in your test.

 

-slym

(thumbs u

Here is what my screen shows for the following ebay search for: C7772A

 

a>

My listing is #2 (YouTube).

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tabcom

tabcom

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Since the first of the month my sales are down about 80%.

Did your item views drop off 80%?

I just now turned on that ebay subscription to view those stats, so I don't have any data yet.

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smithdatura

smithdatura

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Posted

This isn't uncommon - it's yet another way for eBay to generate revenue and profits for shareholders.

 

Facebook does the same thing. A company may have a million likes, but their reach is capped/throttled at about 16% unless they pay to have their posts sponsored/pushed out to more people. In other words, at most 160,000 of a company's million fans will see its message disseminated on their timelines if the company isn't paying FB to advertise. That's why Twitter, with no such restriction, is better for getting your message out - tweet something and it *will* show up in a follower's feed, with the caveat that of course they need to see it before it gets pushed out of the latest updates appearing there.

 

Admittedly on eBay, it sucks for both the buyer *and* seller, since connecting both would be in eBay's interests to close a sale (and collect all those seller and PP fees), but they figure "one in the hand" makes it worth prioritizing listings from those who make it worth their while...

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slym2none

slym2none

Posted
Posted
Oh, and I am in NC, so I might could help you in your test.

 

-slym

(thumbs u

Here is what my screen shows for the following ebay search for: C7772A

 

a>

My listing is #2 (YouTube).

 

My search has one less listing, but the first two you show are the same as my first two results.

 

 

 

-slym

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tabcom

tabcom

Posted
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My search has one less listing, but the first two you show are the same as my first two results.

-slym

 

What do you mean by one less listing? Someone else is not being displayed on your screen? Are you saying that you see both of my YouTube pictures?

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tabcom

tabcom

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Here is another part I regularly sell, CH336-67001

 

Picture10_zps9646b499.jpg

 

YoutTube Picture is my listing.

 

My search is the exact same as yours for this.

 

hm

 

-slym

:applause:

 

I'm just trying to see if the throttling theory has any merit or it may just a seasonal downtime for ebay buyers. Admittedly, spring came late here in Indiana. I really should be outside. doh!

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tabcom

tabcom

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I've never really thought about it. I NEVER use the Best Match. I always change it to "Ending Soonest" or "Newly Listed."

 

chaseman210 . . . do you see my YouTube photo in the Best Match page when you search on CH336-67001 or C7772A?

 

Where are you located?

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Point Five

Point Five

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smithdatura . . . do you see my YouTube photo in the Best Match page when you search on CH336-67001 or C7772A?

 

Where are you located?

I just tried Best Match searches for both your products and both are indeed showing up as they should, so all good here. I'm in NYC.

 

 

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smithdatura

smithdatura

Posted
Posted
smithdatura . . . do you see my YouTube photo in the Best Match page when you search on CH336-67001 or C7772A?

 

Where are you located?

 

I searched "CH336-67001" and your listing showed up with no issue. Your same YouTube photo appears three more times, actually, under a "More Items Related to..." heading for different boards (60001, 80001, and 67002) which appears after the 4 active listings which are returned via that search.

 

Today I'm coming to you from lovely Montreal, QC.

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