Tag Archives: Best Match

Ut’ Oh eBay… Google enters eCommerce – Best Match or Best Darn Search – You decide

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It had to happen sooner or later... Google brings the power of Search to eCommerce!

Why oh Why eBay, did you not think of That!

Hmmmm - maybe eBay can sign up for Google Commerce Search and scrap this whole "finding" experiment... Maybe with Google Search installed on eBay.com, the term Best Match might actually mean that the best product matching the search terms entered will be presented.

Oh - what a novel idea - Actually allowing the person doing the search to determine what it is they are searching for...

But I Digress - eBay and Google burned bridges long ago and ever since that time, Google has grown stronger while eBay - well we all know where eBay's numbers are - in the hands of PayPal!

So... what is Google Commerce Search anyway? (Get most of the scoop at this link Google Support)

Evidently Google has a few tricks up their collective sleeves...

Continue reading “Ut’ Oh eBay… Google enters eCommerce – Best Match or Best Darn Search – You decide” »

Ode to eBay – Goodbye to the Best Minds at eBay

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When things go wrong, people naturally lament.  Sometimes they express themselves in prose...

 

Ode to eBay

 

Came to this land,

 

To survive another day..

 

Day after day, still too bland

 

Hung on by just a strand,

 

Until I landed at eBay.

 

It was a beacon of light

 

Its foes cowered in fright,

 

The strength of its community,

 

Granted it virtual immunity

 

Under custodians sight,

 

No one dared slight,

 

Unto this giant's might.

 

As with all blinding power

 

The custodians went slowly sour

 

Took the community for granted

 

Seeds of dissent met with dour

 

The ecosystem was finally salted.

 

Failed at my task I did

 

Couldn't raise enough to bid

 

Change for even an hour

 

To lighten up the day

 

Of even one user on eBay

 

Some will be sad, some happy

 

A few ambivalent,

 

Some downright ecstatic,

 

That I am leaving eBay

 

Losing all right to preach,

 

I urge one and every each

 

Heed the user, not the ladder

 

Now is the time, now the hour

 

Give more than is your due

 

To restore this mighty power

 

To what was known as eBay.

 

 

Monday, October the 13th will be my last day at eBay. And no, I was not laid off, rather my decision to exit into the current hellish market environment is entirely voluntary.

 

I express my sincere gratitude to all who keep the miracle of eBay alive.

 

-Raghav Gupta

 

For those who do not remember, or did not know... 

Raghav Gupta - Created the "BayEstimator", invented and built eBay's new relevance search algorithm (aka Best Match), contextual keyword extraction algorithm (for eBay AdContext), the Related Searches algorithm, real-time geographical distance computation algorithm for searching/sorting by distance, and many others.

See our previous posts about the eBay Estimator tool here:

The "Ode to eBay" by Raghav Gupta from Dr. Mark Boyd's Blog - Research Scientist at eBay

eBay Search – Three Tabs – Fixed Price, Auctions, ALL – Best Match?

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Oh So Many Changes at eBay

eBay has made so many changes of late, it is hard to keep up with it all.  We all know the hot issues of Feedback, DSR's and Best Match but what about the fundamental changes eBay has made to the look and feel of the site?

One change is the obvious separation of Auctions from Buy it Now (Fixed Price Items) from one another in search.  Buyers still have the option to see both on one screen, but thats a selection made in a tab at the top of search now.

I just listed a Kleinfeld Necklace and Earrings in Bridal Accessories and wanted to see how my item came up in search. With all of the complaints recently about Best Match, my hopes were not high that I would even find my item in such a large category.

Three Tabs - Easy Selection

The New Search lays it all out for the buyer - Just pick the preferred buying method (Auction, Buy it Now, or Both) and then drill down with Keywords and Categories.

Seems simple to me...

Drilled Down

I was surprised at how the search actually drilled down and found my listing by simply using one keyword and the category...

One keyword, One Category

One keyword, One Category

Kleinfeld Limitation

I made no Best Match changes and of course the keyword "Kleinfeld" produced limited results, I did not use the common keywords of "Necklace" or "Earrings".

When we do search with the keywords "Kleinfeld, Necklace, Earrings" (exactly what I am selling) the immediate result brings up my item number one... Of course it is the only one available on eBay....

Kleinfeld, Necklace, Earrings

Kleinfeld, Necklace, Earrings

The question becomes, what is wrong with search on eBay?

Sellers are complaining about the "new" eBay search and how it confuses buyers, I don't really see anything confusing here.

I am an advanced user but this search seems more logical than anything I have ever used on eBay in the past.

Does Best match work in fixed price? Time will tell... We know that sorting auctions by Best Match makes little sense to buyer or seller, but when the two methods of listing are separated, eBay Best Match may just be OK.

Now I wonder... whats coming in September with the next iteration of Search?

I also question how long eBay Auctions will be viable when "Fixed Price 30 days" goes into effect next month.

eBay Competitors – Where to go After DSRs or Best Match?

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The winds of change have been blowing...

We all know eBay is moving to a more retail like atmosphere. If your niche or business model does not fit into a retail like experience for the new eBay buyers, as a seller you will soon find it very difficult to survive on eBay.

This is a good thing for a majority of the large titanium PowerSellers now found on the eBay site. It may not be the roots of eBay and it may not be what eBay has promoted over the last 10-12 years, but this is the climate of change you have been hearing about. Big corporations change, evolve, morph themselves into entirely new entities all of the time.

This most recent movement by eBay to a more retail like experience should not be a surprise to anyone. In fact, I have preached here and elsewhere that all sellers on eBay should become more business like and find sources of supply outside of Garage Sales and Church Bazaars...

To survive in business, you must have a plan. eBay seems to be working towards shaping every eBay sellers' business plan to fit a model which will help eBay as much as it helps the majority of sellers they want to keep. One does wonder...what will happen to those sellers they are no longer interested in retaining?

Free Shipping is part of eBay's plan to attract buyers (see Randy Smythe's Blog post today in My Blog Utopia) they plan on encouraging sellers to join with them in this plan by advantaging those sellers who offer free shipping in the Best Match results for search.

If this type of "encouragement" does not fit into your business plan - either because you do not have products which can be easily shipped for free - or simply because you see no margin after offering free shipping after raising your price to accomodate the higher cost, then you may be looking for alternatives to selling on eBay...

Read More about the other options available to sellers here:

eBay Flea Market Closed - Sellers Look for eBay Competition - Where to Sell Now?

eBay Flea Market

Keynote Lorrie Norrington, President eBay Global Marketplaces – PeSA ECMTA Summit 2008

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Lorrie Norrington greets PeSA ECMTA Summit New Orleans - Keynote Address

The title for this presentation - "Bidding for your business - What eBay is doing to drive seller success". The real title could have been...

eBay - opening up the lines of communication with buyers and sellers.

Today's keynote presentation started with a Katrina hurricane media piece focusing on eBay in the community and eBay itself pulling together in a effort to help victims of the Katrina disaster.

  • eBay donated $1000 to one thousand sellers in the affected area to help get sellers back on their feet
  • eBay sellers posted record numbers of donations for Katrina relief
  • Entire groups of sellers organized caravans of relief supplies for the victims

Jonathan Garris, Director of eCommerce Merchants ECMTA & CEO of Gotham City Online, introduced the keynote speaker Lorrie Norrington after the following brief comments.

  • ECMTA is all about members working together towards a common goal
  • 2008 eCommerce changes rapidly - 2008 eBay shifting to a culture of change

Lorrie Norrington Speaks... Continue reading “Keynote Lorrie Norrington, President eBay Global Marketplaces – PeSA ECMTA Summit 2008” »

eBay Estimator BACK – Best Match Survival – Optimize Your eBay Listing Title's BayEstimate

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The eBay Estimator Title Tool is Back!

eBay Research has relaunched the eBay Estimator and given the tool a new Title:

Optimize Your eBay Listing Title's BayEstimate

BayEstimate? Guess the name is as good as any...

I have not had much of a chance to check out the newly revised version of the title tool. I felt it was important to tell my readers it has returned!

Some initial thoughts:

  • The tool is slightly more graphical
  • It seems to retain functionality without giving actual percentile ratings per keyword
  • Keywords Buyers Like/Dislike scale gives good suggestions for crafting titles
  • Category Suggestions provided - useful in my book

What do you think?

If you have any comments about the new tool, please leave them below - Quirks, usefulness, better, not as good?

Thanks to eBay and PeSA for working with eBay on the back channels so this tool could be returned to the sellers who need it as a survival device during the "Best Match"  era. 

I just hope it works...

 

eBay Estimator Title Tool Will Return – Will BEST MATCH Bug be Corrected?

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eBay enlists the help of PeSA/ECMTA to calm the storm of debate regarding the eBay Best Match Title Tool eBay estimator removed last week due to a story in eBay Strategies by Scot Wingo.

We followed up with a story here and added our own opinion that the removal of the tool was not due to a problem with the tool itself, but due to the exposure it gained in Scot Wingo's eBay Strategies blog and the open reporting of a serious bug in the Best Match algorithm. Continue reading “eBay Estimator Title Tool Will Return – Will BEST MATCH Bug be Corrected?” »

eBay Estimator Tool Down – Coping with Best Match Just got Harder

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eBay Labs has had a tool running which helps sellers determine the best title keywords to use when crafting a listing with Best Match search in mind.  eBay estimator

Recently Scot Wingo of Channel Advisor in his eBay Strategies blog published an article which indicated some sellers were hacking the best match system by using the eBay estimator tool. 

Scots Article apparently ruffles feathers at eBay and rather than fix the algorithm which allowed the system to be hacked, this morning they removed the tool utilized by thousands of honest sellers who were simply using it as it was intended.

The page is still up and on it the tool has been removed, the following statement is in its place: Continue reading “eBay Estimator Tool Down – Coping with Best Match Just got Harder” »

PeSA ECMTA DSRs Conference Call – Final Analysis – What Sellers Should Know

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Brandon Dupsky of ECMTA hosted today's special invitation conference call for PeSA/ECMTA members and selected invitees of the Trading Assistant Journal and eBay & Beyond Internet Radio Show.

The call, focusing on the reality of DSRs (Detailed Seller Ratings) and how they effect eBay sellers' businesses, was held at 5PM Eastern time on Thursday, April 10th, 2008.

The intention was not to complain or commiserate about the eBay DSR situation. The goal of this call-in session was to help members of PeSA/ECMTA find a clear path through the eBay DSR minefield and to find a way to move forward into profitability. Some members have found sales levels diminishing because of the new buyer feedback system.

All eBay sellers are obviously worried about being disadvantaged in the new Best Match search, which is tied to the detailed seller ratings left by buyers.

DSRs - Detailed Seller Ratings - What did we learn? Continue reading “PeSA ECMTA DSRs Conference Call – Final Analysis – What Sellers Should Know” »