Manipulating search results? - eBay said "UH-UH!"
Summary: suelel1968 expresses frustration with misleading eBay listings that offer unrelated items at lower prices to manipulate search results. They describe an experience where a water butt kit appears to be priced lower, but only includes a wall hook for the cheaper price, while the actual product costs significantly more. jonatjonatjonat suggests that eBay does not effectively police these listings and proposes that mass reporting by buyers might prompt action. moonlight-rhapsody shares a similar experience, confirming the issue is widespread, and notes that eBay often does not recognize the problem even when reported.
This totally ruins the buying experience on eBay. They should either scrap all rules or enforce them. I would rather pay more at the Big River Warehouse that have my time wasted looking at listings like this and genuine sellers of these items are not getting a look in.
Water Butt Connector Pipe Link Kit Downpipe Rain Barrel Connecting Hose £1.89 - £9.99
What you actually get for £1.89 - a self adhesive wall hook! The water butt parts are not sold separately and are simply £9.99.
The hook is sold cheaper at only 99p on other listings and can be used for your toilet cistern, for storing your shoes, as a non reverse valve for your fuel line, instead of buttons, for car body decal, to keep you phone on the car dashboard, as a USB super fast extension cable, as silicon overshoes and as lens cap for your camera... There are about 100 items listed in this way and if you don't get a hook for the lowest value you get a sim pin!
AI & human appeal said "we can't see a problem with it"
This notice appears on some of the listings
Well that's alright then!
moonlight-rhapsody
·1 month agoThat's pretty blatant, isn't it. I came across something similar a day or two ago - it turned out that 99p would only get you the User Guide, but if you tried to buy it, this sign came up.
I reported something similar a few weeks ago. When you clicked through to the listing, it actually said “Hook only (Don’t buy)”. Needless to say, ebay found no problem with that.
jonatjonatjonat
·1 month agoThey don’t police it because they can’t police it in an automated (read cheap) way.
Only way anything will happen is if loads of people buy the hooks and then have to report an item not received I reckon.
suelel1968
OP1 month agoBut when it is reported to them and they say we can't see a problem...and you appeal so a human looks at it and they still can't see it.......
The only way I see of changing things is if we all sell hooks for 99p on every listing..... @marco@ebay ?
jonatjonatjonat
·1 month agoSorry I didn’t say reporting the listing. I get that is a dead duck.
I mean you actually have to buy the hook that doesn’t exist, then open an item not received case.
Although yes I agree having EVERY variation listing on eBay have a 99p none existent plastic hook variation would possibly force eBay to sort it out.
@marco@ebay the issue is rife.
roger_roger_over_and_nowt
·1 month ago · EditedI'm confused. Do you get a donut as well or is that extra ?.