Is eBay's awful search function the reason for eBay's decline in the UK?

[poshboutique2]

The search algorithm on eBay is a total nightmare if you are in the UK. Random results unrelated to your initial search show up in their hundreds, as well low value items from Chinese sellers. It is positively discouraging to buy from eBay, especially on the app which is what most use.  And the so-called 'filters' are time consuming and fiddly to use. Even after applying filters you're left with items totally unrelated to your original search. I am sure people give up and try another platform. Contrast this to Vinted which is an absolute pleasure to use as a buyer. Their search is super effective and really easy to use - finding the items that you want as well other related items based on your initial search. I've bought more from Vinted than I expected to because they make it so easy to find items that I love.

eBay's search is a mess and I actually think this is a major reason for their declining sales in the UK.

[bizzy-lizzy99]

It's horrendous. I want to browse ladies coats. I don't want 'picked for you' thanks very much or 'deals you'll love'.

Also getting a load of Google ads tagged onto the bottom. 

Did I find a coat? No!

[lucy_farmer]

Ebay's awful search is not working *at all* today, for me.......... Searching just brings up the un-welcome 'pick up where you left off' list.  (no thanks ; I 'left off' because I don't want it..... and I still don't)

I know today is Friday/glitch day, but this problem has been hanging around on the buyer's board for some time now........ come on tech. Pull finger out please.

[gjalp]

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@lucy_farmer wrote:

Ebay's awful search is not working *at all* today, for me.......... Searching just brings up the un-welcome 'pick up where you left off' list.  (no thanks ; I 'left off' because I don't want it..... and I still don't)

I know today is Friday/glitch day, but this problem has been hanging around on the buyer's board for some time now........ come on tech. Pull finger out please.

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I've just come here to say this! My middly is moving out which will free up a room so I wanted to browse wardrobes and chest of drawers. Yeah, I can't do that. It shows me nothing other than a bunch of filters at the top where I can select number of drawers or doors. I've just shouted in the feedback link at the top of the page. Its so frustrating.

[c_of_e84]

I have been on ebay for 26 years as a business, its was good to start but has declined massively over the years, I sell on .com and dont sell in the UK, the US was a big part of my sales but even before tariffs were introduced its had declined, I didnt realise until a few months ago ebay marketshare of onine markeplaces in the US was about 3% so in the great scheme of things they are minnos trying to swim in a massive pond, fortunately I have my own websites so anything I sell on ebay is an extra but the cost is expensive at about 28% without listing upgrades and everything sold on ebay has to be sent tracked, where as sales through my websites I used standard air mail and have very little problems.

[insidethe93]

The seller's shop search glitch occurred last month too.

It caught me and eventually I gave up and bought elsewhere, and returned to eBay days later when I was able to see it had stopped. So eBay certainly lost sales on behalf of itself and its sellers. How many other buyers are affected = sales lost?

But there are worse glitches as candidates for eBay Glitch of the Month. eBay could own them (own up to them) by monetising it all, e.g. sell a Glitch Calendar to hang proudly on your wall. Which Glitch would take the centrefold? 🙂

[jp_sp0rt]

If someone just makes a platform with a ‘postage and or within x miles’ i will drop ebay like the stinking turd it is.

[jonatjonatjonat]

There are item location and Collection available filters available.

within those you can set a postcode and maximum radius around that postcode. 

That will return items that offer collection within a radius round your postcode.

[jonatjonatjonat]

Right see your issue now which hasn’t been 100% clear from the various threads you’ve started.

what you want is either…

show items for collection near you (which is possible)

or

show items that are postage only. So you want to in that instance filter out items that only offer collection.

in any event you’d need two searches (one postage only, one local collection as most site searches don’t operate or rules like that) but yes a Postage only filter would probably be a useful addition. Unfortunately you are on a hope and a prayer that eBay add that to their roadmap as they don’t take recommendations from users via the forums.

best bet is to find the feedback button on a search page and state your requirements (which id limit to Postage only filter)

[wara_rat]

I find the search "best match" to be mostly OK, albeit it pushes promoted items heavily. Where it drops off a cliff is when you filter for cheapest option.

[hobo5555]

you are right  , google yahoo and duck duck go have also gone down in accuracy so I suspect some core code has been messed with you have to use advanced search and put words in inverted commas to avoid rubbish results I recently searched here for a certain big bang theory DVD  156 results only 12 were for the item and many were from abroad where the postage was as much as twice as much as the item in one american item the postage was 5 time the items cost, restricting to UK only still allowed overseas results but cut the search to 54 , only 4 were for the item

[kitty011976]

they're using *bleep*ty AI to transform search queries and it proper sucks at it

[shaneandperry]

Couldn't agree more. 👏