Why is an item I bought and have received not to be found in eBay sold listings?

[right-then-petal]

hmmm have you looked in your purchase history

[peterbouchonuk]

It's in my purchase history but apparently not in eBay's sold listings. Other items I have purchased appear in both my purchase history and eBay's sold listings.....was wondering why not this one and why.

[right-then-petal]

have you looked in your feedback  ( you need to leave )

[theelench]

Is this a recent purchase?  Sold items drop off after a while but if it has you might find it by Googling the exact listing title. 

Or it might be down to the way the search engine works and the vagaries of Best Match.

I've found several times that the search doesn't link some key words to some sub-categories.   So if there is more than one sub-cat. that an item can be listed in a search will show items in one and not show anything listed in the other.   I found this out when checking why some items seem to sell more often when listed in (say) Kitchenalia but hardly ever if listed in Collectables.  If you're looking at sold items in Collectables  it won't show sold items in Kitchenalia.

The way i've found these "missing" items is by chance, through the "people also looked at" or other "see similar" adverts at the bottom of the listings which drags in a few items from other sub-cats. that my search is ignoring.

If you are looking in the "wrong" category you might find it by looking at the listing category at the top of the item in your Purchase History and clicking on the sub-cat. then sold items.

[peterbouchonuk]

Recently purchased item so it can't have dropped off yet.

Dosen't come up if I search in specific catagory or general catagory.

Even if I put in the actually item identification number it still does not come up.

eBay help.......not much help.

I've forgotten why I should even care.

[**bustysinclaire**]

In some cases an item can be reported for an eBay listing violation, can get sold and paid for before it has been dealt with by eBay then the listing can be removed. So it could show as sold in your history but removed from eBay's history.  You usually see a notice stating that the item cannot be found.  

[peterbouchonuk]

Best explanation I've heard. I have my doubts that it applies to this item though.....which probably means you are right on the money! Thanks to you and the other members for your time.....I'm going to run with this answer and not look back.....