One of my listings keeps disappearing

[MPS16]

.......So why is it so difficult to sell anything here? I've just added brand names to everything (so they get on Google Shopping)......

I have just checked your listing

Brave Soul Womens Military Faux Fur Hood Trim Fishtail Parka Jacket Size 8/XS/36

This will not appear in Google Shopping under eBid as it already appears with exactly the same title in Google Shopping under eBay.

[hucker]

I didn't realise Ebay used Google shopping. I'd prefer Google Shopping saw Ebid rather than Ebay, as it costs the buyer less (I try to change the prices so I get the same money, but the buyer saves money). So I guess the only answer is to alter the title slightly? Then it would be shown twice, the buyer would see the saving here, and come here?

Although, I can see one of my kettles on Ebid in Google Shopping. Not sure if it then hid the Ebay one? I'll make the titles different in the hope of them both showing up for more coverage.

P.S. I agree with your political stance.

[theElench]

Have a read of the "Google Shopping" thread on the "Website Suggestions" board, there might be something more that's helpful.

I just checked GS again to see how many of my listings are visible -- P.1 3, P.2 3, which is about my average. "Ebid - theElench" is still showing on the "Sites" side-bar, although today it wasn't visible near the top. I had to click "See More".

[hucker]

I will go read the thread, thanks.

[hucker]

This is weird. Since I copied listings to Ebid, I'm selling loads more stuff on Ebay. Unless people are spotting these ads, then going over to Ebay to get the buyer protection (I assume we don't have that here?), I don't understand why this is happening.

[theElench]

Ebays' Buyer protection is rather exaggerated in my opinion, they just make a lot of noise about some things that exist independently. Anyone who pays with Paypal gets their protection. Card payments can usually be reversed through the issuing bank and UK laws apply to all transactions in the UK. To me that covers pretty much everything and the only thing ebay does is automate refunds without (in many cases) properly investigating the evidence. That just makes refunding quicker, but often rather unjust to the seller.

I've never had a complaint on ebid, but my understanding of what happens is that if there is an unresolved dispute, a real human from Support will look into it and adjudicate.

Some sellers over there speculate that "activity" on a listing (like editing titles?) gives it a temporary boost in their visibility sweepstakes. On ebid there is (so far as I know) no manipulation of visibility. If your listing title has the Key-Words that a buyer puts in the search box, they will always be shown your item.

I put the number of sales here mostly down to two factors:

1) I've steadily increased the number of my listings.

2) When buyers search here, they are shown all my listings with the right key-words and those of any other seller that has the same words in their titles. In other words they can find what they are looking for.

[hucker]

Ebays' Buyer protection is rather exaggerated in my opinion, they just make a lot of noise about some things that exist independently. Anyone who pays with Paypal gets their protection. Card payments can usually be reversed through the issuing bank and UK laws apply to all transactions in the UK. To me that covers pretty much everything and the only thing ebay does is automate refunds without (in many cases) properly investigating the evidence. That just makes refunding quicker, but often rather unjust to the seller.

They work perfectly for me, I've used them many times me being the buyer, for things broken in the post, or simply not as advertised (mostly Chinese stuff). Only one person ever complained about me, they bought something and didn't read the description properly, thought they were buying 50 of something instead of 10. I think all I ended up with was a neutral feedback.

Some sellers over there speculate that "activity" on a listing (like editing titles?) gives it a temporary boost in their visibility sweepstakes. On ebid there is (so far as I know) no manipulation of visibility. If your listing title has the Key-Words that a buyer puts in the search box, they will always be shown your item.

I've tried searching for my own items on Ebay, and the only peculiarity I found was if you take for example the kettles I'm selling. Searching for "Dualit Kettle" doesn't show my Dualit Lite Kettle, because Ebay has decided the most common Dualit Kettle is the architect kettle, so it ONLY shows those. It also omits broken ones, which was annoying to me when I was trying to find spare parts to fix one. It will show everything if the buyer clicks button at the top of the results saying "show all" or similar. So I'm currently trying listing some with some words omitted.

When buyers search here, they are shown all my listings with the right key-words and those of any other seller that has the same words in their titles. In other words they can find what they are looking for.

Yes I try to add keywords I think people might use. For example some things are called many things - a hard disk or a hard drive.

[hucker]

Wehey! I just got a temporary ban from Ebay forums for just mentioning Ebid. Looks like they're worried. So I told them to "Lower. Your. Fees."

[theElench]

Join the Club!!

I'm part way through a weeks "gardening leave" for posting "disrespectfully" towards other posters.(Although I think it's more to do with asking for an explanation as to why they've added "No Land-lines" to their "2 step verification page".)

Reading between the lines a couple of posters have been given bans for mentioning other sites and alluded to the fact on return. I also know of another regular getting a temporary ban for criticising their decision to ban one of the most prolific and genuinely helpful for solving problems, for life.

It looks like there is a general crack-down going on over there. Hardly surprising when their boards are again filled with critical threads, despite the boards' re-design to make criticism disappear quickly.

Incidentally, the wording of their board policy forbids saying anything that encourages sellers to take their business to other sites. But I've been getting away with mentioning ebid for years, by never saying it's better or anything else overtly encouraging sellers to try it out.

But by just stating facts, leaving readers to draw their own conclusions and cautioning them that they should always read the fee structure / selling plans in full before doing so. To make my comments look more unbiased, rather than pro-ebid.

On threads about "hidden listings / manipulated search results / no sales" it's not too difficult to mention that: e.g "I've sold 9 items on ebid this year and only 1 on obay. Probably, simply because buyers can find them on a smaller site that doesn't manipulate its visibility according to various metrics (insert whichever is appropriate to that thread)."

When I've done my time and am I'm allowed to comment again I'll be even more cautious and advise you to do the same. You might be aware, or perhaps not, that their bans are progressive. Previously I've had a couple of 3 day bans, with long intervals between. The last one wasn't too long ago. So this time I'm banned for a week. Next time, if too soon, it could be even longer.

All the best.

[hucker]

On threads about "hidden listings / manipulated search results / no sales" it's not too difficult to mention that: e.g "I've sold 9 items on ebid this year and only 1 on obay. Probably, simply because buyers can find them on a smaller site that doesn't manipulate its visibility according to various metrics (insert whichever is appropriate to that thread)."

I haven't sold a single thing on here, but I sell plenty on Ebay. My conclusion was nobody comes here to buy and I'm flogging a dead horse. But somehow you do better in here? What gives? What am I doing wrong?

When I've done my time and am I'm allowed to comment again I'll be even more cautious and advise you to do the same. You might be aware, or perhaps not, that their bans are progressive. Previously I've had a couple of 3 day bans, with long intervals between. The last one wasn't too long ago. So this time I'm banned for a week. Next time, if too soon, it could be even longer.

Oh I'm already banned permanently on another account. It's not possible to ban me completely. In fact in a completely different nothing to do with selling things forum, I'm on my 38th account. Rule 9 is actually "If your account is banned, don't create a another one". That's just asking me to do it....