Tips for getting ebay items to the top of search results

Saw · #1 (**permalink**) 03-09-2010, 01:57 PM

Now I have experienced first hand ebays new policies to do with search results and whether you rate high in them, at the bottom, or worse not at all.

I had an item that I could not find at all when logged out and doing an ebay search, it only came up with I typed the the title exactly. This can be a real pain for auction items as they will undoubtedly end lower.

Here are a couple of tips to keep your items higher, please feel free to add other tips.

Tip 1) Unique titles in each listing. If you have the following items for sale:

STAR WARS LUKE SKYWALKER LIGHT SABRE

Say you have 10 of these that you bought at auction and you list them, did you know that due to ebays "new" search criterea only 1 will show up in search listings?

So if you have listed 7 at auction you will only have one showing. When one is sold then another one shows.

You can do better to change the title slightly for each one such as

Light sabre - star wars - Luke

For example.

Tip 2: Apparantly if you offer FREE postage you have a chance of rating higher aswell. Now I have never been keen on this but it seems to be the way ebay wants to go

Tip 3: DSR's

this is the biggie. if your DSR's are suffering a bit then your items will have less exposure. There are lots of threads on the new DSR format. No matter how hard you try you can find yourself on the bad side of these regulations and they will be getting even stricter in April 2010.

My DSR's are all perfect except for P+P where I have 2 buyers thats have selected 2 stars out of 84 buyers.

I guess In this case I need to consider offering Free postage to try to reverse this trend.

Also if you have too many low ratings in item as described, dispatch time or communication these are things that you will have to address to avoid restrictions. Make sure you check these ratings out regularly by going to your "selling dashboard" under "account"

Tip 4: Always fill in the item specifics. If you use inkfrog or auctiva you can fall into the trap where you dont bother, I know I did. But to rate higher in the searches fill in all the boxes you can where possible.

aking · #2 (**permalink**) 03-09-2010, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neo

Tip 1) Unique titles in each listing. If you have the following items for sale:

STAR WARS LUKE SKYWALKER LIGHT SABRE

Say you have 10 of these that you bought at auction and you list them, did you know that due to ebays "new" search criterea only 1 will show up in search listings?

So if you have listed 7 at auction you will only have one showing. When one is sold then another one shows.

WOW

I never knew this. Is this policy in effect today? I am so used to just hitting that relist button. This is huge!! I will def make sure I change my title descriptions a bit.

**TheyGotMeToo** · #3 (**permalink**) 03-09-2010, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neo

Tip 4: Always fill in the item specifics. If you use inkfrog or auctiva you can fall into the trap where you dont bother, I know I did. But to rate higher in the searches fill in all the boxes you can where possible.

TIP 4) is a Biggie for customers who narrow their results using eBays "Refine Search" column, if you don't fill out those specifics you will be cutting yourself out of all the "Specific Search Results".

trotter · #4 (**permalink**) 03-11-2010, 07:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neo

Tip 1) Unique titles in each listing. If you have the following items for sale:

STAR WARS LUKE SKYWALKER LIGHT SABRE

Say you have 10 of these that you bought at auction and you list them, did you know that due to ebays "new" search criterea only 1 will show up in search listings?

So if you have listed 7 at auction you will only have one showing. When one is sold then another one shows.

Are you sure, where does it say this then?

scouse12345 · #5 (**permalink**) 03-11-2010, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trotter

Are you sure, where does it say this then?

It's the duplicate listing policy, not sure it's still relevent,as they ran into some legal issues with regards hiding listings that had been paid for.

scouse

corleone · #6 (**permalink**) 03-12-2010, 08:34 AM

I'd like to say thanks for this info! I alway's relist with the same title, now I will try a change!

trotter · #7 (**permalink**) 03-12-2010, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by corleone

I'd like to say thanks for this info! I alway's relist with the same title, now I will try a change!

LOL DON'T because its not true, like scouse said if the OP is referring to the 'duplicate listing policy' it was abandoned and that was for 15 auctions and 1 BIN listing anyway.

Saw · #8 (**permalink**) 03-12-2010, 12:49 PM

It appears we may have established that this "was" an issue but no longer "is" we can now add to the issue of appearing higher in search results overall.

Even with that said I think its useful to amend listings slightly rather than just keep reposting as there may be that extra special keyword that either has the effect of generating more interest or causes the item listed to appear higher up in the search results. That said I still believe its worthwhile amending titles before a simple relist.

trotter · #9 (**permalink**) 03-14-2010, 05:02 AM

Get Top Rated Seller on your accounts, TRS accounts get mahoosive boosts in search results and also get very good discounts on fee's too.

jbuntz · #10 (**permalink**) 03-14-2010, 05:17 AM

Just go to ebay pulse and sell items that are in the top 10 most searched list.

trotter · #11 (**permalink**) 03-14-2010, 05:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbuntz

Just go to ebay pulse and sell items that are in the top 10 most searched list.

or get terapeak

gibsonton · #12 (**permalink**) 03-14-2010, 06:56 AM

I have duplicate listings and no prob .. honestly the best way to get to the top is sell rare items are have photos that stand out ..so if your selling a football jersey there better be something to set you apart or be the last 48 hours or so of the auction...out of 4,000 listing all but 50 are in my ebay store that got virtually no exposure untill now .

lucy · #13 (**permalink**) 04-14-2010, 03:57 PM

this is an excellent thread which greenbean posted out to me, do you think that these words could be classed as extra special keywords - new, hot, sale, exclusive, rare?

trotter · #14 (**permalink**) 04-14-2010, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lucy

do you think that these words could be classed as extra special keywords - new, hot, sale, exclusive, rare?

No they are better classed as extra crap keywords,

You shouldn't waste precious title space on words like that, use keywords more relevant to your product.

lucy · #15 (**permalink**) 04-15-2010, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trotter

No they are better classed as extra crap keywords,

You shouldn't waste precious title space on words like that, use keywords more relevant to your product.

i've been using those words i thought they would get more buyers looking in fact the opposite happened no sale at all, so basically use words that are linked to the product you are selling