What’s a Picture Worth? Reducing Uncertainty for eBay Bidders
Filed Under Sellers' Insights | 1 Comment
Some say a picture’s worth a thousand words. Professor David Eaton of Murray State University says its worth 40 bucks. At least for sellers of high-end guitars on eBay anyway. In his study, “Valuing Information: Evidence from Guitar Auctions on eBay,” Eaton found that by reducing the uncertainty of a product’s quality by adding more pictures, the average final selling price of Paul Reed Smith guitars increased by $40.00 for each additional picture included in the auction listings.
eBay’s Best Match Made Simple
Filed Under Best Match, How-To's | 10 Comments
Update: Download the FREE eBook Best Match Made Simple
In our last post, we introduced eBay’s Best Match algorithm. I have to admit it was a rather detailed and complex summary of the technical aspects of the new method in which eBay sorts it search results. It left many requesting a less technical explanation of the process.
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Decoding eBay’s Best Match
Filed Under Best Match, Sellers' Insights | 28 Comments
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Download the FREE eBook Best Match Made Simple
eBay’s Best Match search algorithm has sellers up in arms because, in many cases, their auctions never make it to the first page of eBay’s search results. There’s been speculation on what the eBay Best Match algorithm considers when generating the order in which search results are listed. Forbes Magazinespeculates that search results are predominately a factor of seller feedback and powerseller status (effectively squeezing out the small eBay sellers). AuctionBytes has suggested that eBay’s Best Match algorithm might be a function of many things including: powerseller status, shipping options, feedback ratings and Detailed Seller Ratings, and use of item specifics in the description and the titles. A number of sellers on the forums have speculated even more conspiratorial theories of the factors they think are influencing the ranking algorithm. I’ve always been a fan of facts vice speculation and guesses, so I hit Google looking for some answers. After a few hours of research, I managed to track down eBay’s Best Match patent application.
eBay is testing the waters with their “Best Match” as the default search result sort order on the US eBay.com site. I noticed it over the weekend as I was doing some testing on ListingTicker. It was officially announced on Wednesday.
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