Apr
13
eBay Disables Best Match Search Due to Keyword Spamming
Filed Under Best Match, Industry News & Analysis | 2 Comments
Update: As of 6:30 pm EDT, Apr 13th, it looks like Best Match has been restored as the default search result. However it looks like time remaining is weighted significantly more - and keywords are currently weighted significantly lower. The other factors such as Shipping & Handling, & DSR’s appear to be still influencing the search results.
After Scot Wingo’s Blog reported that stuffing Key Words in your eBay listing title increased sellers’ placement in the search results pages significantly, eBay has apparently disabled the Best Match search algorithm.
I’m confident that this is a only temporary suspension of Best Match while eBay tweaks the search algorithm to deal with the keyword stuffing/spamming issue.
The eBay search results page still lists Best Match as the default sort method, however if you change the “sort by” method in the drop down menu found at the top of the search results to “Time: Ending Soonest,” the search results are sorted exactly the same as what is currently advertised as sorted by “Best Match.”
Scot’s blog post stated that eBay listings that stuffing keywords in the titles zoomed to the top of the listing results. Randy Smythe summarizes this technique well in his blog:
Now with Best Match, sellers add multiple keywords to their titles to get advantage in search. Now the following listing title: New, New, New, New, New, Wii5, 5, 5, 5 New New, carries more weight than New Nintendo Wii with 5 Game Bundle.
This was entirely predictable. When I broke the news about eBay’s Best Match patent application last winter, I discussed the possibility of exploiting the search algorithm in order to manipulate rankings on search results page. What is surprising is that eBay did not predict that users would attempt to exploit Best Match and have the mechanisms in place to counter the technique. Keyword stuffing is such a basic search algorithm spamming technique — Google and the other search engines fought and defeated this rudimentary tactic years ago. I’m amazed that eBay was not prepared for it.
eBay’s lack of foresight aside, you can rest assured that when they put Best Match back online, they will have reeingineered the search algorithm to counter the keyword stuffing spam techniques. I’m confident that the new algorithm will contain a penalty for keyword stuffing and the sellers who continue employ these tactics will find themselves at the bottom of the search results vice the top.
Scot Wingo’s post suggests that sellers should use these keyword stuffing techniques in order to gain higher listings. Let me take this opportunity to again suggest that optimization is different than manipulation and that eBay will eventually start punishing users that attempt to manipulate their search results. These punishments will start out relatively benign with lower search result rankings and will likely escalate to cancelled listings and closed accounts.
The temporary suspension of Best Match is an obvious signal that eBay is not going to sit idly by while users attempt to manipulate search results. I don’t think that they are going to continue such a passive approach to these efforts either. Disincentives for Best Match maniplation are on their way.
What is going to make you more money over the long term: Best Match optimization or Best Match spamming? The answer to that question is where you should focus your efforts to rank highly in eBay’s search results.
Feb
27
Sellers at Etsy.com are Even More Unhappy Than Sellers on eBay
Filed Under Industry News & Analysis | 2 Comments
eBay sellers take heart! The Consumerist is reporting that sellers on Etsy.com are even more unhappy than you are. Apparently Etsy, a major marketplace for crafts, is shutting down stores at the first hint of complaints from buyers and sending the complaining buyers FBI Cyber-Crime forms. The purpose of these forms is to report the offending seller to the FBI for possible investigation.
Here’s a couple of the complaints quoted on the Consumerist:
A [buyer] DID complain about me - a week & a half after the purchase date for not receiving their parcel, & I’m in Australia & he’s in the US! Instead of referring the buyer to me, giving me the benefit of the doubt or explaining on my behalf that assuming non-delivery was premature, Etsy banned me & issued the buyer with an FBI cyber-crime form to complain about me!
This actually happened to me around Christmas time. I had a customer request a Custom Order & then Subsequently change her mind. I refunded her payment & never marked the item as shipped. About 2 months later I got an email from Etsy saying I did not ship an item and the Customer was furnished with the FBI Cyber Crime thing & my account would be suspended if I did not respond. I responded to the email explaining that she changed her mind & the Payment was refunded. About 2 days later I got the same email & responded again explaining what happened. I even contacted the buyer (nicely - & asked if she was unhappy in any way with the way the transaction had been concluded & to doublecheck that she had received her refund).She said she had received her refund promptly & was very satisfied since it was she who had backed out of the transaction. She said she had not reported the transaction to Etsy in any way. In fact, she had left me Pos. feedback previously.
You would think that Esty would be taking full-advantage of the unrest at eBay and rolling out the red carpet for sellers. Read about more unhappiness at http://etsynews.com/
Jan
17
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.
Read more
Jan
17
According to the Silicon Alley Insider, eBay will announce a fee structure change next week.
According to some sellers who have reportedly been briefed on the fee changes, eBay is planning to:
- Reduce listing fees and increase final-sale fees on high-ticket items.
- Offer bulk-listing discounts
eBay traditionally announces fee changes in conjunction with releasing earnings statements. The company releases quarterly earnings on January 23rd.