Question
EBay announced a few weeks ago the expansion of the search engine to include plurals for the majority of keywords used in Search, so if you don't want plurals of your keywords included in the results, you have to enclose them in parenthesis.
They also made a change that they haven't mentioned. Your search results will include synonyms of your keywords. I believe this is going to be a disaster.
Coming Soon: Automatic Search Expansion for Singular and Plural Spellings
Date: 11/08/04 Time: 03:45:15 PM PST
Last year we introduced an enhancement to Search that helped buyers find more relevant items by returning listings that contained either the singular or plural version of a very limited set of Search keywords. Over the next week, we will be expanding this enhancement to include many of the keywords commonly used in Search.
For example, if you search on the keywords harry potter book, Search will return results matching harry potter book and also return results matching harry potter books.
Conversely, if you search on the keywords harry potter books, search will return results matching harry potter books and also return results matching harry potter book.
If you do not wish to search for both spellings, or only want to find a specific form of a keyword, you can put your keyword in quotation marks. For example, entering "book" in the search box will return only listings for that specific spelling.
This introduction may take several days, and you may see these expanded Search results intermittently until the rollout is complete.
For other tips on how to Search most effectively, please click here.
Regards,
This is a copy of the post I just made in the main forum about the new search expansion:
I think the new search expansion sucks. Now I have to take another step to add quotation marks around my search terms in order to avoid receiving a huge list which includes plurals. However, the really bad part about the new search is the unannounced "synonym" expansion. If you search for bicycle, you not only get plurals but you also get bike and bikes. If you search for wedding dress you also get bridal gown. These are TITLE only searches.
bicycle Title search: http://search.ebay.com/bicycle_W0QQfromZR40QQsojsZ1
wedding dress Title search results:
http://search.ebay.com/wedding-dres...osortpropertyZ1
1953 Doll Trousseau Bridal Gown Pattern 21" Orig
Pattern BRIDAL GOWN & TRAIN several sz
1/12th BRIDAL GOWN WITH VEIL & BOUQUET ON MANNEQUIN
http://search.ebay.com/wedding-dres...osortpropertyZ1
ATIANAS BRIDAL GOWN wine model EVA 4-28
COUTURE ATIANAS BRIDAL GOWN Ivory Rose
Mccall's sewing pattern lined bridal gown bridesmaid FF
I wonder if this search expansion has anything to do with eBay's new interpretation of the keyword spam/search manipulation policy?
I doubt these search enhancements will help the buyer find your items. Quite the contrary...they may give up because of the large list of results, many of which aren't relevant to their keyword search terms.
Blanche
Answer
I wonder if this search expansion has anything to do with eBay's new interpretation of the keyword spam/search manipulation policy?
Probably.
I predict that by the end of 2005 if you search for "fork" your results will show all but 15 things that are listed on the entire eBay site.
In a way, this could work out - we will finally be able to browse again.
Answer
eBay strikes again!
Left hands says no you can't do that.
Right hand says maybe we should do it for you.
Uggh!
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I predict that by the end of 2005 if you search for "fork" your results will show all but 15 things that are listed on the entire eBay site.
And what's the bet that 3 of those 15 are actually forks.
Kevin
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No wonder my pattern auctions are getting reported and pulled!!
People looking for Matrix Neo items find my auction for a pattern to sew the long jacket and report it.
The crazy thing is - auctions that have been reliably successful are NOW in voilation of eBay's NEW screwy policy that isn't even clearly defined!!
People are frustrated with the search return when they would not have gotten my item included in their search BEFORE eBay changed it!!
Answer
G'day FL Vamp,
Whilst your problem is not book related, take a read of this here Thread, and then follow the link in the first post to the Ebay Book Board. This whole key word spamming situation is totally screwed up.
It is interfering with genuine trade, and my guess NOW, is that they are over-enforcing a poorly thought out policy, so that their new search "enhancements" are not screwed up.
The fact that this does not actually help buyers to find what they are really looking for, has not dawned on Ebay's PTB. Like item specifics before it, these enhancements, by accidental design, actually hide anything that is not stock standard and would be highly sought after if they were found. The rare and the obscure are made more difficult to find because enthusiasts and researchers need more information about an obscure item to find them. Instead of allowing detailed and relevant information in a listing, Ebay believes that everything can be "pigeon holed" and is straight-forward. They fail to realise that one of the foundations that Ebay's success was built on was the ability of collectors (and others) to find the obscure items that they could not find locally, or even in auctions, fairs and shows when they travelled. These items brought premium prices because they were found by people who had a need (or perceived need) to obtain them, and they competitively bid hard to get them. Now they are not even allowed to be described so that those who want them can find them. It has destroyed what was potentially the ultimate international market place.
The first post by Spazmodeus in this thread on KWS policy really describes clearly how this type of policy has interfered with the true value of this market place. Ebay will never wake up to the fact, and will continue to make so-called "enhancements" that undermine the real value to buyers, whilst the standard things that people can find in their local mall will become more prevalent and be "easy" to find on Ebay.
It's sad, Kevin