Why Must Sellers Turn to Google to Find Old eBay Listings?

by: iheartjacksparrow

@toolguy - A better question would be, "Why do I have to go through Google to find current eBay listings?"

I still think about the time, a couple of years ago, where I was searching through Google for an item, and a link for an eBay listing popped up. I clicked on the link, and wrote down the exact title so I could easily find it when I went back to eBay a bit later (the seller had multiples of the item so I wasn't in a rush to buy).

A few hours later I went directly to eBay, typed in the exact words, and... no results! I had to start over, go to Google, find the link, and then use that link to be able to buy on eBay! I don't know if that can be attributable to rolling blackouts, but something is definitely wrong with eBay search.

by: toolguy

Does anyone know how long ebay keeps completed listings active?

I think it would be a useful tool if you could go back farther then 90 days.

by: Marie

I completely agree with Jack.  Search on Ebay whether an active listing or an old listing is horrible on Ebay.

Another little note to make is that it is far easier to Google search for an Ebay policy than it is going into Ebay and trying to find it.  

by: Marie

You are correct.  90 days

by: GotToGetOut

Marie, I agree with you -- I never go to Ebay to try to find how to do something on Ebay. It's nearly impossible. I always go to Google first and usually find it very quickly.

by: funkygrrl

I use Turbolister just for that purpose. It will save your listings past that 90 days.  I don't use it to list items, but just for backing up the database of what I've sold.

by: indomama

I have had a few listings active in eBay's system  for almost 2 years after the item has sold out. If I get an item back in stock again that has been out for a while and I don't have a copy of said listing I always search my email first. Nine times out of ten I can find the old listing this way too and do a relist from it and hopefully get the ranking for it too as an item that has sold-out.

by: toolguy

Here's the item number: 390663978981

You get nothing from a ebay search

But when I google "Huck 352 z50com" I get this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/huck-352-rivet-gun-riveter-pulls-c6l-h
uck-bolts-peterbilt-grill-fasteners-/390663978981

Notice how old this listing is and it's still in ebay's system.

by: Marie

@funkygrrl

TL is a great program.  I use it too.  I have my templates set up in there and all my auctions.  

For me, I could never use TL to store all my sold listings as it would significantly affect how TL performs.  TL does fine with up to about 3,000 listing/templates set up, but beyond that it will affect its speed and ability to do the job you want it to do.  Ebay didn't design it to handle much more than that.

by: FeelingFroggy

Ebay doesn't care. They save only what they need for themselves. If sellers need something past 90 then they have to find it for themselves.

Just like the post office only saves tracking numbers for a set period of time and if you need one after that time they will tell you TOUGH.

One would think one might just
find a way to save their documents. You don't throw away anything pertaining to your income taxed do you?

by: RLS

I use Kyozou to run two ebay stores,a website and to track inventory. I can go back to listings from 2010 when I started the business. A tremendous time saver

by: Marie

If you have unlimited space, you can store anything and everything.  But that isn't always the case.  When you are talking about billions and billions of listings, that is a whole lot of space for any site to be responsible for retaining.

With that said, I too wish Ebay and USPS would hold onto the information longer.  For me I'd like to see at least a year.  

by: fashionista

I had the same thing happen, couldn't find my sold item on ebay, but when I google searched, I found my item, but it was on another ebay site, foreign, and for a much higher price. I was still listed as the seller. It was odd.
Also I've been finding that you can't search by item numbers any more. If you write down the item number of something you like and later search for it, even within a few days 0 results come up.

by: toolguy

What concerns me is that ebay has all this info but they don't want to share it with us.

The listing in question is almost 3 years old.

It's still active on ebay's servers yet the only way I can find it is thru Google search.

Didn't ebay offer a premium service of being able to see completed listings from farther back then 90 days? or am I mistaken?

by: Marie

@fashionista

Ebay changed the search ability on that as you have found out.  They did it when they made ISBN/UPC codes mandatory.  Check the box for Sold Listings and it should show up.

by: toolguy

This mornings BIG news!

Walmart to buy Jet.com for $3.3 Billion

by: Volvo351

@sparrow

You couldn't find a listing you knew existed..that's why they call it Can'tSeeMe.

by: Frank F

What is really the oxymoron is that you can find these old old listings from years ago in google search, BUT you CANNOT find the ones that are active on ebay now. I've had people inquire about items I had in stock 2-3 years ago because the found the waif link on ebay, yet I hear nothing but crickets for current ones (and the poor listing analytics we get show that google search accounts for under 1% of my clicks). SAD SAD SAD! And that is what the focus should be here!

Yes, it would be good to retrieve listings dating back more than 90 days, and just an FYI, before ebay removed and replaced its listing analytic, you could click on links within it to get any old listing, even ones that were 5-10 years old. Its sad that ebay has this data on its servers and accessible, yet its customers the sellers can't find them and have to spend tons of time recreating listings..

by: BobNJ

Why do you expect eBay to give you info on your old listings for free when they sell that info to third party websites complete with your pictures. The user agreement gives them full rights to do that and they do!

by: LasVagueness

I was looking for a 6-month old listing earlier today. When I Googled it I saw the eBay link, but when I clicked it I got new listings only. A cached version performed the same.