Listing Title and Author

[klj]

When I search for books I put title and author in my search. I've noticed that quite a few sellers don't put the author in their item title. Some don't even have the books title! Makes me wonder if I'm missing finding books that I would buy.
I do now search using the include description, but it seems to me that we would do a bit better (as booksellers) with more info available to the search engines - especially as the site grows. What do you think?

[BAGHAG999]

I usually put the author in and sometimesa title if cant remember author.
Cant see how a seller can expect to sell a book without at least one of them in.
But ive not got a lot of patience when looking.

[bykimbo]

I usually have at least the author's surname, plus the main words of the title (so if there's a lack of space, I'll dump "and", "the" "of" etc). But... if a title is really obscure, and the author's "anon" or unheard of or simply not important, I will occasionally use significant keywords instead.

To make up an example, a book about meteorology by Fred Fish called Turned out Nice Again, might be better advertised as "meteorology book - HB weather storms rare" or similar. If Mr Fish isn't well known, his name will just pull in people looking for something quite different, and the title doesn't give much clue what it's about, unless you've heard of it.

Any similarity between my made-up author and a certain Michael of storm-fame is quite coincidental.

[klj]

Baghag -
That's what happens with me too - I'll start out being serious about the searches then get bored with it. If the author and title aren't there I won't find them. (author especially if the title is one used by several authors - ie I've been looking for Sophie Kinsella's Remember Me - think there are about six authors with Remember Me as their title).

Kimbo - See your point, and true for obscure titles, but really I've been searching for quite new, well known titles and found listings that were obscure for no reason at all. Like - women's fiction book. Not obscure.

[GilfidianRudge]

I've noticed that quite a few sellers don't put the author in their item title. Some don't even have the books title!

Blimey what do they list it as then ....... 'Book' ?????

Mrs Rudge reads a lot of Sophie Kinsella and many US romance writers - she brings half suitcase full back from the states every time we go. .......... I can hardly dare to suggest we haven't got any room for them!!!!!!

I always search on e-Bid first when she pipes up with a 'wanted' (found two on here so far) but must admit I only ever put the author's name in the search engine ...... will definitely put in both in future

[bykimbo]

Baghag -

Kimbo - See your point, and true for obscure titles, but really I've been searching for quite new, well known titles and found listings that were obscure for no reason at all. Like - women's fiction book. Not obscure.

I wonder if they ship them plain brown wrappers too?

[klj]

Blimey what do they list it as then ....... 'Book' ?????

Mrs Rudge reads a lot of Sophie Kinsella and many US romance writers - she brings half suitcase full back from the states every time we go. .......... I can hardly dare to suggest we haven't got any room for them!!!!!!

I always search on e-Bid first when she pipes up with a 'wanted' (found two on here so far) but must admit I only ever put the author's name in the search engine ...... will definitely put in both in future

Oh good - we don't really get items that are 'close' matches here, so that will be very helpful.

I wonder if they ship them plain brown wrappers too?

Kimbo.

[maroy41]

I always put both but sometimes the title is so long I have to abbreviate the authors name ie instead John Smith would have to put J.Smith

[klj]

I always put both but sometimes the title is so long I have to abbreviate the authors name ie instead John Smith would have to put J.Smith

I've done that too and with some authors you don't need anything but the last name in a search usually anyway - like Rowling.

Today, however, I came across a signed first edition book - the description title was signed first edition children's book. No book title, no author. The description had the book title, but still no author. The picture showed the author, but that wouldn't show up in a search. So anyone looking for a signed book by this author would never see this listing. To me if signed is the feature, the signature name is pretty necessary!

[bykimbo]

Today, however, I came across a signed first edition book - the description title was signed first edition children's book. No book title, no author. The description had the book title, but still no author. The picture showed the author, but that wouldn't show up in a search.

That's bizarre!