Google Shopping.

[theElench]

Thanks for replying -- I appreciate you taking the time and your replies do make me think!

OK, GS is memory based, does that explain these points?

When I first started checking regularly if I could see any of my ebid ads. on GS, I could always find a few and it could be that GS's memory of my searches prompted it to add "Ebid - theElench" to the side-bar and as I've continued to check regularly, it has stayed there for over a year.

But how does GS's memory explain that when I searched for Stoneware Pottery, GS showed "Ebid - Becky's Brocante"? Again, when I searched for Hard Rock Cafe Pins, GS had "Ebid - Golden Wonders" on those searches side-bars. That can't be the memory of my searches because I hadn't searched for either -- before or since.

Others confirmed that they could see ebid on the side-bar when searching for Art Deco Glass. If others had searched for Stoneware and Pins, I could also see Ebid - Username. Getting "Ebid - Username" on more search results must surely be giving the site and seller more exposure to anyone making that (or closely related) searches?

There are likely to be many more examples of ebid + username scattered across GS -- there could be many more IF more ebid sellers regularly search GS and began viewing ebid ads.??

That having the largest number of listings on ebid in any given search is the reason for getting the "Ebid - username" onto the side-bar is, I think, backed up by this.

After one of your previous replies, I started searching for "soap bars - uk", found some of yours and clicked on several for some time and got another surprise. After some time "Ebid - username" did appear on the side-bar, but not your Username. It was one of your competitors with more soap bar listings than you have.

To your point that I'm the only ebid seller on the side-bar and only my ads. are shown on the GS main page, I'd say this. GS only seems to allow any site one entry on the side-bar. Obay and esty appear on many searches I've done, but only once (sometimes with a username - sometimes not. But as I've said before, if I click on the ebid name on the side-bar, other ebid sellers are included after my ads.. I also found the same with the "Pins" search. Golden Wonders was the seller of all the ebid ads. in the search results, except one, and that ad. was included at the bottom of the GS results.

And I'm still no nearer to explaining how or why independent websites with only a few glass listings make it onto the side-bar at all. I don't think that can have much to do with GS's memory unless the web-site owners are doing something similar to what I'm doing to get their names shown??

[Mandart]

I just did a Google search with the following question 'How do I get my eBid products into Google shopping' The only relevent answer was this:

"In order to connect eBid to Google Shopping, Google requires you to have your own webstore and claim the website from which you are directing traffic. To get started, set up a webstore selling channel like Shopify or WooCommerce, then use ExportYourStore to export your products from your eBid store to your desired webstore. Once your webstore is up and running, you can add the Google Shopping selling channel and begin promoting your products."

This apparently is a paid-for service which I'm
not endorsing in any way...

Incidentally, when I did a Google Shopping search on Mandart I got page after page of ads for mandolins - never realised they were such a popular item, maybe I need a new store - 'Mandolines By Mandart'....

[theElench]

That looks like what the glass seller I mentioned in post#69 has done. At one one time they were one of the most professional sellers of glass on obay. Now they have their own user /shop name on GS and are on the Site Side-Bar with no mention of obay that I can see. What a pity they don't set up shop here!!

The google answer looks more like how not to get your ebid ads. seen, just your own website's ads. if, like me, I have never seen any of my obay ads. on GS.

But also google goes to great lengths to stop gaming their search engines, so I don't think they're going to give detailed answers on how to get your ad. visible, preferring to keep it a mystery.

[BordersBargains]

Yeh they probably did that for a reason. When obay did the numerous category merging and search engine they royally screwed up visibility for peoples ceramics, glass etc - As an example Just do a search for Old Tupton Ware Vases and you'll see tons of results which are not vases, it gets worse if you sort by lowest price. So what's happening is sellers in the right category are seeing much lower visibility due to this issue and the funniest thing is the fix is so simple but as we know they prefer PL fee's over GMV now

I'm afraid this site is still not seen as a viable option for most, One of the groups I'm in with 3k people has only 5 people (from my posting the question so probably more) using this site, the rest say although it has a good layout and the search results are good, it doesn't have the traffic, enough payment options and lack of awareness to the general public, some did remember seeing the Branded Tape many years in the past

[theElench]

Absolutely, obay's (deliberate?) wrecking of collectables categories has seen my sales over there have another year on year decrease with 11 so far. They might manage to equal last years total (13) by years end if I'm lucky.

On ebid last year total sales = 17. This year, another year on year increase, 20 so far, so another record breaking year with the possibility of a few more by years end.

They come from somewhere, IMO mainly GS where I see plenty of my ebid items every week, but never see any from obay. Perhaps the ebid sellers in your group should read the thread and try doing some of the suggestions.

I did a search for "Old Tupton Ware Vase", not really my sort of thing, but there on P.1 is "Ebid - Becky's Pottery" -- the only example of that type of pottery for sale on ebid. A search for "Ebid - old tupton ware" shows various types of pottery on ebid often from one or other of "Becky's" ebid shops (including her Tupton Ware vase) + more Tupton Ware from obay and esty, but yet again on the side-bar is "Ebid - Becky's Hoard".

As I've found with my items, it seems that having been recognised by GS as having a significant number of pieces of Art Deco Glass, enough to get onto the side bar for that search. I'm also on the side bar for other closely related searches.

The more sellers who get themselves onto that side-bar in their categories of interest will increase their own and ebids visibility in GS searches. It doesn't seem to require a great deal of effort or even a large number of listings, but it certainly won't happen unless sellers make it happen.

[pastime]

Hi Elench,
Won't have any bearing on your thread, but Saturday, checked Pokemon card to see if it was on GS and it was. Which surprised me because I thought it could take longer to get on there. The named card was in lower case, and I was cross with myself for not using a first capital letter of the name. Checked my listing and the full name was all in capitals, so, obviously, GS doesn't like that being used and changed it.
Also, next to the photo it had an arrow for more photo before clicking on link. Had a look and the photo list had changed and showed the last card (the back of the card) moved to 3rd photo - do you know if it is Bots carrying out these sort of changes?
Many thanks,
Marie.

[theElench]

But it does have a bearing on this thread. Anyone reading it will now know that GS doesn't like ALL CAPITAL WORDS in titles. When so little is known about how GS works, any clue or tip might help others.

I've still only ever found two of my new listings on GS during the week after I first listed them for sale. Why those two I have no idea. They were weeks apart and had nothing to distinguish them from what I listed on other weeks. Most of my listings that I find are older ones. Perhaps, like Ebid's "Newly Listed" strip on the Home Page, they appear briefly and are replaced as newer listings are uploaded? So perhaps the only reason I saw them was down to pure luck, that I checked GS during the listings (short?) debut appearance.

That GS rotates what it shows in any given search must favour those with reasonable numbers of listings in that search. It certainly has a bearing on which ebid seller appears on the "Sites" side-bar. I have over 200 glass items on ebid so however their 'Rotation' works, when selecting items from Ebid, I have plenty that might be selected. So have a better odds of being seen.

[cornishmaid1961]

Interesting to hear that sometimes we are appearing in the side bar now, that always bugged me that the bay and craft site used to dominate that !
I don't do anything in particular but I have a Google merchant account because of my own little website and there are affiliated links on there to my Becky's Hoard shops so maybe that helps ?

[theElench]

It doesn't seem too difficult to get "Ebid - (+ a seller name)" to appear on the side bar, especially for smaller, more specialised [I]searches[I]. Before I started the thread I checked regularly to see which of my ads. were being shown on GS when I searched for "Bagley glass" and "Art Deco Glass".
By post #7 "Ebid - theElench" had appeared on the Bagley search side bar.
By post #27 it appeared on the Art Deco glass search. Just by viewing a couple of my own ads. each time I searched.

I wondered if this was just "Mirroring" so searched for "Hard Rock Cafe Pin Badges". Without any viewing @ Golden Wonders was there on the side bar as "Ebid - The Original Hard Rock Cafe Pin Store". (Their ads. account for all but one pin for sale on ebid). Looking again today, they are still there.

I also searched for "Soap bars" when @Borders Bargains replied to the thread and viewed a few of their ads.. It wasn't long before Ebid appeared on that search side bar. BUT not with their store name, what appeared was "Ebid - Adorable Lifestyles".

I think that's because they had more ads. for soap bars on ebid at that time. Today they have been replaced by "Ebid - Emilybay", who now has the most ads. on ebid.

So it seems to me that the seller-name on the side bar (+ebid) defaults to the ebid seller with the most ads.? But by viewing EBID ads. from any Ebid seller (regularly?) will get Ebid shown on the side bar.
Regular viewing of ebid ads. or ticking the "Ebid" box on the side bar will also increase the the number of ebid ads. from other ebid sellers shown.

The bad news is that (perhaps?) if no-one views ebid ads. for some time, ebid is removed from the side bar.
I searched again today for "Stoneware Pottery", hoping to see "Ebid - Becky's Hoard Pottery" still on that search's side bar, but unfortunately you're no longer there, neither is ebid. I viewed a couple of your items and will do so for a while, to see if you're added again.

All this does only get "Ebid" visible for specific searches, but the more often buyers see "ebid + anybody" on the side bars can only be useful.

As always it would be very helpful if someone would duplicate my searches and confirm (or not) that they are seeing the same.

[pastime]

Hi Elench,
Have spent the last two weeks checking my listings - started when I looked for 10 various product in GS, only 3 appeared, which was surprising. As you do, searched for images and click on, next day 2 more showed and so on throughout the week. Checked to see if this was just Google memory by going on Incognito page and searched again finding same results (not really sure if this is any sort of test - does anyone know if doing so disconnects from Google's search memory?)
By the end of the week I had 3 items not showing, anywhere in images. I item was still coming up as Etsy, 3 are nowhere to be found in images (although both have been pinned to P'trest) 1 a Brannam bowl, seems to play hide and seek showing sometimes and not others, but there isn't a Google Shop section for Brannam only Sponsored items.

Following week checked another 12 - Most showed on GS, couple a mix of Images and eBid shop link, but again 2 not showing at all (both pinned)

Any tips of how to get an image to show and then be able to click, if not showing in images even when they have been pinned?
Are the listing entered on Facebook likely to be picked up by Google or are they just in-house for F'book only?
I haven't the foggiest about Instagram, are items picked up by GS?
Any thoughts gratefully received.