eBid's Search Engine needs help

[adruml]

I needed to make a few purchases today so I started right here on eBid.

My first search I typed in Canon Powershot cord. The search netted no results but there were also no suggestions on what the search turned up for Canon or Powershot. With different sellers listing different items from different countries it is quite possible what I was looking for was titled something different, possibly Canon Power supply, Canon computer cable etc. Without suggestions I moved on to my next search which was...

Paiste Signature cymbal. Again no results found no suggestions made and I know eBid has cymbals listed for sale but no suggestions leading me, the buyer to look further.

Can this be changed? We may have folks coming here looking for things but may not be able to find them. If the eBid Search engine would offer suggestions it might help.

eBid does not have a lot of listings for the 2 items I was looking for, generally speaking. 47 items for the Canon Powershot camera and a small number for Cymbal's so it wasn't hard for me to look through all the listings to see if there was something I was looking for but how many visitors won't want to bother to look.

[HerMajesty]

30539252 found this by adding check description in the advanced search.........not sure if it's what you want or not.

[adruml]

30539252 found this by adding check description in the advanced search.........not sure if it's what you want or not.

Thank you but that's not what I was looking for but this did not come up when I searched Canon Powershot cord even though it has the words Canon and cord in it's title.

True I did not go to "Advanced" search but I wonder how many visitors will. I'm not even sure if the way I search for things is wrong but every auction site I go to I just go to the first search bar (engine) I see type in what I am looking for and wait for it to come up or see the suggested options available.

Just my opinion but I don't know if visitors are going to think of doing an advanced search. I'm fairly new here but have been around the site for 6 months and have been an online buyer/seller for years and I didn't think to go into advanced search. I'm just afraid we might be losing people due to this, just a thought.

[iwiw60]

eBid does not have a lot of listings for the 2 items I was looking for, generally speaking. 47 items for the Canon Powershot camera and a small number for Cymbal's so it wasn't hard for me to look through all the listings to see if there was something I was looking for but how many visitors won't want to bother to look.

Totally agree! I have been frustrated using the buy search engine more than once! And like you I feel that potential buyers won't bother to go to the lengths you did looking for those two items. Here's hoping that eBid admin will look into setting up a more streamlined and advanced search engine...we sure could use one!

[Juliebabe25]

I don't think many people know much about advanced search techniques eg Boolean etc - I know it exists, but don't know how to do it.

I do think one simple thing ebid could do is move the words "Advance search ?" a bit to the left to make them nearer the search box and to maybe make the font bigger ?
That way more people might see the Advanced search.

[adruml]

Totally agree! I have been frustrated using the buy search engine more than once! And like you I feel that potential buyers won't bother to go to the lengths you did looking for those two items. Here's hoping that eBid admin will look into setting up a more streamlined and advanced search engine...we sure could use one!

If not, just eliminate the search and just show the advanced search.

[adruml]

I don't think many people know much about advanced search techniques eg Boolean etc - I know it exists, but don't know how to do it.

I do think one simple thing ebid could do is move the words "Advance search ?" a bit to the left to make them nearer the search box and to maybe make the font bigger ?
That way more people might see the Advanced search.

I just took another look at it. Why even have the search. Eliminate it and just show the advanced. You can search for a user, a store or an item and if the item searches all keywords here why not use this exclusively.
We are inviting people to come over for a nice relaxing/pleasant experience not to learn how to use a computer or search engines. They want to type in what they may think they know about an item and find their options. Ebid should also want to give the visitors as many options as possible for the keyword they are looking for.
Yes I was looking for a Paiste Signature cymbal but if some Zildjian A Custom cymbals may have come up for an option I would have looked and if the price was right may have purchased one. Without getting into a drummers favorite cymbals and how often they may change their cymbals more options = more better...IMO.

[barepocket]

If not, just eliminate the search and just show the advanced search.

I agree 100% but that problem exist on many sites encluding feebay

[adruml]

I agree 100% but that problem exist on many sites encluding feebay

The search on ebay will give you alternatives for what your looking for. For example: today I was looking for any listings for Cerwin Vega HP 215 Speakers. I typed in Cerwin Vega HP 215. Search results showed 0 results but offered listings for Cerwin Vega 215, Vega HP and I beleive the other was Cerwin 215.
This was from their standard search engine not the advanced.

[adruml]

I agree 100% but that problem exist on many sites encluding feebay

I should also have mentioned: if if other sites screw it up eBid should "Rise and Conquer" and do it correctly, easier and more pleasing to the visitor.