eBay will roll out a new feature that allows members to sort their search results by distance from their Zip Code. This will replace the ability to search by Regions and for "Items Near Me." eBay said the new search feature will give buyers a better way to find items that are within a preferred distance. Some users are reluctant to list large or awkward items on eBay due to high shipping costs for such items. Instead, they may look to newspaper classifieds and sites like Craigslist and LiveDeal that focus on regional listings.

eBay's new regional-search feature will roll out in two phases. Next week, sellers will be asked to provide their Zip code during the listing process instead of their Region; eBay will pre-populate the seller's zip code on file for new listings. Sellers will still be able to specify their Item Location.

Zip Codes will not be displayed in search or listings, or on the Item Page. They will only be used to determine the distance between buyers and items. Sellers may opt out of providing a Zip Code for items while listing, revising, or re-listing items. If the seller opts out, their items will appear at the bottom of search results that have been sorted by distance. They will be excluded if a distance filter is applied.

Near the end of June, buyers will be able to sort by "Distance: nearest first" in search and listings by using the drop-down menu directly above the listings. Items across country borders (such as those located in Canada) will now also be included in this distance sort. A new distance filter will also be added to Advanced Search.

The distances provided will be in 5-mile increments and are direct distances, not driving distances. eBay's listing tool Turbo Lister will support the feature in late June, and it will be added to eBay Motors in July.

Once the distances sort and filter has been fully introduced to the site, members who have Saved Searches using "Items Near Me" will have to update them, since eBay will remove the "Items Near Me" feature. During the transition period (from mid-June to around the beginning of July), new listings will not be returned when "Items Near Me" is used.

http://www2.ebay.com:80/aw/marketing.shtml#2004-06-10132620