Auctionbytes-NewsFlash, Number 1870 - September 09, 2008 - ISSN 1539-5065      Previous Story | | Next Story

By Ina Steiner
AuctionBytes.com
September 09, 2008
Reading AuctionBytes: eBay Encourages Multi-Quantity Listings

A new factor in eBay's Best Match search algorithm is "Recent Sales," announced to sellers last month. eBay explained the concept of Recent Sales in a blog post to developers on Friday.

eBay's Best Match algorithm gives more weight to multi-item listings that have experienced some sales, and recommends sellers relist if there are any unsold items left over. However, it appears sellers would not get a relist credit for those items if any of the items had sold. According to the post, "If the listing has ended and ANY quantity remains (and the item has not been relisted before), automatically relist. You will not get a relist credit, but your recent sales score will carry over."

eBay explained to developers that it is encouraging multi-item listings for two reasons: a purchase from a buyer is a great way to measure satisfaction, and because the search experience is cleaner for buyers when there are not duplicate listings. The release date for Recent Sales is targeted for mid-September

A subsequent post informed developers that recent sales will start to factor into Best Match sorting in mid-September, but the tracking begins right away."If you start listing in multi-quantity now and then continue to relist those items when they expire, you'll start accumulating a "recent sales" score reflecting the recent purchases of that item. When the feature is turned on, you start reaping the rewards Forget to relist? You’ve got a couple of days to get that item back up on the site and keep your score. Remember, you must do it as a "relist" to have your score carry over. And you can't make major changes to the listing (for example, changes to title, category, condition, increasing price, etc.)."