Stupid New Ebay Feature: Get A Recommendation, Not The Lot You Just Lost

A new ebay feature that just appeared today.

If I bid on an item, but fail to win it, I like to check the item after to see who the winning bidder was etc.
But today, every time I've tried to do that (4 times), ebay has told me "This item is no longer available, we thought you might be interested in this similar item instead."

Well, no, I'm not interested in their other (random) item, I'm interested in the one that just sold that I bid on.

Like I was just outsniped on some kiloware -- I am not interested in a buy-it-now packet of stamp hinges!!

I noticed that too. Annoying. On my mobile device if I switch to desktop view I get the same message but I can still see the old auction. I didn't see a way to do that on mobile yet.

I really don't like the mobile version, this just makes it worse.

Another new ebay feature that rankles me. If I want to check whatever else a dealer has on ebay who is new to me the only option now is to Visit Store. Very irritating.

Their 'sell similar' feature is all messed up as well. It took several tries to get the pictures changed on subsequent listings then my item description just vanished. It's like they try to force you to 'tell your customers more'. I finally just clicked 'list item' then went back to do a revision and my original description was there and I could edit it.

I seriously think they have geared it all to be a platform for being viewed on Smartphones.

By next year 50% of all online sales are expected to be done on mobile devices.
Don

Stamps1962: I believe so too. I just had a buyer in the U.S. who couldn't find the request a combined invoice on their phone until they switched to "classic" view. This rush for everything to be compatible with phones is really dumbing things down, i.e. less features for the sake of portable convenience.

I found a way of seeing what I actually want to see on my laptop (works for now at least). When you bring up the item, you'll get a prompt "This item is no longer available blah blah blah". The "item" is actually a link to the closed listing.

This is how it looks on an item I bid on and lost (this listing is from the German site translated into English, so the wording is somewhat different). When I click on "offer" it takes me to the closed listing.



To see a seller's other items without going to their store, click on their feedback number. The old link for all listings will be one of the clickable options.

As a seller I find I cannot browse categories any longer to list in nor can I list in more than one. You are supposed to 'tell us what you're selling' and hope that their recognition system will put you in the right category. Anything with 'stamp' may land you in with the rubber stampers. I was listing an album and their listing system kept saying I could ship it for $3.50. Turns out it was saying it'd fit into a container about a foot square.

I noticed also that this is happening. I just want to see the closing price, not a completely different auction.

just stuck with the same switcheroo too

They are refocusing the underbidder to the task at hand - find what you want, pay for it.

To me, ebay focuses on sales and nothing else. ebay doesn't want you wasting their time for market research, or to find out who is your competitor, etc.

As a seller I find it irritating that my listing is cluttered with twenty or more advertisements for similar items.

If I linger on a listing for longer than a few seconds and don't watch it, I get unsolicited emails reminding me "oh, still interested?". If I bid on an item I get an automatic email, "watch out for competition", to prey on my bidder insecurity and suggest I bid higher. If I lose, well, "don't give up, there are similar items available".

Yeah, I also get the "still interested?" emails from ebay when I have just looked at something, but not decided to watch.

I also get the annoying "you missed out on this one, but how about this similar one?" emails about something completely different - thanks, but no thanks! Please push your sales on someone else.

I have not asked to be profiled, and have no desire to be marketed to.

As of ten min. ago I could bring up details on completed lots same as I am use to doing from my watch list. Interesting?

For me it's a mixed bag. I currently have four auctions in my watch list that have ended. Clicking on two of them takes me to the original items, clicking on the other two takes me to "similar" items.

The ebay "sales pitches" are usually pretty annoying, because they are robotic and obviously they cannot read the collector's/buyer's mind.

I have to confess though...on several occasions I have "lucked into" lots that I would have never found on my searches without the "recommendations".

I assume that they are rolling over to the new format as new listings are entered; this is not a change that they can simply throw a switch and have every existing listing updated instantly. (There are hundreds of servers involved and millions of listings.)
Don