Best Match Ebook 4 - 0

Best Match Made Simple
AuctionInsights.info
Fourth Edition, 2011 by Douglas Feiring. You have permission to email this, print this and pass it along for free to anyone you like, as long as you make no changes or edits to its contents or digital format. You may not alter, transform, or build upon this work. You must attribute the work to the author (but not in any way that suggests that the author endorses you or your use of the work). This is version 4.0 of the book. As the Best Match algorithm changes and new insights are uncovered, the book will be updated periodically. For the most current version, for a free download visit: www.auctioninsights.info/bestmatchbook
Forward
Over my many years of observing eBay, from the perspective of an online merchant, Ive seen many changes, but none have been so game changing as eBays Best Match. During the first quarter of 2008 eBay made Best Match the default sort for the eBay platform and things have not been the same since. Whatever your feelings about this change, one thing is certain; eBay has committed to it, so eBay sellers have two choices adapt and learn how to optimize for 'Best Match' or move your product off the platform. There is a third choice, which is to bury your head in the sand and continue to do things the way youve always done. The end result of that choice will be no sales and lots of fees to eBay, so in essence you will be no longer selling on eBay because you will be out of business. So what is an eBay seller, who chooses the first option (Optimize for Best Match) to do? The whole idea of Best Match can be quite confusing and there are few resources available to help you understand what it means to your business. Doug Feiring of AuctionInsights.com realized there was problem and came up with a solution Best Match Made Simple. Doug has done a fantastic job of explaining how Best Match works in plain English, but hes also gone one-step further and provided eBay sellers with a resource that will help you optimize your listings for Best Match. Best Match Made Simple will be a valuable addition to your eBay library. Learn to use Best Match, dont let it use you. Randy Smythe http://www.myblogutopia.com/
Steal These Ideas!

I invite you to spread the word about Best Match Made Simple:
1. Send this file to a friend. 2. Send them a link to: www.AuctionInsights.info/bestmatchbook 3. Print out as many copies as you would like.
Table of Contents
Forward......................................................................................................................................................3 Introduction: Best Match Adapt or Perish..............................................................................................9 Who Moved My Cheese?......................................................................................................................9 About this Book...................................................................................................................................10 Chapter 1. If You Don't Have Time to Read this Book............................................................................11 Here's the Bottom Line Up Front........................................................................................................11 Listing Format ....................................................................................................................................12 Time Remaining.............................................................................................................................12 Auction Style..................................................................................................................................12 Fixed Price......................................................................................................................................13 Demand Data & Relevancy ................................................................................................................14 Keywords........................................................................................................................................14 Relevancy.......................................................................................................................................14 Desirability ....................................................................................................................................14 Product Information............................................................................................................................15 Shipping and Handling...................................................................................................................15 Item Specifics.................................................................................................................................15 Trust Factors........................................................................................................................................16 Seller Performance..........................................................................................................................16 The Last Word.....................................................................................................................................17 Product + Traffic + Conversions = Profit............................................................................................18 Chapter 2. Introducing Best Match and Best Match Optimization..........................................................21 How Things Used To Work.................................................................................................................21 Best Matchs Impact on Sellers...........................................................................................................22 Why Is This Important?.......................................................................................................................24 Best Match Is About Business.............................................................................................................24 Same Name - Different Best Match.................................................................................................25 Introducing Best Match Optimization.................................................................................................25 Score The Most Points ........................................................................................................................25 Best Match and You.............................................................................................................................26 A Word About Product Sourcing.........................................................................................................27 Chapter 3. Listing Type: Auction or Fixed Price...................................................................................28 Auction Style Listings.........................................................................................................................28 Fixed Price Listings.............................................................................................................................29 Multi-Quantity Listing Overview........................................................................................................30 Improve Your Listing Performance Score and Improve Your Ranking..............................................31 Categories In Which Listing Performance Scores Do Not Apply .................................................31 Calculating the Listing Performance Score An Example ...........................................................32
Listing Performance Score: What Have Done For Me Lately? .....................................................33 Recent Sales Carry-Over When You Re-list........................................................................................33 Tips to Improve Your Listing Performance Score...............................................................................35 Decrease Impressions ....................................................................................................................35 Increase Sales While Keeping Impressions Low ...........................................................................36 Increase Recent Sales ....................................................................................................................36 Best Offer........................................................................................................................................37 Auction or Fixed-Price: Selecting a Format.......................................................................................38 Conclusion...........................................................................................................................................39 Chapter 4. Trust Factors...........................................................................................................................41 Seller Performance..............................................................................................................................41 Feedback.........................................................................................................................................41 Detailed Seller Ratings...................................................................................................................42 Improving Your DSR's........................................................................................................................44 Buyer Satisfaction Rating...............................................................................................................45 The Seller Dashboard.....................................................................................................................45 The Top-Rated Seller Program ...........................................................................................................46 Include a Return Policy.......................................................................................................................47 How to Specify Your Return Policy...............................................................................................47 Conclusion...........................................................................................................................................48 Chapter 5. Product Information..............................................................................................................49 List in the Correct Category................................................................................................................49 Price.....................................................................................................................................................49 Include Item Specifics.........................................................................................................................50 Geographic Distance...........................................................................................................................51 Shipping Prices & Methods.................................................................................................................52 Conclusion...........................................................................................................................................54 Active Traffic Generation Techniques ................................................................................................56 Chapter 6. Demand Data and Relevancy................................................................................................57 Desirability..........................................................................................................................................57 Include Best Match Keywords............................................................................................................57 Identify the Valuable Keywords Using the BayEstimator...................................................................58 How the BayEstimator Works.............................................................................................................59 Test Your Auction Title........................................................................................................................64 Make the Most of Your Listing Title:..................................................................................................65 Never Use Negative Keywords...........................................................................................................65 Conclusion...........................................................................................................................................66 A Word About Conversions.................................................................................................................67 Chapter 7. Best Match Manipulation.......................................................................................................69 Misleading Keywords..........................................................................................................................69 Keyword Repetition............................................................................................................................69
A Dynamic Algorithm.........................................................................................................................70 Bonus Chapter. Beyond Best Match.......................................................................................................72 Introduction.........................................................................................................................................72 Don't Depend on eBay For Traffic Anymore......................................................................................72 Who Will Benefit From This Technique?............................................................................................74 The Benefits of Natural Search Results..............................................................................................75 The Way Forward - Get Found in Google...........................................................................................77 What is Search Engine Optimization?.................................................................................................78 Keyword Research..............................................................................................................................78 On-Page Search Engine Optimization Factors....................................................................................79 Off-Page Factors..................................................................................................................................80 Ready to Learn More?.........................................................................................................................80
Steal These Ideas!

Introduction: Best Match Adapt or Perish

Who Moved My Cheese?
If youve read Dr Spencer Johnsons book, Who Moved My Cheese you are familiar with the concept adapt or perish. The analogy, by the author of The One Minute Manager, tells the story of mice in a maze. At the beginning of the tale, all of the mice knew their way through the maze to the cheese and life was great. However, at some point, the cheese is moved to a different part of the maze. Some mice keep returning to the old cheese location and loudly lament their poor fortune. Other mice go looking for more cheese. The mice who insist on doing what worked in the past eventually perish - all the time complaining, Who moved my cheese!? The mice who set out to find a new source of cheese experience a number of wrong turns and set-backs as they stumble through the maze until they eventually find success. The moral of this story is: Change happens and eBay moved the cheese when they implemented the Best Match search algorithm. Like the mice in the book, eBay sellers must change and adapt if they want to keep ahead of the pack. According to Dr. Johnson, If you do not change, you can become extinct. Get out of your comfort zone and adapt to change sooner. Take control, rather than let things happen to you. This book is intended to help you, the eBay seller, take control and ensure that eBay works for you, vice you working for eBay.
About this Book

The third edition of this book represents my effort to consolidate all of the credible information regarding Best Match in one spot. I tracked down the patent application for the search algorithm, combed the internet for interviews in which eBay executives and developers mentioned specific functionality of Best Match, read blog and message forum posts detailing other sellers' observations of Best Match, and conducted my own analysis based on personal experiments with the search results. Why did I do these things? Because I saw Best Match as an opportunity. I figured that while most sellers were oblivious to the significance of the pending changes, and while many of the rest were busy complaining on the eBay forums, the effort I invested trying to figure out how Best Match worked could provide my listings an advantage. Many members of the eBay community have asked why I would take the significant time and effort required to produce an eBook with such valuable information and just give it away. In fact, as I've worked on this project, I've often asked myself the same question. Simply put, my goals with Best Match Made Simple are to establish my credibility in the industry, to encourage you the reader to visit AuctionInsights, and to gain the experience of writing, publishing and promoting an information product for future, paid projects. So, here it is. I invite you to share this free eBook with other eBay sellers who might benefit from knowing how Best Match works, and how they can use that knowledge to improve their sales on eBay. To Your Continued Success, Doug Feiring http://www.AuctionInsights.info
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Chapter 1. If You Don't Have Time to Read this Book...

Here's the Bottom Line Up Front
Recently eBay changed the default way in which search results are presented to visitors and potential bidders. Instead of sorting them by time, with auctions that are ending soonest listed at the top of the search results, they are now sorted by an algorithm called Best Match that considers a number of factors including:
Listing Type Fixed-price or auction style listings change the dynamic depending on the listings category. Trust Factors Including Feedback scores, Detailed Seller Ratings and other metrics. Product Information Including listing attributes, shipping methods and charges, category, and other information. Demand Data & Relevancy This factor involves what buyers are doing on the auction site relative to the products you have listed for sale. Includes title keywords.
Understanding Best Match is important because your eBay listings can be rewarded or punished in the search result listings based on the factors listed above. If your listings are punished, you may never find your way to the first page of the eBay search results. This is a precarious fate for an eBay seller, because that means bidders aren't seeing your listings. And if they aren't seeing them, they're not bidding on them and you're not making the sales. Conversely, if your listings are rewarded because you have mastered these factors, they may linger at the top of the search results for much longer than they would have under the old
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default search algorithm and sort method. Improve any of these factors and your rankings in eBay's search results will improve as well.
Listing Format
Various categories and sub-categories place different weights on the two listing formats under the Best Match algorithm. For example, auction-type listings in the Antiques category get a favorable boost in the search results compared to fixed-priced listings posted in the same category. Conversely, listings with the fixed-price format get increased exposure in the Camera category compared to auction-style listings. This dynamic varies by sub-category, sometimes substantially.
Time Remaining
Although time remaining used to be the only factor that influenced the default eBay search results, it still carries substantial weight for auction style listings in the Best Match algorithm. Due to the influence of the other factors in the algorithm described in this book, having the listing that is ending the soonest no longer guarantees you the top spot in the search results. It won't even assure of being listed on page one! Time remaining carries the opposite effect for fixed priced listings under the Best Match algorithm in the following categories: Art, Antiques, Coins & Paper Money, Collectibles, Dolls & Bears, Pottery & Glass, Toys & Hobbies, Stamps, Sports Memorabilia, Cards & Fan Shop, and Entertainment Memorabilia. Newly listed items in these categories receive an initial boost that diminishes over time.
Auction Style
Time remaining until the auction ends is a significant factor in the Best Match algorithm for listings with the traditional auction style format. Listings ending sooner get a boost in the
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search rankings over those that close more distant in the future. Additionally, Best Match provides auction style listings increased visibility in certain categories, specifically those in which multi-quantity listings are not possible [or] not rational.1 Auction-style listings have experienced a renaissance on eBay recently. The Best Match algorithm now provides increased exposure for this format. On average, 60-70% of the listings on the first page of the search results are allocated to auction style listings that are closing soon. That's a significant improvement over the first year of the Best Match algorithm. Therefore, one of the simplest ways of optimizing for visibility under Best Match is to simply employ the old school auction style listing format and biding your time until the listing is about to close.
Fixed Price
With the exception of the collectibles categories, eBay calculates something called a listing performance score for fixed-priced (Stores Inventory, Buy It Now or BIN) listings. The listing performance score is a ratio determined by the number of sales generated (for multiple quantity listings) divided by the number of times the listing has appeared in eBay's search results. Scoring well for this particular metric positively influences that listing's ranking in the search results under Best Match. The listing performance score does not apply to items listed in the collectibles categories (see page 31 for a complete category list). In these categories, newly listed fixed-price listings receive a boost in the search results over similar items that have been listed longer.
1 eBay Developer Blog, Developer Impact: Recent Sales and Best Match, http://ebaydeveloper.typepad.com/dev/2008/09/developer-impac.html (September 2008).
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Demand Data & Relevancy

Keywords
Keywords are the words that the eBay seller includes in the precious 80 characters of the listing title. These words are used to determine the relevancy and desirability scores of the auction listing. Selecting the right keywords represent the most efficient way to influence your search result ranking in Best Match. Visit the BayEstimator on the eBay Labs website to test how your keywords score for a particular search query. Click http://labs.ebay.com/raghavgupta/demoto/to
Relevancy
The relevancy score is determined by historical buyer behavior for a particular search query. For listing titles that are similar to yours, eBay determines how many times in the past those auctions were clicked on, added to watch lists, bid upon, and ultimately resulted in a sale. The more often these bidder activities occurred, the higher the relevancy score for the keywords in a particular auction title.
Desirability
Another factor influencing eBay's Best Match search results is something termed desirability. This is a relatively basic function of supply and demand. If most searchers on eBay using the query iPod nano are actually looking for the MP3 player vice iPod accessories (such as chargers or cases), then the demand for listings of Apple MP3 players is high. If most of the listings with the keywords iPod nano in the title are actually selling accessories, then the supply of iPod nano MP3 players is low. Auctions where supply is low and demand is high will score well for desirability.
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Product Information
Shipping and Handling
Quoted in the New York Times Technology Blog, John Donohoe, the new CEO of eBay, made it clear that shipping and handing fees and shipping methods influence a listing's rankings in the Best Match search results. He said, Sellers that provide reasonable and fast shipping, even free shipping will rise to the top.2 With the October 2009 changes to Best Match, eBay clarified that fixed-price listings offering free shipping receive a boost in the search results while both auction style and fixed-priced listings that charge what eBay defines as unreasonable shipping and handling charges will receive reduced visibility.
Item Specifics
Item Specifics are another product information factor influencing Best Match. These are the details sellers have the opportunity to provide when they list their product for sale on eBay. For example, a listing in the Book category might provide the seller the ability to enter details such as hard cover or paperback; new or used; fiction or non-fiction; year published; etc. The Item Specifics function varies by category and may duplicate information the seller has included in the listing's description. Taking the time to submit this data allows eBay's software to know specific information about the item in a format the site can use to help potential bidders find your listing.
2 Saul Hansell, John Donahoes Plan to Save eBay: Better Search, http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/24/johndonahoes-plan-to-save-ebay-better-search/?ref=technology (January 2008).
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Trust Factors
Seller Performance
A significant factor influencing your rankings in Best Match is your performance as a seller quantified and evaluated by the feedback and Detailed Seller Ratings (DSR's) left by eBay users who have made purchases from you in the past. DSR's are evaluated over a 12-month period unless the seller has had 400 more transactions over the most recent 3 calender months. In which case, the most recent 3 complete calender months comprise the DSR evaluation period. As of April 2010, the following are the minimum quality standards sellers must meet in order to not be disadvantaged in eBay's search results:
No greater than 1% of transactions rated as 1's or 2's for the metric Item As Described. No greater than 2% of transactions rated as 1's or 2's for Communication, Shipping Time, or Shipping and Handling Charges.
Again, the three instance (of 1's or 2's) threshold applies to low-volume sellers for the Item As Described DSR and four instances for the other DSR metrics. To view your Detailed Seller Ratings, login to eBay and visit: http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?SellerDashboard Note: As of Sept 2009 eBay requires sellers to have at least 10 DSR's over the past 12-months in order to access the seller dashboard. Also, according to eBay, sellers with excessive claims, [and] negative or neutral feedback ... may receive lowered search standing.3
3 eBay Seller Update: July 2009, http://pages.ebay.com/sell/July2009Update/faq/index.html (Oct 2009).
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Top-Rated Sellers who meet volume and quality thresholds will receive increased expose in eBay's search results for fixed-price listings.
The Last Word

Just remember, the Best Match search algorithm is about making eBay money. There's nothing inherently evil about that they're in business just like you. Like eBay, you should be using Best Match to make money. They want to feature the auctions that are most likely to result in a click, in a bid, and ultimately a purchase. Your objective now is to make sure that eBay puts your auctions at the top of their Best Match search results so, along with eBay, you get the click, the bid, and the sale.
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Product + Traffic + Conversions = Profit

The title of this sidebar outlines the simple formula to online success. You've taken the time to download and read this eBook because you want to increase traffic (visitors) to your auction listings by mastering every aspect of the eBay Best Match algorithm you can control. Product + Traffic + Conversions = Profit While formula is simple in concept, it's sometimes difficult to execute. It's easy to get overly focused on one variable of the formula such as driving traffic to your listings, while neglecting the other aspects that significantly influence online profits. While this book's focus is on increasing traffic through Best Match optimization, I'll be sprinkling insights and recommended resources I use for improving each factor affecting the profit equation. Product Successful internet sellers make money their money when they buy not when they sell. Profitable product sourcing involves researching and discovering niches in which there is sufficient demand to support your entry into a market that is also under-served by professional sellers who can market their products well. It also involves finding credible and reliable sources for these products at wholesale prices not a simple task for the uninitiated.
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Traffic Best Match Optimization only one way to increase traffic to your auctions. Independent sellers don't depend on eBay to drive customers to their listings. They take matters in their own hands. Conversions What happens when the potential buyers arrive at your auctions. Do they bid, or hit the back button? The appearance of your listings is often all the potential bidder has to judge your credibility as a seller. By presenting a professional image in your auctions, you can significantly increase your sales.
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Steal These Ideas!

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Chapter 2. Introducing Best Match and Best Match Optimization

Best Match is eBay's default search and sort algorithm. It is fundamentally different than the way search results were presented to potential bidders browsing the the auction site during eBay's first decade of existence. Unfortunately, for many sellers accustomed to success under the old search method, Best Match has had significant negative impact on their sales. For those sellers nimble enough to adjust and adapt to the new paradigm, Best Match actually results in increased sales. These are the sellers that have learned to optimize their eBay listings for maximum exposure under the Best Match algorithm.
How Things Used To Work

Until recently, eBay served up search results in a very straight forward manner. It would: 1. Look at the keywords entered by the buyer 2. Look at the keywords of every listing on the site 3. Return only the listings that had 100% of the keywords entered by the buyer 4. Sort the listings by time remaining4 Previously, by default, results were sorted by listing end times, with the auctions that were ending the soonest appearing at the top of the search results. This method provided parity for all listings, as all of them eventually worked their way to the top spot of eBays search results. All an auction seller needed to do to appear at the top of the search results was: (1) anticipate what search terms potential bidders might enter in the eBay search box, (2) include those keywords in their auction title, and (3) wait until their listing's end time approached.
4 Adam Nash, eBay Rolls Out Best Match, http://blog.adamnash.com/2008/01/21/ebay-rolls-out-best-match-in-earnest/ (January 2008).
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The good news was that everybody got their turn on the first page of the search results as the time remaining in their listing ticked towards closing time. The bad news was that the seller could not count on the user to employ a search query that included the same exact keywords that they had put in their listing's title. eBays Best Match search results are supposed to serve up results that are relevant to the buyer according to historical buyer behavior regardless of what search query the bidder used. Best Match is also designed to encourage selling practices eBay feels improve the buying experience such as offering low shipping and handling fees and excellent customer service. According to a post announcing the feature: Using this sort wont change which listings are returned, it only changes the order in which listings are presented. No listings will be added or removed when [sorted] by Best Match. Additionally, [Best Match] actually learns and never stops learning. [It] learns from aggregated buyers activity over time and accordingly adjusts product rankings. Product rankings are dependent on what buyers are looking for and clicking on.5
Best Matchs Impact on Sellers

Unfortunately for many sellers, their auctions arent ever making it to the first page of the search results under eBays Best Match algorithm. Look at the two screen shots below. They both show the search results obtained when the bidder searches eBay using the phrase Guitar Hero III Controller. The first screen shot is sorted by time, with ending soonest at the top of the search results.
5 Esteban Kozak, Introducing Best Match: A new sort option based on relevance, http://forums.ebay.com/db1/thread.jspa? threadID=2000241408&tstart=0&mod=12102327081479 (October 2006).
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This was the default search and sort method until recently and displays listings as you would normally expect. The top listing closes in 9 minutes. The next listing closes in 15 minutes, followed by one that ends in 16 minutes, etc. Every listing gets their turn on the first page, and every listing eventually gets their turn at the top of that page. Now look at the same search results sorted under the Best Match method:
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Under Best Match, the auctions closing in under 19 minutes are nowhere to be found. In fact the listing that occupies the number 3 position closes in 2 hours and 33 minutes! The listing in the number 7 position doesn't close even for almost another 9 hours! What's the difference between the auctions that occupy positions in the top ten of the search results for an 8 hours period and the auctions that will never make it to page one? The answer to that question is the purpose of this book.
Why Is This Important?

If a sellers auctions arent making it to the first page of the search results:

Buyers arent clicking through to their listings; So, the listings aren't receiving bids; and The items arent selling, or are selling for less than they normally would.
One seller reported on the eBay message board that over the first weekend of Best Match as the default search and sort method on the auction site, page views for their auction listings were down over 60% based on statistics collected from their hit counters.
Best Match Is About Business

eBay is quick to claim that Best Match is about improving the buyer experience. Sellers are quick to claim that Best Match is about crushing the little guy. The truth of the matter is unsurprising. Raghav Gupta, the developer who created eBays Best Match algorithm states on his eBay Labs web page, when used appropriately, this capability [eBays Best Match] will open doors to significant revenue opportunities, not just for eBay, but also for the vast network of affiliate developers.6
6 Raghav Gupta, Relevance Sort, http://labs.ebay.com/raghavgupta/ (Accessed January 2008).
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Same Name - Different Best Match

The auction site employed a search algorithm called Best Match on eBay eXpress a while back that was, many many accounts, a miserable failure. Sellers frustrated with the current situation are quick to question why eBay would employ Best Match on the main site when it was such a disaster before. But as Raghav Gupta points out, this Best Match is a completely different system. He says: Its disappointing that the name 'Best Match' was ultimately chosen for describing the sort by relevance functionality on the main site, in particular because it has nothing to do with the 'Best Matches' mechanism used in eBay eXpress. The two do not share the same algorithm, the same code, or the same implementationexcept the name. 7
Introducing Best Match Optimization

The Best Match algorithm considers many things when calculating the sort order in the search results pages. Some things are beyond the sellers control. Other factors, the seller can influence - and exert significant influence at that. These include listing format, shipping prices & methods, and the keywords included in the listings title. This book will help you identify those factors and use them to increase your auction profits.
Score The Most Points

Think of your listing as a competitor in a sporting league. The team with the most points rises to the top of the league standings. Similarly, in Best Match, the listings with the most points rise to the top of the search results for a particular query.
Your objective is to score the most points without cheating.

7 Ibid.
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Points are awarded or deducted for various aspects of the listing, including:
Your auction-style listing accrues points automatically as it gets closer to the time the auction ends. Your multiple quantity fixed price listing scores points for sales relative to the number of times it has been exposed to eBay visitors in the search results. Your listing loses points if you have accumulated several 1s or 2s in your Detailed Seller Ratings especially for the Item as Described category. Your fixed-price listing gains points if you meet the sales volume and seller quality thresholds to qualify as a Top Rated Seller. Your listing gains or loses points depending on your shipping and handing fees. Your listing gains points if you can identify and include certain keywords in your title. Your listing gains points if demand is high for what you are selling compared to the number of listings for that particular item.
Best Match and You

The competitive eBay seller views Best Match as an opportunity. This change is new to everyone and impacts everyone equally. The good news is that you can use this to your advantage if you are willing to take the effort. There are no hacks or schemes in this book. If you want to optimize your listings to make the most of Best Match, it involves a four-letter word: W O R K. Therein lies your competitive advantage. If you are willing to do some work and learn the system, you will have a significant leg up on the 98 percent of other eBay sellers who won't.
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A Word About Product Sourcing

It's always best to start at the beginning. Product sourcing is no different. The usual advice goes something like this: Find a product in where there is significant demand and low competition. I, like many other sellers, found this wisdom simple in theory but difficult in execution. In fact, for a long time, I didnt realize that this hollow knowledge was just a fantasy and that these Utopian niches of high demand and non-existent competition dont actually exist. What does exist are niches where demand is sufficient yet are under-served by professional merchants who can market their product well. Sure there are plenty of automated tools that advertise the ability to conduct this market research for you. But until I truly understood the fundamentals and principles of market research, I found I wasn't able to compete with those who fully grasped the subject. Eventually I stumbled upon a book called Simple Market Research. Through humor, pertinent examples, easy to comprehend explanations, step-by-step instructions and attention-keeping graphics and illustrations, Simple Market Research effectively brought me to a point where I probably have a better understanding of internet market research than 90-95% of other eBay sellers or online retailers. Learn More: Click http://auctioninsights.info/MarketResearch
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Chapter 3. Listing Type: Auction or Fixed Price

The listing format you choose, traditional auction or fixed price (Stores Inventory, Buy it Now or BIN), has an impact on the listing's position in the Best Match search results sort order. Some factors, such as time remaining until auction close, influence auction style listings but don't impact fixed price listings. Conversely, some Best Match factors influence BIN listings, such as recent sales, that don't affect auction listings. Additionally, some categories actually favor fixed price listings over the auction style and vice-versa. This chapter will identify these different variables and explain how the seller can use them to their advantage to rank highly in the Best Match search results.
Auction Style Listings

The auction style listing is the classic bidder-controlled pricing format which eBay started with back in the early days of the internet. Along with trust factors (chapter 4), relevancy (chapter 6), and item information (chapter 5), time ending soonest is a significant factor in determining ranking the the Best Match algorithm for auctions. This means that listings closing in the near future are ranked higher than auction style listings for similar items closing later in time (assuming the other factors such as product information and trust factors are equal). Because sales activity provides no advantage to this particular format, auction style listings are best when you have limited inventory of a particular item for sale. Additionally, Best Match provides auction style listings an advantage in certain categories, specifically those in which multi-quantity listings are not possible and not rational.8 Collectibles and antiques are clearly examples categories that fit this description.
8 eBay Developer Blog, Developer Impact: Recent Sales and Best Match
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On average, auction-style listings comprise 70% of the listings on the first page of the Best Match search results. This is a significant figure indicating that the auction format is the simplest way to gain visibility under Best Match if you don't mind waiting until the listing is about to close before you earn that exposure. Including a Buy It Now price in your auction can help you take advantage of the exposure that comes naturally with the auction listing format while attracting customers who were in the market to buy your product yet not interested in the bidding and waiting associated with auctions.
Fixed Price Listings

The fixed price format includes those listings such as Buy it Now and Stores inventory where the final selling price of an item is determined by the seller (as opposed to auctions where the bidder activity determines the final sale price). The factors used to determine the ranking (sort order) of a fixed price listing include (but [are] not limited to) relevance of the title and category, total price (price plus shipping), the listings recent sales and seller DSRs. 9 Contrasted with the auction style format, fixed price listings are influenced by the item's price and sales history. Contrary to auctions, where listings that are about to end receive a benefit under the Best Match algorithm, fixed-priced listings in the Art, Antiques, Coins & Paper Money, Collectibles, Dolls & Bears, Pottery & Glass, Toys & Hobbies, Stamps, Sports Memorabilia, Cards & Fan Shop, and Entertainment Memorabilia categories receive a boost when they are newly listed. time ending soonest does not make a significant impact on fixed price listings standings in the search results. Quantity (listing a single item or multiple items) is irrelevant to receive this initial boost in exposure.
9 Ibid.
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Top Rated Sellers enjoy increased visibility in the Best Match search results for their fixedprice listings. This advantage does not apply to Top Rated Sellers' auction-style listings.
Multi-Quantity Listing Overview

When a seller has a stockpile of inventory of a specific product for sale, it's often advantageous to list in the multi-quantity, fixed price format. This format allows the items to be listed for up to 30 days at a time indefinitely for Good 'Til Canceled (GTC) listings. Sales accumulated by that listing relative to the number of times it has appeared in the search results (a metric called the listing performance score explained below) can provide an advantage in the Best Match search result rankings. Here's an example of a multiple quantity listing. I recently found some salad plates my wife needed to complete her collection of Christmas china. The seller had more than ten available for sale at a fixed price. After I bought the four pieces I needed, the listing still remained active because the seller still had inventory remaining.
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Improve Your Listing Performance Score and Improve Your Ranking

With the exception of the collectibles categories, eBay calculates something called a listing performance score for fixed-priced listings. The listing performance score is a ratio determined by the number of recent sales generated (for multiple quantity listings) divided by the number of times the listing has appeared in eBay's search results. Scoring well for this particular metric positively influences that listings ranking in the search results under Best Match. The listing performance score does not apply to items listed in the collectibles categories (see below for a complete category list). In these categories, newly listed fixed-price listings receive a boost in the search results over similar items that have been listed longer.
Categories In Which Listing Performance Scores Do Not Apply

Art Antiques Coins & Paper Money Collectibles Dolls & Bears Pottery & Glass Toys & Hobbies Stamps Sports Memorabilia Cards & Fan Shop
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Entertainment Memorabilia For listings in these collectible categories, fixed-price listings will not be sorted by listing performance score but by recency of listing to keep the freshest inventory at the top of the search results.10
Calculating the Listing Performance Score An Example

The formula for calculating a Listing Performance Score is as follows: number of sales number of impressions An impression occurs any time a buyer (or the seller) sees a search results page that includes the listing. If the listing in the image below is presented to 100 different visitors using eBay's search during the course of a day, then that particular listing accumulates 100 impressions. (Duplicate searches by the same user do not count as multiple impressions.)
Therefore if the Guitar Hero listing above garners 5 sales for every 100 impressions, it's listing performance score is 5%. That's a higher score than a similar listing that earns 5 sales for every 1,000 impressions a listing performance score of 0.5%.
10 eBay.com, Seller update: September 2009, http://pages.ebay.com/sell/July2009Update/Details/, July 2009.
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All other Best Match factors being equal, the fixed-price listing with the higher listing performance score will rank higher in the search results. Therefore, improving your listing performance score should be part of your strategy for Best Match optimization.
Listing Performance Score: What Have Done For Me Lately?

In addition to the above factors influencing your Listing Performance Score, this metric is a weighted and moving average. According to eBay, the more recent your sales and impressions are, the more they will count towards your score. So today's listing performance counts more than yesterday's, and yesterday's more than the day before.11
Recent Sales Carry-Over When You Re-list

If you've still got inventory available at the end of the listing period for a multi-quantity listing, you can re-list and maintain any recent sales advantage you may have earned. To qualify, you must not:
Change the category Change the title Change the item description
11 Ibid.
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You can make the following changes to a listing without penalty:

Change the item's price Add to the item's description (leaving the original description intact) Change the duration Change the title Add, delete, or change any listing enhancements Convert listing format from auction style to fixed price
Chis Dawson reported on the TameBay blog that had a multi-quantity, fixed price listing that had earned its way to the first page of the search results by the time it closed through recent sales. [He] re-listed the item with one edit, changing from a 10 day to a 30 day listing, and within a minute, the new listing was back in the same position (currently eighth from the top of the page out of 892 listings).12 Conversely, a poor listing performance score carries over when you re-list. If you determine your title, price, or some other factor is impacting your sales, it's best to create a new listing completely than to make changes and re-list your existing listing. (Click Sell Similar vice Re-list.) If you want the exposure benefits of a new fixed-price listing, it needs to be a new listing. Simply clicking the re-list button won't earn you the initial boost in exposure that the Best Match algorithm affords new fixed-price listings (in the applicable categories). You'll have to click the Sell Similar button and start fresh.
12 Chis Dawson, TameBay Blog, Recent Sales and Auction/BIN Mix, http://www.tamebay.com/2008/09/recent-sales-andauctionbin-mix.html (September 2008).
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Tips to Improve Your Listing Performance Score

Recall the formula for the listing performance score: sales divided by impressions. To increase this score, a seller needs only to: Decrease the number of impressions while holding sales constant; Increase the number of sales while holding impressions constant; Or a combination of the above.
Decrease Impressions
Specific and relevant titles are more important than ever. If your title is too broad, it will show up (initially at least) in a lot of search results for a variety of queries. Many of those potential bidders might not be looking for what you are selling generating numerous impressions without many corresponding sales. For example, while the title below may show up frequently in the results for new iPod Nano searches, it probably wont be generating many sales at least not for those buyers who actually wanted a new iPod Nano. Like NEW MP3 PLAYER better than IPOD NANO However, if the listing title were more accurate and included something like Used 2GB Sansa Clip MP3 Player, it might generate fewer impressions (due to a lower number of searches for that specific item), but it would probably have an excellent ratio of sales per impression and a higher listing performance score. While casting a wide net used to be a good strategy to garner bids, sellers who want to perform well in the listing performance score now need to be more focused.
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Increase Sales While Keeping Impressions Low

As explained above, the listing performance score is a ratio calculated by your sales divided by impressions. There are two ways of increasing this ratio: Increase the numerator (sales) Decrease the denominator (impressions) But how do you garner sales without increasing impressions? - By bypassing the eBay search results completely! Send potential bidders straight to your auction listings. How? Link straight to your listings on your web site, Facebook page, blog, emails, Twitter account, and/or business card. AuctionInsights offers a free tool to accomplish this task called AuctionLink (http://www.auctionlink.to). Its a short web address that links to a page of your current eBay listings without creating impressions that count against your listing performance score.
Increase Recent Sales

In order to get the boost in Best Match for listing performance score you obviously need to have made some sales recently. While I don't normally recommend spending the money to purchase listing upgrades, in this scenario it can be a good, short term investment designed to help you get to the first page of the eBay search results. Once a listing has earned its way to the first page organically, sellers often find that they can cut back on, or drop the listing upgrades all together and still maintain their listing performance score by virtue of their first page exposure.
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Best Offer
Best Offer is a great way to kick start your way to an improved listing performance score. By including the Best Offer enhancement, sellers are permitting potential buyers to email them with offers for their product that are below the asking price in the listing. Sellers then have the option to accept or decline the offer. Accepting a few Best Offers for a slight loss is an excellent strategy to build up a recent sales advantage and can be cheaper than purchasing Featured First or Featured Plus. Including the Best Offer enhancement is free. Some sellers employ Best Offer to great success in conjunction with email marketing lists they maintain with former and potential customers. First, they list a product for sale with the Best Offer option. They then notify their subscribers of the listing providing a link directly to the listing in order to keep impressions low informing them that they will accept offers of a specified amount for a week or some other limited time frame. Any corresponding sales provide an immediate boost to the listing's rankings in the Best Match search results due to the Recent Sales factor. Chris Dawson from TameBay suggests the following additional tactics when using Best Offer: 13
1. Make sure you have auto-accept/decline on all listings that have Best Offer on. The auto-accept should be set at the level that youd be willing to accept for a single item. The auto-decline should be set at the lowest level youd accept for a multiple item purchase. From then on youll only have to manually accept or decline offers that fall between the two levels. 2. Once you have an item showing well in Best Match with Recent Sales either remove Best Offer (or remove it when you re-list), or adjust the levels for auto-accept/decline.
13 Dawson, TameBay Blog, Make an offer and get it for less on eBay, http://www.tamebay.com/2008/12/make-an-offerand-get-it-for-less-on-ebay.html, December 10, 2008.
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Auction or Fixed-Price: Selecting a Format

According to eBay:14
Use the Auction-style format when:
You're unsure of the value of your item and want to sell right away, allowing the eBay Marketplace to determine its value. You have unique and hard-to-find items that could attract demand and spur a bidding war, maximizing profits from your listing. You are currently using Auction-style format listings, and you have a high sell-through rate (your items typically sell the first time you list them).
Choose Fixed Price when:
You have multiple items that you can place into one listing. You know the value of your item or know the exact price you need to get for it. You have a lot of inventory and want to minimize your upfront Insertion Fees. You want your items to be available to buyers for more than 7 days.
14 eBay.com, Seller update: September 2009.
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Conclusion
Whether you knew it or not, the type of listing format you choose has an effect on your ranking in the Best Match algorithm. Auctions are good when you have a limited inventory or are listing in categories with a number of unique items for sale. Fixed price listings are beneficial when the seller has multiple items for sale and in categories which boast numerous listings of identical products. The listing performance score is a Best Match variable that influences a multiple quantity fixed-price listings' ranking in the search results. The savvy seller can influence the listing performance score by increasing sales while keeping impressions low. AuctionLink (http://www.auctionlink.to), a free tool from AuctionInsights, can be beneficial in this regard.
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Steal These Ideas!

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Chapter 4. Trust Factors

eBay places a premium on maintaining and improving the positive buying experience. Their continued existence depends on reducing the amount of fraud that is associated with the site. One method to achieve this end is found in the Best Match algorithm. eBay has developed and instituted metrics such as Feedback scores, Detailed Seller Ratings, and Buyer Satisfaction Ratings to identify sellers who are doing well and those that aren't providing the kind of buying experience they desire to foster. Accordingly, Best Match rewards reputable sellers specifically Top Rated Sellers with increased visibility in the search results and provides incentives for poor sellers to improve.
Seller Performance
According to eBay, Sellers with excessive claims, negative or neutral feedback, or transactions with low DSRs below the new minimum standard for all sellers may receive lowered search standing, possible limits to further selling, loss of PowerSeller and Top-rated seller status and discounts, and in some cases account suspension.15
Feedback
Your feedback score is a significant factor influencing your rankings in the Best Match search results. Resolve issues before they result in negative feedback. Frequent and clear communication is often the key to preventing the misunderstandings that often result in negative or neutral feedback.
15 eBay.com, eBay SellerUpdate: July 2009 Frequently Asked Questions, http://pages.ebay.com/sell/July2009Update/faq/index.html#1-5, July 2009.
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Detailed Seller Ratings

Like feedback scores, Detailed Seller Ratings (DSR's) are a medium through which buyers can evaluate sellers. Unlike feedback, DSR's are anonymous and rate specific aspects of the transaction. Detailed Seller Ratings are graded on a scale of one to five stars with five being the highest score. The specific criteria of the Detailed Seller Ratings are as follows:
Item as Described - How accurate was the item description?

1 Star = Very inaccurate 2 Stars = Inaccurate 3 Stars = Neither accurate nor inaccurate 4 Stars = Accurate 5 Stars = Very accurate
Communication How satisfied was the buyer with the seller's communication?

1 Star = Very unsatisfied 2 Stars = Unsatisfied 3 Stars = Neither satisfied nor unsatisfied 4 Stars = Satisfied 5 Stars = Very satisfied
Shipping Time How quickly did the seller ship the item?
1 Star = Very slowly
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2 Stars = Slowly 3 Stars = Neither slowly nor quickly 4 Stars = Quickly 5 Stars = Very quickly
Shipping and Handling Charges How reasonable were the shipping and handling charges?

1 Star = Very unreasonable 2 Stars = Unreasonable 3 Stars = Neither unreasonable nor reasonable 4 Stars = Reasonable 5 Stars = Very reasonable
DSR's are evaluated over a 12-month period unless the seller has had 400 or more transactions over the most recent three calender months. In which case, the most recent three complete calender months comprise the DSR evaluation period. As of April 2010, the following are the minimum quality standards sellers must meet in order to not be disadvantaged in eBay's search results: No greater than 1% of transactions rated as 1's or 2's for the metric Item As Described. No greater than 2% of transactions rated as 1's or 2's for Communication, Shipping Time, or Shipping and Handling Charges. eBay has established a minimum number of instances for these penalties to take effect. That means if you are a low volume seller, it will take a minimum of three transactions rated as 1's
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or 2's in Item As Described and four instances in the other categories before a you start seeing your listings fall in the search result. Also, according to eBay, sellers with excessive claims, [and] negative or neutral feedback ... may receive lowered search standing. 16
Improving Your DSR's

The guidelines eBay provides to buyers regarding DSR's is somewhat misleading. According to the criteria above, a grade of 4 stars refers to a transaction that met expectations. By definition, it means: the item description was accurate, the buyer was satisfied with the communication, and the buyer felt the item was shipped quickly at a reasonable cost. According to eBay, a 4.0 average DSR places the user in the bottom 10% of all sellers. So you want to avoid scores that fall within that range whenever possible. Accordingly, many sellers include a quote similar to the one below in all of their listing descriptions, email correspondence, and as an insert with their shipment. Your input as a buyer is very important to us! If you feel that our seller performance is less than a 5-star rating for shipping cost, shipping time, item description, or communication, please contact us first, before leaving feedback. We want to improve our service to you and future customers. Additionally, after receiving confirmation of delivery, sending an email similar to the following as been effective in resolving issues early and improving the communication DSR scores.
16 Ibid.
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Dear ________, I notice that you recently received the ____________ you purchased from me through eBay. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you again for your purchase and follow up with a question. Did the ___________ meet your expectations? If not, please let me know at your earliest convenience by responding to this email. If you were satisfied with the transaction, I hope you will take a moment to leave feedback for me on eBay. It will help other potential customers evaluate my trustworthiness as a seller. Thanks again, ____________
Buyer Satisfaction Rating

The Buyer Satisfaction Rating is a calculation eBay uses to evaluate you as a seller. This rating summarizes your feedback score, your DSR's, and whatever buyer protection claims may exist on your account (such as complaints from buyers). According to eBay, Your Buyer Satisfaction Rating measures your level of customer service. This summary helps you [and eBay] keep track of how well you are providing members with positive buying experiences. 17
The Seller Dashboard

Interested in knowing how eBay rates you as a seller? Want to evaluate your DSR's against the average of all the sellers on eBay? The Seller Dashboard is your resource for these functions and more.
17 About Your Seller Dashboard, http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/seller-dashboard.html accessed 10 December 2008.
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Seller Dashboard http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?SellerDashboard Note: eBay requires sellers to have at least 10 DSR's over the previous 12-months in order to access the seller dashboard. I find two features of the Seller Dashboard to be extremely useful. The first is the Dashboard Summary which tells me at a glance if my DSR's and Buyer Satisfaction Rating qualify me for elevated visibility in Best Match. The other chart is a useful comparison of my Detailed Seller Ratings against the site average:
The Top-Rated Seller Program

In September 2009, eBay.com rolled out their Toprated seller program. Top-Rated Sellers who meet volume and quality thresholds will receive increased exposure in eBay's search results for fixed-price listings, a fancy badge distinguishing their listings, as well as discounted fees.
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To qualify for the Top-rated seller program, you must meet the following criteria:18 PowerSellers of all levels, from Bronze to Titanium, can qualify as eBay Toprated sellers if they have at least 100 transactions and $3,000 sales in the past year, and low DSRs (1s and 2s) on no more than 0.50% of all transactions with U.S. buyers on each of their 4 DSRs. To ensure that lower-volume sellers (fewer than 400 annual description, or communication, transactions) can be included as Top-rated sellers, two instances of 1s or 2s on each of the four DSRs will be allowed before the 0.50% requirement is applied. The time period over which a seller's low DSRs are evaluated will depend on sales volume: For sellers with 400 or more transactions over the past 3 months, it' s 12 calender months.
Include a Return Policy

An eBay Chatter Blog post mentions, Having a return policy is good for raising item visibility in Best Match.19 Accordingly, its important to specify your return policy on the Sell Your Item form when creating your listing. If you have a return policy, but only identify this fact and provide details in your items description, the Best Match algorithm isnt going to give you credit for it when it determines the search results sort order.
How to Specify Your Return Policy

In the Additional Information section of the Sell Your Item form, take the following steps:
Select the Returns accepted from the drop down menu.
18 eBay.com, July 2009 Seller Update, http://pages.ebay.com/sell/July2009Update/Details/#1-2, July 2009. 19 Ninad, Best Match Demystified, http://ebaychatter.com/the_chatter/2008/06/best-match-demy.html (Accessed June 2008).
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Select the time limit within which the buyer must return the item to you. Select the type of refund you will give if the item is returned. Enter all other details about your return policy in the Return Policy Details text box.
Conclusion
Check your seller dashboard frequently to maintain a continuous pulse on how you are performing in the trust factors aspect of Best Match. While there are no quick fixes for trust factors such as feedback, DSR's and the Buyer Satisfaction Rating, taking the time and energy to improve them are well worth the effort. Improving the buying experience is so important to eBay's business model, you can expect that eBay will continue to place additional emphasis on this aspect of the Best Match algorithm.
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Chapter 5. Product Information

One of the four main factors that influence a listings placement in the Best Match search results is the information included within the listing itself. Specifically the product information the Best Match algorithm considers include total price (fixed-price listings only), category, shipping cost and methods, item specifics, and the geographic distance from buyer to seller.
List in the Correct Category

Items listed in categories that eBay deems inappropriate will be disadvantaged in the Best Match Search results. For example, a book on coin collecting is more appropriately listed in the Non-Fiction Books category than in the Coins and Paper Money category. Having trouble selecting the appropriate category? The BayEstimator (Chapter 6) provides suggested categories for particular keywords in the title and likely employs the same algorithm that Best Match would use to determine the appropriate category for your listing.
Price
For fixed-price listings, the Best Match algorithm considers the item's total price (cost plus shipping and handling) when determining the search results. Among similar items, the listings with the lowest total price will be ranked higher assuming all the other factors are identical. Accordingly, it's important to maintain situational awareness in your marketplace and adjust your price as appropriate when the competition undercuts your listings.
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Include Item Specifics

According to a post in the eBay corporate blog, where applicable the Best Match algorithm considers Item Specifics as one of the factors when scoring a listing for ranking in the search results pages.20 The Item Specifics feature is relatively new. According to eBay:21
Item Specifics are determined by the category in which you sell your item. For example, the Item Specifics available in an apparel category would be related to size and style, while Item Specifics in a CD music category could refer to genre and condition. Item Specifics are also determined by additional characteristics that buyers would use to find an item in that category and related categories (for example, Antique Rugs or Rugs in Home & Garden).
Item Specifics you provide you provide are displayed at the top of your item description and are used by buyers to search for items.
In most categories supporting Item Specifics, this information is optional. However, [since the Best Match algorithm considers this factor when determining search result rankings] it is definitely to your benefit to complete as many of the details as are appropriate.
20 Ninad. 21 Selecting Item Specifics, http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/item_specifics.html (Accessed December 2008)
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Here's more incentive to include Item Specifics. According to TameBay, Item Specifics are used to determine which products are returned in search results. If you're selling a shirt and you specify 'Denim' as the fabric but don't have it in the item title, it will be included in searches for 'Denim Shirt.'22
Geographic Distance
According the the eBay chatter blog post quoted above, the geographical distance between the buyer and the seller can influence the sort order in the Best Match search results. Although the
22 Dawson, TameBay Blog, Search fundamentals and Best match, http://www.tamebay.com/2008/12/searchfundamentals-and-best-match.html, December 10, 2008.
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post doesn't provide specifics, one can reasonably assume that the closer the buyer and the seller are to each other, the better the Best Match advantage for that particular listing.
Shipping Prices & Methods

Quoted in the New York Time Technology Blog, eBay's CEO, John Donahoe, made it clear that shipping and handling fees and shipping methods influence a listings ranking in the Best Match search results. He said: Sellers that provide reasonable and fast shipping, even free shipping, will rise to the top.23 Therefore, in order to score all of your points for shipping and handling, you should accomplish the following: Identify a shipping cost in the shipping details section of your listing when posting your item (vice simply choosing See item description). Also include the shipping and handling terms in your item description in order to minimize the chance that the buyer might miss it (and mark you down in the DSR's later).
Charge reasonable shipping and handling fees. I cannot identify how eBay defines a reasonable shipping fee, however I would suggest that you use the average charge for that product's sub-category as your guide. This suggestion is based on the pop up message that sometimes appears to sellers during the listing process:
23 Hansell.
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In fact, eBay posted the following tidbit about that particular message in their message forums: If your item has expensive shipping compared to other items in your category, and you are seeing the red warning message about your shipping cost as you list your item, your item is likely getting bumped down in Best Match based on your shipping cost [emphasis added]. (Note: it will still show up, just lower.)24 Be wary of listing your auction in the wrong category, especially if what you are selling is heavier and more expensive to ship than the other items in that sub-category. For example, a coffee table book depicting antique postcards listed in the Postcard sub-category of eBay might have made excellent business sense before Best Match became the default search and sort method. However, a large book costs considerably more to ship than a few postcards. Consequently that listing will be flagged by the Best Match algorithm as having above-average shipping costs for the category (unless you offer free shipping). Investigate your shipping options. The Postal Service might not be the most inexpensive shipping method. If UPS or another shipping service will facilitate your ability to charge lower for shipping and handling, take that route. Selecting a shipper should be more important to you than it was in the days before Best Match. Itemize the details of your shipping costs and include it on a slip of paper with the bidder's order. This will help them understand that while the actual postage may have only cost you $3.25, you charged a $4.75 shipping and handling fee because you were obligated to buy bubble wrap for 75 and a post pack for 75 to ensure that their item was delivered in one
24 http://workshops.ebay.com/thread.jspa?threadID=130000702, accessed 10 December 2008.
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piece. This helps the buyer understand that you are being reasonable with your shipping and handling charges and evaluate you appropriately in the Detailed Seller Ratings. Offer expedited shipping methods such as Priority Mail or overnight methods (again - see the quote above). Ensure these methods are identified in the shipping details section of the auction listing form (so that the Best Match algorithm knows youre doing it and gives you credit for it). Consider offering free shipping. eBay has explicitly communicated that listings in fixedprice format that offer free shipping will receive an advantage in the Best Match algorithm. Listings in the auction-style format receive no such benefit. Communicate with your buyer regarding the shipment. When the item has been shipped, let them know - immediately. This way they know that you did your part to ensure prompt delivery and the rest is up to the postal system and beyond your control. Provide them with the anticipated delivery date based on the postal services estimated arrival time (add a day or two to your estimate just to be safe).
Conclusion
Product information such as Item Specifics, geographic distance from buyer to seller, and shipping and handling information are all factors that influence the Best Match algorithm. While there isn't much a seller can do to influence the geographic distance factor, it's important to not overlook the other aspects of this chapter. Including Item Specifics might not seem worth the time and effort, especially if the seller has included the information in the listing's narrative description, but it makes a difference under Best Match. Shipping and handling fees and methods are the most significant factor described in this chapter. Remember to keep them
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reasonable relative to the average charges in that particular category and to identify them in the Sell Your Item form when listing your auction.
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Active Traffic Generation Techniques

In the age of Best Match, you must accept and take an active role in leading bidders to your auction listings. You can no longer passively assume that eBay is going to send traffic to your auctions. Sellers should be looking for ways to attract and send visitors directory to their listings. There are several tools and techniques available to increase traffic to your listings. Probably the easiest to implement is creating an email signature that sends click-throughs to your current listings. AuctionLink is our free service that creates a short, easy to remember web address that forwards potential bidders to your auctions. Heres an example: http://AuctionLink.to/buy . If you want your own AuctionLink address, visit www.AuctionLink.to today or simply replace buy with your own eBay.com user ID. AuctionLink can actually help your ranking in Best Match. Since eBay implemented the Listing Performance Score (see Chapter 3), sellers have found AuctionLink an effective tool to help increase sales while keeping impressions low.
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Chapter 6. Demand Data and Relevancy

This particular aspect of Best Match is among the easiest to influence by including the appropriate keywords in the listing's title. The relevancy score is determined by historical buyer behavior for a particular search query. For listing titles that are similar to yours, eBay determines how many times in the past those auction titles were clicked on, added to watch lists, bid upon, and ultimately resulted in a sale. The more often these bidder activities occurred, the higher the relevancy score for the keywords in a particular title. The key to success here is to determine what the appropriate keywords are and include them in your listing's title.
Desirability
Another factor influencing eBay's Best Match search results is something termed desirability. This is a relatively basic function of supply and demand. If most searchers on eBay using the query iPod nano are actually looking for the MP3 player vice iPod accessories (such as chargers or cases) then the demand for listings of Apple MP3 players is high. If most of the listings with the keywords iPod nano in the title are actually selling accessories, then the supply of iPod nano MP3 players is low. Auctions where supply is low and demand is high will score well for desirability.
Include Best Match Keywords

One of the ways you can score Best Match points for your listing is to identify and include keywords in your auction title. For any particular search query, there are keywords that are worth more than others. A search query is simply the text that a visitor to eBay types into the search box. In the example below, the search query is Star Wars comic.
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Often, the keywords that are worth points to your listings Best Match score are pretty easy to identify. For the query Star Wars comic, Ive pegged the following words and phrases and being worth extra Best Match points:

Marvel (identifies the publisher of the original Star Wars comic series) Dark Horse (identifies the publisher of the most recent Star Wars comic series) Lot (signifies more than one comic for sale) nm (near mint condition) 1 (often identifies the first issue in the series) Jedi (identifies a popular mini-series) 1977 (identifies the year the original series was first published) etc
eBay tracks the words in the particular titles of auctions that: (1) get clicked, (2) get added to watch lists, (3) get bids, and (4) ultimately get sold. For the search query Star Wars comic, eBay has determined that these particular words appear more often in the titles of listings that get that desired bidder activity (click, watch, bid, buy) than those that dont.
Identify the Valuable Keywords Using the BayEstimator

Of course eBay has their algorithm and databases to track those keywords. But how is a user to identify them?
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Not many sellers are aware that eBay Research Labs has a public and free web page where you can optimize the keywords in your eBay listing title for the Best Match search algorithm. The address is: http://labs.ebay.com/raghavgupta/demoto/to This tool was developed by Raghav Gupta, the creator of the Best Match algorithm.
How the BayEstimator Works
After the page loads, you will be presented with a form in which you can enter the your proposed auction listing title. In the screen shot above, Ive entered Box of Star Wars Comics.
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Once you click Submit, you are presented with a slightly more complicated screen. The utility presents a number of common search terms that bidders have used on eBay to find auctions related to your proposed listing title.
Within the table labeled Buyer Search Queries Matching Your Item on the lower left hand side of the screen, the BayEstimator suggests several other queries that might be appropriate to evaluate your auction title against.
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I will click star wars comic because its the closest to the query I would use if I were searching for comic books about Star Wars.
The dots give me an indication of the impact of my title on my Best Match results. The small gray dot next to my chosen search query tells me that my proposed auction listing title has No or Negligible Impact on my auction's ranking in the search results. What I'm trying for is a big green circle.
In the past, eBay provided the actual numeric score (in a percentage value) of your listing title and each keyword. Now the BayEstimator only shows colored circles that give you a relative value of your Best Match score. According to a statement that was briefly posted on the site, The current dot-based scheme gives you 20 levels of resolution between -100% and 100%. Accordingly, if you still desire to know the score associated with each colored circle, Windows
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users can right click on the disk images, select properties, and compare the image size to the chart I've created below. My task now is to improve that score in order to improve my Best Match rankings in the search results. Fortunately, the BayEstimator provides a table of keywords that rank well for the Best Match algorithm. They appear once I've selected and clicked on one of the suggested search queries.
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In fact, this screen presents three new tables:
A breakdown of my title's keywords and the value of each keyword relative to the search query:
A table that suggests keywords that might help improve the value of my listing's title in the Best Match search algorithm:
And a listing category suggestion table which isn't terribly useful for optimizing your keywords, but might help you with your Shipping and Handling fee Best Match factor (see pages 47-48).
I can see that including the words lot, Marvel, and books should have an immediate and positive impact on my Best Match score. I change my proposed auction title to Lot of Marvel Star Wars Comic Books, click submit and note that my Best Match score has increased from zero to 60%! (Denoted by the 14 x 14 pixel green disk.) The BayEstimator tells me that I still have 20 characters left, so I go back to the Keyword Suggestion Table and look for more words that will be appropriate for my title and increase my score.
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Changing my title one more time to Lot of 15 Marvel Star Wars Comic Books Original Edition uses up all of my available title characters and increases my score to 70%. (Denoted by the 16 x 16 pixel green circle.) I could play around with this some more, in order to increase my score further - but I think youve got the idea. The tool also gives you an idea of the items popularity and its availability which factor into the score. Remember that in Best Match, if something is in demand, yet scarce, the Best Match score goes up significantly. The data that feeds this tool is not live. It's a few weeks old, so the actual results on the auction site may vary. Unless the item you are listing is very trendy and only recently popular, this shouldn't affect you.
Test Your Auction Title

One of the best things about eBay is the ability to test your marketing efforts with little financial risk. You can easily test the effectiveness of your title using this handy tip from the Internet Marketing Tips Blog: Post your item, then make a note of where it ranks. Go in and change your heading eBay will rank it again within just 5 minutes. Check to see if this improved your listing or not, and revise your heading again if you need to. You can do this as many times as you like up until the last 12 hours of
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the auction.25 Note: Recent Sales boosts will be lost for multi-quantity, fixed price listings when you re-list if you: Increase the start price; change the category; change the title; change the item condition. You can add to the item description, but not change existing description. (See Chapter 3.)
Make the Most of Your Listing Title:

Maximize the value of every character eBay permits in the listing title without being dishonest or misleading. You have 80 characters to use in the listing title. Each word you include can potentially score points towards your Best Match ranking. Dont waste precious space in your listing title and dont short yourself by not using the titles to their fullest. Go back and review the screen shots of the Star Wars comics search results. Notice how much shorter many of the titles of the auctions languishing on the third page are compared to those on the first.
Never Use Negative Keywords

Right now on eBay there are 4,707 auctions with the term never used in their listing title. There are 1,603 listings with the term never opened. There are 2,276 auctions with never worn in the title. This is bad news for the seller who wants to rank high in the Best Match search results for items that are new. Why? The keywords you include in the listing title can have a positive or negative impact on your auctions rankings in the search results. This determination is based on bidders past history for listings with those words for a particular search query.
25 Chris Audet, Best Match: Don't Get Left Out, http://blog.marketingtips.com/ebay-best-match/selling-on-ebay (April 2008).
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If listings with words in the title like mint or New in Box (NIB) tend to get clicked on, added to watch lists, bid upon, or purchased for a particular search query, they will help auctions that include those words rank higher in the Best Match search results. Conversely, if keywords like used, opened or worn tend to be avoided by bidders who are searching for new items, these words will have a negative impact on auction listings that include them - regardless if they are preceded by the word never. Heres an extreme example. Use the BayEstimator to analyze the effects of the listing title underwear never worn against the search query underwear. Now use it with the title new underwear. Thats a 20% increase in my auction titles Best Match relevance score. I also have 7 more characters in the title when I use the word new vice never used which affords me more room to include other valuable keywords such as mens, sexy, briefs, or boxer.
Conclusion
Keywords are the words that the eBay seller includes in the precious 80 characters of the listing title. These words are used to determine the relevancy and desirability scores of the auction listing. Selecting the right keywords represents the most efficient way to influence your search result ranking in Best Match. Visit the BayEstimator on the eBay Labs website to test how your keywords score for a particular search query.
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A Word About Conversions

This book focuses on increasing traffic to your listings, but you should not ignore the value of increasing your conversions. Specifically, what the visitor does after they have found your listing. Do they buy? Or do they click the back button, never to return to your auction again? One thing you can do to increase your conversion rate is to present a professional looking eBay listing. To do so, many eBay sellers use auction templates. You can easily create professional auction templates online for free at:
Click http://www.auctioninsights.info/templates
*No registration required!
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Steal These Ideas!

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Chapter 7. Best Match Manipulation

Theres a difference between optimization and manipulation. You optimize when you find and use the keywords that apply to your eBay listing. You manipulate when you use keywords in your title that dont pertain to the auction you are listing.
Misleading Keywords
Including keywords that are irrelevant or misleading just because they improve your Best Match relevance score is considered keyword SPAM. As the Best Match algorithm matures, auctions with titles such as the example below are apt to be canceled or penalized in some manner as to make them irrelevant: Like NEW MP3 PLAYER better than IPOD NANO
Keyword Repetition
In the Spring of 2008, some sellers discovered that repeating high-scoring keywords in their listing titles multiplied the effects of those keywords and rocketed their auctions to the top of the Best Match search result pages. Auctions with titles such as NEW NEW NEW Wii 2 2 2 were very profitable for a few short weeks. Ultimately, eBay caught on to the fact that this very basic form of keyword SPAM was occurring and modified the Best Match algorithm in relatively short order in order to make this form of manipulation ineffective.
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A Dynamic Algorithm
eBay will continue to aggressively monitor and modify Best Match in order to minimize the effects of manipulation attempts. According to a blog post by Adam Nash, a former eBay Finding Team employee, Best Match is designed to be opaque. As a result, eBay will make no guarantees about how it functions, and they will actively change it over time to improve it and to prevent abuse.26 eBay has already taken action to mitigate attempts to manipulate the Best Match search results. Accordingly, you can expect that they are actively working on developing and perfecting automated methods to identify manipulation and quell it when they find it. You can also anticipate that other sellers will be quick to turn in competitors that are blatantly attempting to manipulate the Best Match search results. I would expect the Terms of Service to eventually be modified to include disincentives and penalties for this kind of activity. My guess is that these would include canceled listings, reduced exposure, and termination of the offender's account. In fact, as I'm writing this chapter, eBay announced a new Browse Manipulation Policy: Starting in early June a new Search & Browse Manipulation Policy will take the place of the Keyword Spamming, Misleading Title, Miscategorization, and Brand Name Misuse policies. The new Search Manipulation Policy simplifies the guidelines for sellers, prohibiting any unfair methods of diverting members to their listings. This includes any addition to a listing not related to the item being sold or other activity that harms the shopping experience by making it difficult for buyers to find the items they're looking for.27
26 Nash. 27 John McDonald Sr, eBay General Announcements Board, http://www2.ebay.com/aw/core/200805191328272.html (May 2008).
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The bottom line here is you could expend significant time and energy attempting to gain an advantage by manipulating the Best Match search results. As some sellers have already learned, this advantage is short-lived and they must now start over in their attempts to make Best Match work for them. In contrast, you could invest that same time and energy learning how to optimize your listings for Best Match and enjoy sustained success in the new selling environment. I don't know about you, when I chose to invest something I value whether it be time, energy, or money I've always got an eye on the long term returns. My money is on optimization.
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Bonus Chapter. Beyond Best Match

Introduction
As a special bonus, I've included an excerpt from my new eBook, Beyond Best Match, in which I share the techniques I've developed and use to get my eBay listings on the first page of the Google, Bing, and Yahoo! search results pages. If you think massive amounts of traffic from Google might improve your eBay sales, be sure to download the book. http://www.BeyondBestMatch.com
Don't Depend on eBay For Traffic Anymore

This chapter is about developing alternate sources of traffic to your eBay listings -- specifically traffic from search engines like Google, Yahoo! or Bing. Our goal here is to get a link to our eBay listings on the first page of the Google search results for a popular search term associated with the product and get a share of that search engine traffic. For example, I sell Ubuntu Linux installation CDs on eBay (a popular alternative computer operating system). According to Google, the search term "Ubuntu Installation Disk" receives an average of 14,800 searches per month. Of these, over 4,400 come from the United States -my target market for eBay.com. Even a small portion of this search engine traffic clicking through to my eBay listing would be like striking gold in my backyard.
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Page1oftheGoogleSearchResults
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Who Will Benefit From This Technique?

Sellers who employ multiple quantity fixed-price listings will benefit the most from the techniques listed in this book. Good 'Til Canceled (GTC) listings are better than 30-day listings because once you get your listings URL (Uniform Resource Locater -- or more simply it's web address) indexed in Google's search results, you want it to stick there. Relisting a closed item means a new URL and starting the process of getting indexed and ranked by the search engines over again. The listing below depicts an example of a multiple-quantity, GTC listing.
While you might successfully get the product you are selling on eBay indexed and included in Google's search results before your auction-style or single quantity fixed-price listing ends, it probably won't be worth the effort required. So if you've got a bunch of widgets to sell on eBay, it would certainly benefit your bottom line to get your listing included in the first couple results pages of the major search engines.
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The Benefits of Natural Search Results

Getting your eBay listing included and ranked highly in Google has some significant benefits. Specifically improved buyer trust and increased traffic.
Page 1 of the Bing Search Results Trust The customers that find your listing in Google are more apt to trust you. There are several reasons for this. The first is the simple fact that they actively searched for what you are selling and found your listing you didn't find them. They didn't click on an ad which involves a healthy level of suspicion and skepticism nor were they lured away from doing
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something else online by a random link to your listing. They went to Google with an itch that needed scratching and clicked through to your eBay listing because they thought you might be able to help. Additionally, warranted or not, many people assign you instant credibility because you were ranked highly in Google. After all, Google does have a reputation for providing relevant search results.
Page 1 of the Yahoo! Search Results
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Traffic If you carefully research and choose a relevant keyword phrase and are successful in your Search Engine Optimization efforts, the traffic from Google will be significant. After I adapted and successfully implemented Search Engine Optimization techniques for eBay, the number of customers visiting my listings increased over seven-fold compared to the traffic eBay was sending. Incredible considering the fact that I'm paying eBay for traffic while Google's is free. It may seem obvious, but it bears mentioning that an increase in traffic directly correlates to an increase in sales.
The Way Forward - Get Found in Google28

Getting your eBay listing indexed and ranking highly in Google and the other search engines requires a basic understanding of the fundamentals of search engine optimization (SEO) and some labor on your part to implement them. These fundamentals include identifying and using the appropriate keywords. Additionally these SEO fundamentals require addressing the onpage factors such as the listing title, the headlines, and an appropriate description. Finally, the techniques require addressing off-page factors such as links from several credible external web sites. Sound hard? I won't deny that this technique requires an investment in effort and some commitment to be successful. However, if you are looking for a way to increase the traffic to your eBay listings and corresponding bump in your sales, I know of no better way. Let's start by covering the fundamentals of Search Engine Optimization.
28 Throughout this chapter I will use Google as a generic representative of all the search engines. Because Google dominates over 65% of the search engine market share, it is worthwhile to concentrate your efforts on getting listed on Google. In my experience, Google is pretty quick to index and include new listings in the search results, while Bing and Yahoo! take substantially longer. Interestingly, Yahoo! uses the Bing search results, so getting listed on Bing also is good for bringing in traffic from Yahoo!.
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What is Search Engine Optimization?

While it sounds highly technical and arcane, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is simply the action anybody with a web presence can take to ensure that Google (1) is aware of a particular web page, (2) correctly recognizes what the main theme or topic of that particular web page is, and (3) ranks that particular page highly for searches related to that particular topic. Search Engine Optimization centers around three main areas of emphasis including keyword identification, on-page factors such as text and titles, and off-page factors such as inbound links from quality websites. Although SEO is not normally associated with promoting specific eBay listings, the techniques and examples I describe here can be incredibly effective if implemented with both patience and persistence.
Keyword Research
The first step to getting found in Google is deciding what search terms your want to get found for. This involves a little research and, more than likely, some trial and error. Your objective here is threefold. The first is to discern the specific keywords that are popular among computer
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users who use Google to search for information related to your product. Next, you must decide which of those keywords or keyword phrases are most associated with searches made by consumers who are interested in buying your product. Finally, it involves selecting the relevant keywords that strike the best balance between search popularity and manageable competition from other web pages contending for high rankings in the Google search results. This keyword research is necessarily the first step in the process because it provides the basis for both your on-page and off-page optimization efforts.
On-Page Search Engine Optimization Factors

As the name implies, on-page factors are concerned with getting things right on the page receiving the search engine traffic. When Google and the other major search engines attempt to decide what's important about a particular web address, their algorithms take cues from several specific elements associated with that page.
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These factors include the page title, description, headings, text, and the URL itself.29 Therefore, it is important to consider and carefully include the keywords you researched earlier in all of these on-page elements. I say carefully because, if over done, the page might trip Google's SPAM filters and will be buried deep in the search result pages accordingly.
Off-Page Factors
Off page factors are the most significant aspect of any search engine optimization campaign. Specifically, inbound links from numerous different reputable and popular websites. If you think about it for a minute, inbound links are a terrific measure of reputation. If numerous sites that Google considers credible link to your listing, the search engine will assume that your page is an authoritative resource for your keyword phrase. The links' anchor text the click-able words are important to help the search engine discern what all the fuss is about. So it's important to consider your keyword phrase and anchor text when you are carrying out your link building efforts.
Ready to Learn More?

Does this sound like a lot of complicated and difficult work? If so, don't panic. With the techniques and examples in Beyond Best Match, it won't be long until Google displays a link to your listing on the first page of the search results. Get started... http://www.BeyondBestMatch.com
29 URL Uniform Resource Locater: the actual web address.
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Best Match Made Simple

Best Match Made Simple

Best Match Made Simple

Steal These Ideas!

Best Match Made Simple

Best Match Made Simple

Best Match Made Simple

Best Match Made Simple

Steal These Ideas!

Best Match Made Simple

Introduction: Best Match Adapt or Perish

Best Match Made Simple

About this Book

Best Match Made Simple

Chapter 1. If You Don't Have Time to Read this Book...

Best Match Made Simple

Best Match Made Simple

Best Match Made Simple

Demand Data & Relevancy

Best Match Made Simple

Best Match Made Simple

3 eBay Seller Update: July 2009, http://pages.ebay.com/sell/July2009Update/faq/index.html (Oct 2009).

Best Match Made Simple

The Last Word

Best Match Made Simple

Product + Traffic + Conversions = Profit

Best Match Made Simple

Best Match Made Simple

Steal These Ideas!

Best Match Made Simple

Chapter 2. Introducing Best Match and Best Match Optimization

How Things Used To Work

Best Match Made Simple

Best Matchs Impact on Sellers

Best Match Made Simple

Best Match Made Simple

Why Is This Important?

Best Match Is About Business

Best Match Made Simple

Same Name - Different Best Match

Introducing Best Match Optimization

Score The Most Points

Your objective is to score the most points without cheating.

Best Match Made Simple

Best Match and You

Best Match Made Simple

A Word About Product Sourcing

Best Match Made Simple

Chapter 3. Listing Type: Auction or Fixed Price

Auction Style Listings

Best Match Made Simple

Fixed Price Listings

Best Match Made Simple

Multi-Quantity Listing Overview

Best Match Made Simple

Improve Your Listing Performance Score and Improve Your Ranking

Categories In Which Listing Performance Scores Do Not Apply

Best Match Made Simple

Calculating the Listing Performance Score An Example

10 eBay.com, Seller update: September 2009, http://pages.ebay.com/sell/July2009Update/Details/, July 2009.

Best Match Made Simple

Listing Performance Score: What Have Done For Me Lately?