How to Search on EBAY more effectively
 
    This guide will help you use shortcut commands that will streamline your search into ONLY the items you want to display.  You’ve decided that you want to search widgets on EBAY, you type in the key word  ‘widgets’ and get 1000’s of hits in every category imaginable!!  Surely there MUST be a better way.  

 
    First, determine whether there is a key word that is exclusive to your type of search….such as ‘velvet widgets’ instead of just widgets.  Use the word 'NEW' seldomly in  your search (you’ll get waaaay too many hits).
Secondly, browse the left column of MATCHING CATEGORIES after your initial search is entered.  Click onto the field that is closest to the genre of widgets you are looking for (like TOYS, BOOKS, ETC.)  This will narrow your field into only a few results.  If there are STILL multiple pages at the bottom of the screen, determine whether you want an ‘auction’ and wait 7 days, or a BUY IT NOW.  If you check the BUY IT NOW square on the left column, it will completely eliminate ALL the auctions.  Cool, huh?  Now you can go to the upper right field marked:  SORT BY and click onto the pulldown option that best suits your needs.  I usually use the sort by  LOWEST PRICE option.
 
     Once you have this fine-tuned, you can turn this search into a FAVORITE SEARCH and never have to go thru these steps again for a similar product.  You can easily change the keyword (velvet) to streamline your future searches.
 
       COMMANDS:
Simply put, most people don’t know how to use them well.   Here the most effective ones:
“velvet widgets”   will search for that exact order of words.  If the two words are separated in the listing  the buyer has (like:  1942 widgets velvet and new), then the search won’t work.
 
velvet widgets –car  That’s a ‘minus’ sign; meaning it will OMIT all velvet widgets with the word: ‘car’ in the  title.
 
velvet widgets –(car,truck,trucks)  Will eliminate searches for cars AND trucks  (notice I purposely entered a plural form of the search to further streamline.
 
(wonkas,widgets)    Will search for EITHER wonkas OR widgets
 
widget*     Will search for ANY word beginning with the letters ‘widget’ and will include hyphenated words as well (such as widget-carriers,  or widgetology)
 
90% of your searches can use these simple tools.  If you need further assistance in streamlining searches, you can go to the ADVANCE SEARCH option in blue right next to the SEARCH button which will allow you pick the following all in one search:
- categories
- exact word or phrase
- price ranges (FROM – TO)
- specific sellers
- distances from your house
- free shipping
- BUY IT NOWS
- PayPal only   and a myriad of other options.
All of these are available on the initial search screen as well, but this ADVANCED SEARCH pretty much
organizes them in an easier to use fashion.
 
Also, the WAY you lay out the resulting display will make your browsing faster.
I use the following fields in this order (and it summarizes most of my searches very well)
LIST VIEW    PICTURE GALLERY  BIDS  PRICE  SHIPPING  TIME LEFT
 
The resulting display fits nicely on a single screen without that annoying right and left scrolling.
 
Hope this makes your searches more enjoyable,
and if this was helpful to you, please check the button
below for me!
Megathankx from Jeff Feezle of Macafeez.