If your favorite store is harder to find than it was last week, you might be surprised to learn that ebay suddenly bowed to the complaints of those listing in the auction and fixed price formats that promoting the stores was making their items harder to find. Items in stores are no longer being produced in response to your inquiries, except in cases where there are not enough auction and fixed price listings to fill a page.

How can shopping at ebay stores save you money? First, stores develop marketing strategies for the long run, and count on return business and feedback to drive people to shop with them. Auctions and fixed price listings are transient; once they're over, the seller may never list anything again; there is not an established commitment in most cases to a stable inventory or identity. Second, in stores, the item price is fixed and the item is available right away for shipment. Price is usually set by recent sales in the auction format, by marking it down a bit. Stores have factored in the cost of shipping so it costs you less. In auctions, the price is dependant on unpredictable input from newbies, and other nebulous factors; and you usually have to wait a week to know whether you've won, and then for shipping. It is possible to put in a week of watching, only to have a slam bidder snatch the item in the last 30 seconds. And fixed price sellers have a higher listing fee, and therefore need to set their prices higher to compensate for it.

Stores are fixed, and you can visit and explore all the inventory, make multiple choices at the same location, often combine shipping, and return again if your experience was satisfactory. It is worth a little extra effort during this time when ebay is retooling the store promotion policy for you to save money, and have a fast and pleasant buying experience.