Ebay Calculator

eBay’s Best Match – An Explanation

From March 2008 eBay changed. A new feature was introduced which actually gave eBay a similar stature to Google. Let me explain …

Do you know how Google decides on the sequence of its search returns? I certainly don’t. Why does Google place website x in position 1, and website y in position 2, and so on? The truth is nobody is quite sure. And those in the know won’t tell you. You see, it’s hush hush. Like the recipe for Coca Cola, or Kentucky Fried Chicken, we know there must be one, but nobody will tell you what it is.

Now, with Best Match, eBay has it’s own magic formula. eBay describes it like this, “Best Match is a sort feature that organizes search results to help buyers find what they are looking for more quickly.” That seems extremely laudable.

However, in bullish marketing circles, eBay now possesses what every MBA besotted organisation on the internet craves for – eBay has an ALGORITHM. Just like Google. eBay’s ALGORITHM produces the list of auctions in Best Match sequence in response to words keyed into eBay’s search box by an eBay searcher.

So, the sixty four thousand dollar question is, how does eBay’s Best Match work? How exactly does it determine in what position auction x and auction y will appear in search return lists? Is there a decent explanation of eBay’s Best Match anywhere?

According to eBay, “each listing’s Best Match score is calculated using a number of factors and is tailored to each buying situation. Along with the listing keywords and other information, one of most important calculation elements is the historical buyer behavior on eBay for similar searches. Recent improvements to Best Match include seller performance factors that will give an advantage to sellers with DSRs 4.6 and above.”

Did you follow that? You’d better – there’ll be questions later! Oh, and eBay helpfully points out that more than half of sellers today have DSR 4.6 and above. I hope you have, because it sounds like it might affect where your auction comes in those all important search return lists.

I just wished I knew what DSR meant! Alright, I’m kidding. I know what it means…

DSR means Dumb Seller Rating!

No – DSR means Dollar Stealing Routine!

No, I’m sorry. I know it’s not those.

DSR stands for Detailed Seller Rating

And, I’m afraid Detailed Seller Ratings has to be the subject of someone else’s article. I don’t have the room or the time to cover it along with Best Match. So, again, what exactly are the factors In Ebay‘s Best Match ALGORITHM?

Well, we know the ALGORITHM includes matters like the listing’s keywords, historical buyer behavior on eBay for similar searches, overall DSR, time left, price, sellers with more than 5% of dissatisfied buyers, sellers with very low Shipping & Handling Charge DSR over the last 30 days, to name a few factors.

Anything else?

Probably. But as one ex eBay executive puts it, “eBay will optimize Best Match on a very localized way. Best Match will be different across different queries, different categories, different countries – even potentially different buyers! It will depend on both long term and short term trends and behaviors. If done correctly, Best Match should always be optimizing itself to show the items that the buyer is most likely to buy.”

And there you have it. eBay’s ALGORITHM in all its glory. It’s going to metamorphose over time.

Incidentally, did you realize that ALGORITHM is an anagram of “oral might”. Judging by the statements eBay’s coming out with to describe Best Match, I guess we won’t be arguing on that point!

Anyway, just like Google’s ALGORITHM, we only know the half of it.

The problem is…which half?

About the Author

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