Ranking factors on eBay with the Cassini research

For the eBay sellers, one of the biggest worry is to have a good ranking: it is obvious that everyone wants to stand within the first, maximum second, page of the long list of products.

Until a short while ago, the outcomes of the research were influenced by the keywords in listings’ titles. The sellers had to “wedge” literally as much words as possible within the limits of characters imposed by eBay. Since when Best Match was launched, that system is not enough.

eBay chose to integrate Cassini search engine in 2013, based on different principles. It takes into account the preference of the buyers, the market’s trends and others like price and listing’s details.   

This new way to search was chosen to beat also the other leader platform in online selling: Amazon. It was Amazon that, for the first time, understood that the users are no more patient and that the research results had to be improved by moving the keywords to the background and by preferring descriptive criteria.

eBay had also a lot of data about the sellers’ and buyers’ opinions that now, with this new system, can be used.   

With Cassini, many factors that were not taken into account before, now become priority for the visibility on eBay:

• Cassini prefers and takes you into another level on Best Match if you have free shipping;
• If Cassini hold to be true that the description is not “original” but reemployed, it pushes the listing at the bottom of the research;
• It prefers those who produce traffic into the platform (and the best way to go along with its wishes is to do operations, always);
• It compares the number of visits with the number of sale for a listing, for this reason the concept of high visibility is not so important if some of the views does not lead to a transaction;
• It prefers to have the advertising announces in the right category;

Here you have also the penalties for eBay sellers:  

• Cassini finds unuseful to use a big number of keywords. On the contrary, it considers the use of keywords dangerous: if you add a keyword, maybe not so suitable for the item you are selling, but the listing is going to receive views and no transactions you will finish at the bottom of the chart!
• It is better not to add items in other categories just because these categories are considered to be “trends”: pay attention, you could be pushed at the bottom;
• Pay more attention to the descriptions, write details and have a special consideration for layout: you will be in advantage compared to other sellers that do not even use the blank spaces in their listings;
• Pay attention to orthographic and grammar errors, also spend some time to have good and clear photos of your products.

• With negative feedbacks, Cassini will decrease the ranking of your items: you will be rewarded for your stars.

Cassini operates to improve not only selling techniques, but also buying techniques.  

There are four principles used to protect the buyer: relevance - the items required must be found quite rapidly, value - the buyers should find items that have, in general, a good value, trust - the buyers must find listings they can trust in, cheaper items - not so much effort must be needed to end a transaction.   

Too much pieces of information at the same time, isn’t it? The only thing you should keep in mind is that eBay is still improving itself, but if you are going to follow its rules and principles you are going to have no problems!