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Search and Browse policies refer to listing practices that result in a poor or "cluttered" finding experience for buyers, which creates an unlevel playing field for sellers within the marketplace.
An example of search manipulation is keyword spamming. Keyword spamming happens when members put brand names or other inappropriate keywords in a title or description for the purpose of gaining attention or driving members to a listing. The words sellers put in their listings must be directly related to the item being sold.
An example of browse manipulation is miscategorisation. Miscategorisation happens when sellers intentionally list in incorrect categories so that buyers see unrelated listings when browsing in popular categories.
Breaches of these policies may result in a range of actions, including:
- Listing cancellation
- Forfeit of eBay fees on cancelled listings
- Limits on account privileges
- Loss of PowerSeller status
- Account suspension
Search and browse manipulation results in a poor shopping (finding) experience for buyers because it returns listings that the buyer doesn't want. Search and Browse manipulation also makes the playing field uneven for sellers who don't breach these policies and can receive fewer potential buyers. |
