Ebay Australia Test Gear Categories Changed? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 19, 2016, 02:26:09 pm
content: Why have all the EbayAU test gear categories changed?Why is there nothing listed under Multimeters?Where are all the old categories like Oscilloscopes, FUnction Gens, Power Supplies etc?

author: pamphonica
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2016, 02:34:15 pm
content: ...and in the UK. Whole chunks of the testgear catalogue structure has changed. Some items I was listing have been re-allocated to other totally non-testgear categories.And some categories can no longer be accessed. If you look for the old "oscilloscopes" category, it has exactly zero items listed now. It used to have thousands.I phoned Ebay and they suggested I had changed my own category. Then said that they had just "added" some categories.I suspect a bit of a mess-up in the database department!

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 19, 2016, 02:44:45 pm
content: Yes it's all buggered up, I found out this morning whilst conducting my daily seek and spend session and had to delete all my existing search quick links and then create them again with the same criteria and it's still not right.Gumtree and Ebay, no better places if you enjoy dealing with dickheads.

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2016, 05:05:39 pm
content: Not surprising. eBay is riddled with bugs. Can't always tell if something is broken or was intentionally changed (i.e., a "feature").On the US site, I see stuff under multimeters, but the taxonomy is radically different. Overuse of the word "Test" in category names adds to the visual clutter, too.All > Business & Industrial > Electrical & Test Equipment > Test, Measurement & Inspection > Test Meters & Detectors > Electric Circuit & Multimeters > Multimeters

author: edpalmer42
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2016, 06:14:52 pm
content: I just checked ebay.com and the test equipment section is just too complicated for me.Oh, geez, it's even better than I thought! I got to this page from ebay's main page by clicking on the 'Test Equipment' link. They took me to the 'Industrial Test Equipment' page which is one level down from the main Test Equipment page. But if you follow the proper links, you can't get to this page!Ed

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 12:59:54 am
content: I listed the EEVblog BM235 meter in the Multimeter category, and there seems to be nothing else in that category?!http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/Test-Equipment/50960/i.html

author: TheSteve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 01:03:43 am
content: I received nothing but category errors yesterday which searching test equipment on my phone. They royally FUBAR'd something.

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 01:09:48 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on May 20, 2016, 12:59:54 amI see nothing at all on that page so probably silly Ebay meddling again, they should leave good enough alone in my view. I also couldn't find it listed and had to search for BM235 to get it up, some of the categories and search criteria functions are up the shit as well on their site, the listing is below but I would never buy anything from someone with zero history anyway, the seller could be dodgy for all we know.http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/EEVblog-Brymen-BM235-Multimeter-/222125712857

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 01:44:09 am
content: On the US site, there are 29000 listings in that category. Searching for "eevblog" yields no results, though, probably because it's listed as "posts to Australia".

author: edpalmer42
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 04:02:13 am
content: Quote from: bitseeker on May 20, 2016, 01:44:09 amYes, it seems like ebay is doing everything possible to reduce the load on their system. If a seller doesn't choose international shipping on the listing, the item doesn't exist on any other ebay site. I checked on ebay.com, .ca, .ie, .in, .co.uk, and .de, and eevblogstore has no items for sale. The only way to get to such an item is if you know the item number.Ed

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 04:16:37 am
content: Quote from: edpalmer42 on May 20, 2016, 04:02:13 amDamn, that sucks.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 04:22:06 am
content: The stupid thing here is that I created an Australia ebay account, I listed a multimeter in the multimeter category, and there are no other products at all in the category!I click on the Multimeters link above the product and there is nothing listed!It's like the entire category system is broken. It used to work just fine with all the different categories for scopes, specan's, PSU's etc.

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 04:32:11 am
content: The whole thing has gone to the dog house and not just your listing.

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 04:42:45 am
content: Their billing system has issues too. I've had to call on multiple occasions because the system didn't apply promotional rates on closing fees for items that qualified.The worst, though, is when they automatically end all your listings because an algorithm "accidentally" interprets one item as having some egregious issue. Then, you spend half an hour on the phone with someone as they repeatedly put you on hold to try to figure out what went wrong. When it's all sorted out, you have to relist everything.One good thing, though. I've always been able to reach a customer service rep in a timely fashion and they're pleasant to interact with. That does help with the frustration level.Alas, that is life on eBug.

author: Dataforensics
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 09:04:50 am
content: Really annoying, bench psu's now seem to be 'signal sources'Still it will probably save me money too if nothing comes up on my searches.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 09:48:25 am
content: Quote from: Muttley Snickers on May 20, 2016, 04:32:11 amYes, the whole thing is broken. I only noticed it because I tried to list my meter and all the categories had changed completely to how it's been for a decade now.WTF is the point having a category system if it doesn't work?It is some failed attempt to merge with the US ebay category system? (The US ebay has always had many more categories)

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 09:54:24 am
content: The stupid thing is the old categories are still there is you browse:and stuff shows up in meters:But if you click "Refine results", you get nothing!And if you click on the product it shows up in an entirely different category nested under many others!

author: GEuser
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 11:16:29 am
content: After seeing the EEVblog meter picture i just typed in ebay EEVblog and nothing came up , local or international .I sent ebay a email 6 months ago regarding these issues and also complaining about all those other included search results that had absolutely nothing to do with what i was searching for , its finally a real mess !@ Dave, is that a real price on the Bryman BM235 MM picture there? , reading in the threads i could have sworn i saw a 400+ so i had to ignore it all ...Edited> How about a Flash Analog one too!

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 11:51:41 am
content: EBay's IT protocols are nothing short of arrogant. They are only interested in maximising their bottom line and care nothing for the sellers in their pursuit of that objective. Buyers are only given concessions to make them feel comfortable in parting with their money.The journey on which they take you is one that is rarely enjoyable.Any thoughts on more specific reasons for any eBay actions belong in the realm of WTF.

author: amspire
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 12:26:48 pm
content: It is very sick.If I click on that multimeter link, I do get it and the seller is eevblogstore. Eevblogstore according to eBay is a member since 19th May 2016 with no feedback. Is that right?If I look at eevblogstores other items, I get absolutely nothing - not even the multimeter I was looking at a minute ago.There is a seller eevblog with your logo that has been there since 24-Mar-2012 with no items and no feedback in the last 12 months. There is only one past feedback April 4 2012 - "No problems".If I search the whole of eBay for EEvblog, I get two Siglent scopes because they mention a review on EEVblog. Nothing else.If I search for Bryman BM235, I get nothing.The first time I went to Industrial, there was the Electrical and Test Equipment.I go back again and I only get Electrical and there is a Test Equipment subcategory. Go to Test Equipment and it is empty.I go back again and Industrial>Electrical and Test Equipment is back again! When I click on it, I find myself in Industrial>Electrical>Industrial Electrical EquipmentIt looks like they are in the process of changing things and the results you get depend on which eBay server you connect to.I could go on. It is just really badly broken with lots of empty links. Lots of links with one name that take you a category with a different name. This has to be the result of a Committee set up to reorganise Industrial. I doubt a single person could mess it up this bad.Richard

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 12:28:18 pm
content: Quote from: GEuser on May 20, 2016, 11:16:29 amYes, currently cheaper on my website because I have to make up the fees ebay charge.But I figured some people like buying on ebay + the random people looking for Brymens.

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 05:19:13 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on May 20, 2016, 09:54:24 amThey've had for some time these fancy category landing pages. The supposed hierarchy presented there doesn't follow the actual taxonomy. Amazon, Best Buy, and others do similar things for landing pages.

author: GEuser
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 07:04:33 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on May 20, 2016, 12:28:18 pmOk , i must be thicker than i thought , i just spent nearly 2 hours looking about the forum for what you have mentioned then re-noticed the "my website" comment , and also looking through the forum there's a person looking for the user manual for the BM235 , anyway , it's on the Dave's website!I'm going to partake in the BM235 but don't put the price upin about4-6 weeks ok , thanks ....

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 10:58:25 pm
content: There are a whole lot of people out there who have no knowledge of the categories we find self-explanatory.It's not just eBay---it's everywhere!Some years back,I signed up with "Skilled Engineering".To non-Oz folks,this is a labour hire group who supply trades people to Employers who don't need to have full time staff.They had no category for Electronics Technicians,so I went on the books as an "Instrument Technician".It seems strange that a job category which had been around in various forms for about a century was completely beyond the ken of a so-called "Engineering " Employer.A bit later,I investigated the requirements for setting up a small home based Electronics repair business.The local Council had never heard of "Electronics"-----the only thing close was "Computer Repair"!

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 11:43:20 pm
content: Brilliant!

author: amspire
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2016, 12:16:33 am
content: A search for Brymen now shows the EEvblog multimeter, and the multimeter now shows up as an item for sale for eevblogstore. Things have improved since last night.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 21, 2016, 01:45:19 am
content: Quote from: vk6zgo on May 20, 2016, 10:58:25 pm

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 21, 2016, 01:46:28 am
content: Quote from: amspire on May 21, 2016, 12:16:33 amDoesn't show up at all on search for me.

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 21, 2016, 02:04:56 am
content: Seems to be working better than it was although it does not show up it in the list of found items if I use the term "multimeter" for the search and neither do a few others regardless of nominated location, history and cache were cleared prior to any search so it was fresh each time, more or less.Some other categories are still up the creek just waiting for a flood of complaints.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 21, 2016, 03:49:37 am
content: Seems the re-indexing after the changes has caught up. Did a search on the eBay home page for BM235 - and Dave's meter came up top of the list, first go.The categories are still stuffed - and the breadcrumbs (based on my check of the BM235 listing) are useless.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 21, 2016, 05:08:35 am
content: Quote from: Brumby on May 21, 2016, 03:49:37 amYep, showing up for me now on search.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2016, 12:54:27 pm
content: ebay Germany changed all categories now too.It was kind of perfect before.You really have to ask, what are these people thinking who change a good working system to a horrible system.It does not serve the buyer and not the seller either.How will it serve ebay?

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2016, 07:14:49 am
content: Quote from: HighVoltage on June 03, 2016, 12:54:27 pmYou and everyone else in this thread fail to even consider the real world 'who benefits' filter. You imagine ebay's objectives are the simplistic 'help people sell and buy stuff, internationally, while also making a profit.'If that was their real objective, none of ebay's changes in the last decade would have occurred. They wouldn't have:* Made it nearly impossible for buyers and sellers to contact each other by email.* Destroyed the ratings system, by ignoring seller input.* Wrecked the automatic searches system, by connecting it to that grotesque 'follow' stupidity and the bandwidth wasting front page pics dump.* Attempt to enforce 'foreknown postage cost', when it's often impossible.* Bought Paypal and attempted to enforce paypal as a sole means of payment. (Failed, now split.)* Bought bid sniping companies and turned them into useless junk.* Tried to create a totally human-free system for categorizing and solving disputes. (completely useless.)* Given every impression of wanting to obsolete the 'ebay item number' by fading it into obscurity.And they'd have a sensible categories system, adopting user suggestions and adapting to popular demand and posting volume.Ebay is owned by founder Pierre Omidyar, still the largest stakeholder. Wealthy enough that he doesn't give a f*** about ebay's users. Ebay could cease to exist tomorrow and he'd be laughing. More likely he and his mates have discussions about how terrible it is that the proletariat scum are allowed to buy and sell items internationally, with almost no control by authorities.It's been my opinion for years that ebay is doing all it can to make itself unworkable, deliberately. Because the Elites consider creating it originally was another huge mistake, like the Internet and personal computers in general.But they can't just turn any of these off in one go, as that would be too obviously hostile. Even people like you naive lot in this thread might start to question their motives. Also, ebay could be quickly replaced by something better. Instead they are following a path of 'believable degradation', keeping ebay in place as a block to any potential replacement, while still ultimately reaching the end result of eliminating the free and open international market that ebay still provides.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2016, 07:26:00 am
content: You have some very valid points there, I never looked at it from that side.Thanks for your enlightenment, this makes perfect sense.

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2016, 12:02:34 am
content: TerraHertz, most boring conspiracy theory ever.However, eBay US now has an "Electrical and Test Equipments" category, revealing that eBay is part of the War on Grammar.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 05, 2016, 02:45:56 am
content: Quote from: edavid on June 05, 2016, 12:02:34 amHis change points are spot-on though. It was all done very deliberately.It was leaked quite a few years back that ebay had zero regard for either buyers or sellers and wanted to turn it in to retail store front or some such. They have been trying to drive out 2nd hand sales for a long time now and are succeeding. This is why Ebay Ausatralia bought Gumtree. Gumtree is now the defacto standard place to sell 2nd hand stuff in Australia.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2016, 08:37:30 am
content: In Germany we have almost no real alternatives to ebayIn the Nethertlands they at least have the Marktplazahttp://www.marktplaza.nl/Once in a while you find good deals on test and measurement instruments there.After thinking a little more about what "TerraHertz" was saying, I think he is right on.

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2016, 10:35:48 pm
content: TerraHertz, good list of snafus. Also add the recent version of their Android app that was dumbed down, stripped of useful functionality, and covered over with big pictures. It upset lots of people. Fortunately, I caught the comments before falling into the trap of updating.Quote from: wilfred on June 05, 2016, 09:29:14 amWhy announce an end when you can still make money from it whether or not you do anything useful with it? Maybe it's a behavioral psychology experiment.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 06, 2016, 01:36:59 am
content: Quote from: wilfred on June 05, 2016, 09:29:14 amBecause that's a huge change and will make bad headlines everywhere. Easier just to piss everyone off over time so they leave naturally.

author: Monittosan
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 07, 2016, 01:16:05 pm
content: Where are people selling their test equipment these days? Because ebay's not looking so good anymore

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 07, 2016, 02:19:52 pm
content: Gumtree sucks because nobody is willing or game to post stuff interstate without some type of protection or assurance, although I did find one good fellow that was happy to send down a 289 without any fuss at all, I've found some others that can be just outright morons who don't deserve my money anyway and fail to recognise that the risk goes both ways and more so for the buyer.

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 07, 2016, 07:08:25 pm
content: Quote from: Monittosan on June 07, 2016, 01:16:05 pmTherein lies the problem. eBay still has a huge marketplace. So, looking good or not, it's the place to sell stuff. Of course, you don't have to sell exclusively on eBay, but unless you absolutely can't get anyone to buy stuff there, it doesn't make sense to avoid it.