Has ebay's new O scale categorys affected you??

Dave, I agree it is pretty awful. But like you I have saved money! Malcolm

I've been listing things for sale and initially noticed that the number of "saves" and "bids" were down, which ultimately effected final price. They have added some filters to make it a bit more like the old interface and it looks like people will be able to browse the areas they're interested in again. I'll be posting some lots this week and will give an update, though this is certainly the slow season for trains.

Tim

No problems here.  You just have to use more item specific words when searching.  It sure does simplify listing stuff though.

Chief Bob (Retired)

I would agree. It has affected my saved searches. especially Atlas, Weaver and brass Imports. A lot of Postwar, MPC, and other Lionel clutter up both searches.

The reason it has stopped me is.......

Say I want to see only Williams items. Just 'Williams' just does not return the volume of items it was......so now I also have to search  WBB  W b b  Bachman  Bachmann etc.

If others like the new category setting....they may benefit from some of us dropping out!!!  So......you're welcome!!

No, I haven't been on Ebay in months.

  No problems that I can see.   Before the change there were typically about 500,000 listing in model railroads category and I looked yesterday and there were 496,000.  The new listing screens have brand and model # info so as long as one searches the right name and type or product number they still find it.  In a way it's probably better as quite a few folks would list in the wrong brand category and never be seen if searching only that one brand. .....DaveB

It sucks. They fixed something that was not BROKEN.  They have done that many times.

Agreed.  The sorting system was easier to use before than it is now.

They definitely made it worse by fixing something that wasn't broke.

I do miss going through the 'brass' category. It was fun looking at the postwar brass stuff that would come up for sale.

Otherwise, I pretty much just search by specific words.  Generally, I do a daily search on: SGL, Sunset, 3rd Rail, Golden Gate, Reading, and B&O.

Jim

I agree with doc,,,,

Like some of you, I used to check on "Brass Imports" daily and some other categories a couple of times a week.  I tried twice with morning coffee to browse under the new system and I'm done.  I don't check it anymore.  I plan to look again after a couple of months and see if they've come to their senses.  If not, I have plenty of stuff already.

That's the other half of why I stopped....I have plenty!!

Ebay has changed their categories?

Art

I wonder if it has affected the auction prices, at least for the older brass stuff?  If less folks are looking, maybe bids have fallen and its a good time to buy stuff if you can find it?

Jim

"I wonder if it has affected the auction prices, at least for the older brass stuff?  If less folks are looking, maybe bids have fallen and its a good time to buy stuff if you can find it?"

   I don't think it's a problem, the sellers just need to learn to type brass somewhere in their description and check brass in their listing box and then  buyers can find it easily. The serious buyers are still out buying as always .......DaveB

Some of my saved searches go back 6-7 years. I have not seen any change in the results.

Maybe some of you have to be more specific in how you search for things.

Pete

That's part of the issue. Folks that are not sure what they have other than it's a train and the box says Williams or Atlas. In the old system they could get a Williams in the Williams category.

Sorts still work. I have an alert set up for an item with a very unique name....it works fine. The issue is when I want just Williams I can't just browse that category any longer and must rely on everyone putting 'Williams' in the title. 

Like I said....I'm kinda glad......saving cash.....

I don't like it.

It's a disaster. It's now very hard to search for certain items. I now have to "wade through" listings of no interest. The original setup worked fine. why fix something that wasn't broken in the first place.

Yes it stinks i stopped using it so much.

The nature of IT.......which is all ebay is....information. But software writers MUST make changes constantly to justify their jobs.  Write new code, test, implement, debug, test some more, install final version.......and repeat!!

Ditto.  Plus, there's no way to limit searches by condition, unless I'm missing something.  I used to love searching only for items that were C2-C4.

Yep, the new format is garbage.

   Bill T.

quote:

 But software writers MUST make changes constantly to justify their jobs.  Write new code, test, implement, debug, test some more, install final version.......and repeat!!

Don't you think it would be rather unusual for the programmers to spec the changes? It's my impression that programmers normally write code to meet the requirements that are written by someone else, who hopefully represents the customer. In the case of Ebay, the question is: "Who is the customer". They have already done away with the ability to do nice, tight searches. Some might say its because tight searches are bad for customers who might miss something they really want. Others might say its because they want to show buyers more things, even when those items don't really match the search criteria, because they might buy more. (Ebay is the customer)

quote:

 Plus, there's no way to limit searches by condition, unless I'm missing something.  I used to love searching only for items that were C2-C4.

They want you to look at all conditions, you might buy more.

Well, last I checked...60 seconds ago...there is another box you can check for your searches.  It's called "Include description", and the tiny little box is right under the blue box "Search".  I frequently check that to capture the search word/brand/whatever that might not be in the title, but pops up in the description.  It's always worked for me.  Just an extra step, no biggie.  So if 'Williams' isn't in the title, but it is in the description, then it will be included when you push de 'Soich' button, mon.

Change is hard to accommodate once we've settled into our routines.  But, as the ol' saying goes...that's life.  Frankly, at my age these sorts of changes ebay goes through I look at as challenges.  Once learned over again, they'll be as routine as before. 

But coping with a new version of Windows!?!?!?!?........

Take a deep breath.  Pour a glass of your favorite vino or brew.  Dial up your favorite music.  Fire up the trains.........      All better?

KD

Just the way I saw it after 35 years as a IT System Analyst......

Don't you think it would be rather unusual for the programmers to spec the changes?

For me, I never just search by category.

I always put in exactly what I am looking for... And if the seller has labeled it right, then ok....

And as we all know.... There will always be another one!

Ben

I don't like it.  All of my preset filters now return nothing so I had to delete them all.  Also, my profile used to display things similar to things I had set and now nothing. 

Rolland

I'm like NavyBen, I just type in what I'm looking for like Lionel Alaska or K-Line fence or Life-Like lamp posts and 99% of the time what I'm looking for is there. I've even found a few things because they were mislabeled like a Lionel NC&St. Louis boxcar that was in as a Santa Fe boxcar..

Jerry

Like most of the individuals who have responded to this post I also think the new system stinks.  Also, like others since they've changed I have not purchased one item.  I have been researching the new system and have found it requires more specificity on the buyer's part to locate an item.  It was much easier before.  Why in the world anyone felt that such an efficient system needed revamping is beyond me.  Stupid, very stupid.

Ditto!

I IMMEDIATELY told them somebody that didn't know diddly-squat about trains had fixed something that wasn't broke!. Don't just sit there staring at the screen...go into

eBay and ALL OF YOU tell them that, and tell them you can't buy/sell, sales are dropping and you are jumping ship.  I think AMC Dave is right about this being a

make-work exercise.

You know that at the bottom of the page, right above the page selection numbers, to the right, are the words "tell us what you think".  You are able to "tell them what you think" about the new setup.  If you don't like it tell them.  If enough people complain they may change it back.

Rick

" I just type in what I'm looking for like Lionel Alaska or K-Line fence or Life-Like lamp posts and 99% of the time what I'm looking for is there. I've even found a few things because they were mislabeled like a Lionel NC&St. Louis boxcar that was in as a Santa Fe boxcar.."

   That's one of the things the new system will fix, guys were listing stuff in the wrong categories a lot of the time so now they have to actually type in what the item is and if they do it right the buyers can find it easier. If one wants "williams trains" they only need to search for it under title and description and if the seller labeled it as such it will come up . No more wondering if the items you want might be listed in the wrong category. Like all changes people that can't figure the new system out will be the losers and those that can will move ahead.....DaveB

They did ruin it.

I'm not sure how it has affected searching though.

I typically would search direct with words:  MTH SD45, MTH FP45 etc, so I probably miss out on auctions where they list item by MTH item number instead of locomotive model.

I did that back in Fed when they warned sellers of the changes coming.

But in true IT tradition I got the 'Ve know vhat is best for you........'

Horrific. Repeatedly commented to them how bad it was for what it was worth. Going there less frequently now.