Are tags no longer being used in search?

[#1]

I searched for one of my items using three words that are in the title and one word that is in tags only. My item was not there. There are only 114 results (3 pages) so I didn't miss seeing it. I checked a few times, including incognito on a different browser.

[GroundZeroCreations]

@MoonstruckCottage I did a search "vintage rag dolls for fall" and yours was on the first page in the 4th spot

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1528923490/vintage-primitive-rag-doll-by-theresa?click_key=4526988596f5...

[MoonstruckCottage]

@GroundZeroCreations Thank you! Was that under Vintage?

[GroundZeroCreations]

@MoonstruckCottage 

"Showing rag dolls for fall in vintage. Search instead for vintage rag dolls for fall in all items."

[MoonstruckCottage]

@GroundZeroCreations  So you saw it in your first search under Vintage? Or did you have to click on the All Items link to see it?

[GroundZeroCreations]

@MoonstruckCottage 

When I entered my search string for "vintage rag dolls for fall" and the results page pulled up, this is how it showed:

• Estimated Arrival Any time

All Filters

146 results,with adsLearn more

Sort by: Most relevant

Vintage

Showing rag dolls for fall in vintage. Search instead for vintage rag dolls for fall in all items.

I ran it again today and your listing still showed on the first page but had dropped to the number 5 position. But that is likely because the first position had been taken up by someone running an ad.

Here is the link to the search

https://www.etsy.com/search/vintage?ref=tab_search&q=rag+dolls+for+fall&vintage_rewrite=vintage+rag+...

UPDATE: I clicked the link I posted above and when it pulled up the search page the doll had dropped to the first page, 19th position.

[MoonstruckCottage]

@GroundZeroCreations  Okay, so you do see her in Vintage. I still don't. I only see her when I click on the "all items" link. I knew that not everyone sees the same search results, but I thought that if an item was listed as Vintage, it would at least always show up under the Vintage filter. Hopefully this is not a widespread issue/glitch. Thanks so much for checking!

[MoonstruckCottage]

You know, I'm not all that concerned about this doll in particular. I'm just wondering if this is happening with all (or many) vintage items. Vintage items that are listed under Vintage should show up in an initial search under Vintage. Buyers aren't going to go further than that. I wouldn't. I wouldn't think that there would be any need to go any further. It makes zero sense to have to click on the All Items link to find a vintage item that is listed under vintage. If this is the way it works, then what's the purpose of even having a vintage filter in search?

[SeasideRoseCreations]

Buyers aren't going to jump through all these hoops searching.

Another hair brained idea.

[asundrynotion]

Or trying to figure out why they cannot complete checkout, i.e. pay, for their purchases. No problems buying on eBay, ever.

[DragonflyDreams1]

I do not think it is happening to only vintage. A little while back, 2 weeks but perhaps a little longer, search shifted for my items as well. My incognito searches had remained fairly consistent. Then I noticed only one item from each stop would show for any search (first page). Then I noticed if an ad was present for the shop, no additional item for that shop with the ad would appear organically (first page). It happened at the same time some of my old listings started to sell, and best sellers stopped selling. Search has had a dramatic shift. I have seen people state that the announcements that Etsy made had been in place for a long time (picture quality, etc) and were not affecting search. That may be true, but something changed.

[MoonstruckCottage]

Interesting. They must be "experimenting."