Search Results are whacky...

[feltplanet]

Anyone else notice that search results are completely different today? Normally,  terms I check on, every now and then, bring up pretty predictable results, with a few atypicals mixed in. Today, almost entirely new, never before seen, listings, are filling the first page. Even searching for a shop (not mine) by name, failed to bring it up at all.

[feltplanet]

Still messed up today. Searching for my product with my shop name and product type only brings up ONE of my listings. Almost ALL of the rest are unrelated, some are not even the right type of product.

[PrimFun]

@feltplanet   Shop name does not work in search.  Hasn't for a few years now.  The search engine looks at your shop name and shows felt items from every shop that sells.

[kelleystreetstudio]

I tried a search using just the word quilt, a basic item to search for on a handmade goods marketplace and the base component of my shop and not even the first page produced quilts, it was all over the place with non related items. I've tried the search several times over the past few days and it is always the same

[TailoringByDebra]

I don't know, but it seems like etsy is playing around with the categories/search. Our listings are flooded with rows of other shop's listings. A new vintage listing I posted yesterday- that does not have a clear category to place it in- I put into the closest available. So etsy is pestering me to change the category (to what, etsy, to what?) AND the rows of other shop's listings on this listing bears no relationship to this listing.  I also noticed most of those rows of listings are etsy ads listings. Pushing the ads? That would mess up search in favor of.

[SparkleandSparrow]

Yes! I noticed the same thing, I would search for things and completely unrelated items would come up, and shops with minimal orders would come up on page one and the more seasoned sellers, whose items are usually first, were on subsequent pages. It's been baffling me all day!

[ZoeElizabethUK]

@SparkleandSparrow  I noticed the same! After reading this post I did a search for ‘silk scarf pink’ and my listing was on the first page! I don’t think it’s ever been there before. I’m one of those shops with minimal sales so was never expecting it. Pleasantly surprised!

[feltplanet]

In a search for wool felt coasters….how are wool felt sheets more relevant than wool felt coasters? ETSY….?

[PrimFun]

I tried your search and only the first ad listing is for sheets.  The rest I am seeing are all coasters.  They say wool felt coasters and that is about 90 on the page with only 1 ad and 1 listing that are not coasters.

[feltplanet]

@PrimFun But there should not be any 'felt sheets' on the first page results for felt coasters, especially since there are many, many pages of felt coasters. Why return a result of felt sheets at all, never mind on page 1?

[feltplanet]

@PrimFun I am aware shop name hasn’t worked (as it should ) for years, but, the shop name coupled with an item should, and usually does, bring up some matching items. As of this AM it was none, now 1 ad and one organic, while other shops that have not typically surfaced, have multiple results on page one. Something has changed.

[ChillwolfArt]

@feltplanet  When I type feltplanet in the Search Bar, and select "Find Shop feltplanet", your Shop comes up.

[feltplanet]

@ChillwolfArt Yup…not the issue. Type feltplanet coasters and my coasters are usually among the results…yesterday…not there at all…today one ad and one listing that is not among the best sellers. Something is very different with search right now

[ChillwolfArt]

I've noticed when typing certain phrases and searching for my items (or when others search for them), sometimes they show up. The next time I check at random, they do not show at all. It's like a switch was flipped.

[feltplanet]

@ChillwolfArt For some of my stuff the results are very solid and regular…as are the other shops that are usually there, too. Now, other shops I am used to seeing are not there, at all. 

[LastCentury]

did you get a pop up from etsy asking about the quality of the search results? I can't remember the exact question but basically: "did you find what you were looking for?" along with a scale rating.

I got that this morning... something new to me.

[SugarTaffySoap]

@VaniArmstrong  I don't think you can use "healing" in your listings but you can double check their policy.

[SugarTaffySoap]

@feltplanet  I think you're referring to "diversified" search but not sure. There should be a recent article in the seller handbook. 

[feltplanet]

@SugarTaffySoap It is back to ‘normal’ now…I’ll look for diversified search.

[SugarTaffySoap]

@feltplanet  When I typed in feltplantet coasters four of your bestsellers showed up on top (before ads) and then more followed after ads.  Did you try looking for your coasters incognito? 

[feltplanet]

@SugarTaffySoap I did, didn’t change anything. But last evening things reverted back to normal. Thanks for looking and letting me know what you saw!

[LastCentury]

AI could also be edging out listings & their shop owners that go against their terms of use... ie; healing claims.