David Hall on eBay key word spamming

Dog97

From the Q&A Board when asked about people putting "not PCGS" in their auction titles so your search hits it:

We of course strongly object to this practice. It's called "keyword spamming" and it is against eBay's policies. We are a member of eBay's "VERO" program and have the right to doscontinue auctions that abuse this practice. We periodically warn sellers about this practice, and we do not think it is widespread.

Wondo

<< <i>....we do not think it is widespread. >>



Can you say "Head in sand."

agentjim007

A search of e-bay US coins on 2/25/2004 @ approx 0845 CT. shows 96,668 coins. PCGS search shows 5797 coins and search not pcgs shows 6 coins. BIG DEAL.

Dog97

Actually it's only 3 Jim because 3 of them were 1943-D LINCOLN NOT 1943-P, 2001-S PCGS PR69 DCAM money back if not satisfied, and 1966 Kennedy PCGS MS66 not SMS

Wondo

<< <i>A search of e-bay US coins on 2/25/2004 @ approx 0845 CT. shows 96,668 coins. PCGS search shows 5797 coins and search not pcgs shows 6 coins. BIG DEAL. >>



Gee, my foot tases good! Yuuummmmmm!

sonofagunk

How about DH posting auctions that have pictures of coins that are just "similar" to the ones that they are selling? Isn;t that against ebay policy? I think we all know what a lincoln cent looks like. If you are selling one, does it make sense to post a picture of a different one?

RELLA

SOG,

I thought stock photos are allowed as long as they are noted as such. I've never used them though so I may not have the most accurate information.

RELLA

dorkkarl

i don't think it's a widespread problem either. plastic-only people might think it is, since that's obviously something they would look for.

ie. if someone collects "camel dung chips" & searches for the word "camel", he might discovers 1000's of auctions using the word "camel", such as "camel cigarettes", "camel hair", "camel toes", etc that don't have dung-chips for sale. doesn't mean the word "camel" is being spammed though

seems like way too many folks are getting all worked up over absolutely nothing, like the term "pcgs" is holy somehow, & must be used strictly in the context of plastic. IT'S JUST ANOTHER ACRONYM - GET OVER IT.

K S

AmericanSilverEagleCoins

Sometimes they can keyword spam by quoting "PCGS" price quides.

ealandg

Yeah. The one I see says Member - PCGS, NGC, ANA, blah blah blah. Snort!

braddick

I doubt those that keyword PCGS receive more bidders lately, because of it. They may get more hits, but the bidders find the practice disgusting and are probably more likely to avoid. At least that's been my experience as a bidder.

ANACONDA

What do ya'll think about this:

I've heard many people say, "if it's not PCGS, I'm not interested in it", and i use this as a cue to start searching for lint in my belly button as i'm knitting a sweater for my mother.

adrian

ealandg

That is downright silly. However, there are those of us who don't feel confident enough in our grading skills to take a risk with a pricier item. I really like draped bust and flowing hair anythings, but am fearful of fakes and hidden damage.

By the way, Anaconda, I LOVE some of your coins. Most of 'em are way out of my league, but you sure do have some beauties.

Russ

<< <i>plastic-only people might think it is >>



Anybody notice how, regardless of topic, Karl always manages to work in a slam on graded coins and those who collect them?

Russ, NCNE

ANACONDA

Yo, ealandg......my attempt at humor may have inadvertantly focused you attention on lint, however, my statement was actually apparently a lame effort at humor.....using the phrase "not PCGS" in a phrase which could be part of a sentence which could be a part of someone's terms which would then snag user's of the abbreviation "pcgs" in searching through the coin heading. Such as

"Some people have said 'If it's not PCGS it's not for me' and to some extent, my offerings should make them happy as I carry many coins graded by PCGs."

People searching only for PCGS coins would come upon all of my NGC offerings if I put this phrase into my terms.

This has probably been a little too inprecise and lengthy to really have any meaning to anyone, however, it has taken up at least 90 of my time which could have been spent harassing one of my female employees, so it has served a purpose.


Oh well.

WWW

Anybody notice how, regardless of topic, Karl always manages to work in a slam on graded coins and those who collect them?

Yes. And for someone that proclaims people are "getting all worked up over nothing" and "to get over it", there is a chord of hypocrisy to his rants.

Bear

Adrian, I always wanted a pair of socks made from belly button lint.

Whats the price delivered?

dorkkarl

<< <i>Anybody notice how, regardless of topic, Karl always manages to work in a slam on graded coins and those who collect them? >>

wasn't a slam, it was a simple observation. if i collect plastic, chances are excellent i do searches on "pcgs", so obviously every single item that even mentions "pcgs" just in passing pops up, so voila, i assume that there's a huge amount of spamming going on.

i don't pay the slightest attention to plastic, so i have never, ever, not once searched ebay for "pcgs", therefore, i haven't observed much evidence of spamming. have seen a few ads that weren't for coins cert'd by pcgs that did mention pcgs, but it's hardly a rampant epidemic that i can see.

sorry you think it's hypocritical to say so, but yes, it's much ado about nothing.

K S

Pushkin

Well I guess I'm guilty as sin. I've sold about 200 PGS (Pushkin Grading Service) Indian Head Cents on eBay, and I always post in big letters PGS IS NOT PCGS. I'll be darned if I'll intentionally allow PGS coins to have even a remote association with PCGS. I just hope all those people who are not posting a PCGS IS NOT PGS disclaimer in their PCGS auctions are aware of the evil they are partaking in by NOT spamming PGS.

Time to go practice some self-flagellation to amend for my sins - sure glad my name isn't McDonald!