A listing has two jobs. First it has to be found, with the right words in the right places. Then it has to be trusted, clear enough that the buyer pays without a string of questions. This lesson covers both, for eBay, Vinted, Depop and Etsy.
How platform search works
Every marketplace search, run by the platform's algorithm, does two things: it finds listings that match what the buyer typed or filtered, then decides what order to show them in.
Matching uses two kinds of information:
- Your words: the title, the description, and tags or hashtags where the platform has them.
- Your fields: category, brand, size, colour, condition and material. On Depop, with a colour or condition filter on, your item only shows up when its listing details match. A blank or wrong field makes you invisible to those buyers.
Each platform tells sellers roughly how it orders results.
| Platform | Where your words go | What the platform says |
|---|---|---|
| eBay | Title, item specifics, category, description | Best Match weighs how closely you match, plus popularity, price, listing quality and completeness, terms such as your returns policy and handling time, and your seller record |
| Depop | Description, brand, category, colour and more | Relevance, popularity (views, likes, adds to bag), location, the buyer's habits, seller history and boosts. New listings get a slight edge, rule breakers rank lower |
| Etsy | Title, tags, category, attributes, description | Tags are matched to shoppers' searches, so use accurate, varied ones |
| Vinted | Title, description, brand, size, condition, colour, materials | Put specific details in the title: brand, colour, type, unique features |
Matching is the part you control completely, so start there. Popularity follows from sharp photos, fair prices and clear descriptions.
Reseller Pass
This lesson is part of the Reseller Pass
Part 1 is open to everyone. The other 7 parts of this lesson unlock with the Reseller Pass, along with the full school, every playbook and all 8 tools at full power.
In this lesson
- 8 parts: part 1 above, 7 more with the Pass
- 28 checked facts, each with its source and the date we checked it
- Tools: Listing title builder, Measurement card builder
The Reseller Pass includes
- The full Reseller School: 17 lessons in 5 levels
- All 6 platform playbooks
- All 8 tools at full power
- The Starter Pack printables
£19.99 One payment, 12 months of full access, UK only
Or £9.99 added to an order with stock from our shop. Discount codes don't apply to the Pass.
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No Pass needed for lesson 1, the glossary, and the fee comparer and box planner basics.