Keyword Spamming!

Stixbaraca · Mar 6, 2007

How can you trust a spammer? I was on EBay last night, and it came to my attention just how many sellers use this illegal, slap in the face, cut throat selling tactic. I can't remember what I typed into the search line...and I come to find the new species...Acanthastrea faviaformis live coral Micromussa!! I almost fell off my seat when I read about this new species discovery...and the fact that is was "Rare" was no surprise! I think I reported about 2 dozen auctions last night to try and cut down on dirty sellers practicing this tactic, and I suggest you all hop on board!

How can you trust a seller when he lies from you off the bat just to get you to his auction...

minibowmatt · Mar 6, 2007

kudos to you Stix. I agree, coral selling has become cut-throat these days. unfortunatly,there isnt much we can do about it.

Reefwifey · Mar 6, 2007

I don't see it as such a big deal....but maybe because I have the knowledge to know that once I get into the auction and I'm looking at zoas....I know they're not micros. I agree that since there is no coral section people use other methods of advertising. I also think that if that seller has another auction that is indeed a micro...he's just trying to get the most people in to see what he has to offer as a whole.

Technically we arn't supposed to be selling corals on Ebay....Ebay is going to catch onto that soon. Especially if we sit around looking for violators so we can go, 'Look! See! I found one! Burn them at the stake!' :hammer:

Azurel · Mar 6, 2007

I don't have a problem with it personally....I know it is against the rules of eBay but I don't think it really is a big of an issue, the problem comes if they have a picture of some coral that is not that coral being sold. But this word spamming stuff is nothing to me.....JMHO.....

They stil use live coral.....Type it in and see how many auctions you get....That's one of the main searches I use.....

Smarsh · Mar 6, 2007

Well it is a pain the **** when I do a search for Micromussa and end up with everything from brains to torches to mushrooms. I can't stand that. If I wanted to search for them I would have put those words in the search engine.

d.grcich · Mar 6, 2007

As much as everyone wants to change the world catch words to attract attention is world wide in everything we read, watch or listen to. It is also on every category on ebay. Look up harley and you see "not a gold wing" or something similar in the title. I sell on ebay and it does not bother me at all. I do not use that tactic myself. I allso do not put rare when I sell zoa's but to each their own. Got bigger things in my life to worry about I guess.

Stixbaraca · Mar 6, 2007

Obviously everyone is entitled to their opinion...that's the beauty of this board. The problem with this keyword spamming is as follows. The number one advantage (as I see it) of having the internet at your fingertips is to be able to search for a specific "thing"...and get funneled to that specific thing or topic you are looking for. Sure it may seem harmless to you guys because you know the difference between a micro and a lord...but it's not about knowing the difference. It's about drawling a line. The time will obviously come when you go onto WebMD, and do a search for something specific...only to be spammed with a million other topics. How about a search on Google for something like packing supplies...only to be directed towards some off the wall advertising scheme to get a hit on someone else’s page for some product or service that has nothing to do with your original search

The bottom line is wasted time and energy. If I want to search for apples, and I type "apples"...I want to rest assured that I won't have oranges pushed on me...or "NOT apples". I think it just goes to the foundation of why the internet was invented in the first place...to conveniently allow people to access information they wouldn't normally have at their fingertips. I currently have 4 auctions on EBay for Penn International fishing reels. I don't feel like I have to employ some "tactic" to get them there!

I am not trying to change the rules here...I am just trying to follow them, because this one rule will make all of your lives a little easier.

As far as "Got bigger things in my life to worry about"...spend a little time and think about how much of your daily lives are spent in front of a computer!
I know I am ranting, but like I said...and keep in mind...where do we drawl the line?

rdvab · Mar 6, 2007

Spamming words in keyword search is no different than putting "rare " in the description.IMO I have seen plenty of corals ,zoa's included ,that are seen regularly in LFS described as "rare".So....if you police the keyword spamming you would also have to police the accuracy of the description in general.
JMO Ron

Randy · Mar 6, 2007

rdvab said:
Spamming words in keyword search is no different than putting "rare " in the description.IMO I have seen plenty of corals ,zoa's included ,that are seen regularly in LFS described as "rare".So....if you police the keyword spamming you would also have to police the accuracy of the description in general.
JMO Ron

All this time I thought you could only sale rare items on ebay.:hammer:
Has any one did a rare search on ebay yet.

JnS · Mar 6, 2007

it's all marketing tatics IMO

organism · Mar 6, 2007

while I do agree on the keyword spamming being an issue, I do get lost on the general opposition to the word rare. I use the word rare a lot, 99.9% of the time for things that I don't see very often and are rare to me, but I very much doubt that rare is considered keyword spamming. let's face it, if putting the word rare on there might get an extra 5-10 on an auction for an item that is actually rare (ie, not cquariums lobophyllia/acan maxima), then I'm certainly going to do it. to anyone that opposes the use of the word rare, please tell me what you do for a living, and I'll find at least one thing that someone could find wrong with it, then I'll tell you to give away an hour of your pay because I don't agree with it, then you can see how ridiculous it sounds when you're hearing it.

also, it's all in good fun, I just can't not participate in a good rant thread, much love to all cz

that said, no, green button polyps are not rare, what the heck is wrong with some of these people...

Randy · Mar 6, 2007

Get em Stix here is some grandis.:D

http://cgi.ebay.com/Palythoa-Grandi...6QQihZ003QQcategoryZ46308QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

d.grcich · Mar 6, 2007

Stixbaraca said:
Obviously everyone is entitled to their opinion...that's the beauty of this board. As far as "Got bigger things in my life to worry about"...spend a little time and think about how much of your daily lives are spent in front of a computer!
I know I am ranting, but like I said...and keep in mind...where do we drawl the line?

Sorry stix--- I did not realize you were so pasionate about this man. There are billions of people starving. Natural reefs being ilegally stripped. A couple of my family members are ill with M.S. and fight pain everyday with no cure. So when I say "I have better things to do" key word is "I"---well ummmm--I DO. Please do not take me saying that as something personal. Everybody chooses their battles so if this is yours then you go! I did not mean to belittle your beef. Sorry, Hope were still amigos:mrgreen:

TyreeUM · Mar 6, 2007

yeah i think the whole keyword spamming thing is far from being a problem-like selling those ugly palys as grandis for one haha

Stixbaraca · Mar 6, 2007

All is still well mi amigo! If you are comfortable looking for micros and getting favias so be it...but I am not! When I order a 1/4 pounder with cheese...that's what I want!

Zeppelin · Mar 6, 2007

I agree Stix. Keyword spammingn is definitely becoming a bigger and bigger issue. I really dont think 99% of the corals should be described as 'rare' either though.

Stixbaraca · Mar 6, 2007

Coral you are obviously missing the boat here!!! It's not about selling coral or live animals...or following one policy over another! It's about search functions! It's about looking for one thing and finding another. It's about expecting red and getting green!

Zeppelin · Mar 6, 2007

I agree its 2 different things.

Keyword spamming is a marketing scheme to make your auction appear in searches where it shouldn't come up. Like going to an apple orchard looking for advertized red delicious apples, and the grower steering you to the green ones since thats really what they have for sale. Its conscious falsification.

The 'live animal' thing is a question because coral are classified as plants also. I think that is why ebay may allow the sale. Lets face it, if ebay wanted to say coral was not allowed, it could stop it easily. It allows it like it allows chaetomorph and other plants. That is obviously a decision ebay has made as seen in the large volume of coral for sale on their site.

d.grcich · Mar 6, 2007

Ebay allows some inverts allso. They pick and choose what is a go and what does not. Try a search for snails or hermit crabs. Tons and tons of them. I think it is great they allow coral. Why would it be bad? I have even seen chickens and doves although I do not know if those just slipped by. Some of my best corals came from ebay.

Check this out!!
http://cgi.ebay.com/6-PUMPKIN-THAI-...5QQihZ013QQcategoryZ46532QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

or
http://cgi.ebay.com/12-Extras-White...8QQihZ014QQcategoryZ46532QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

WHAT I AM REALLY AGAINST IS THEY ALLOW THE SALE OF IVORY PRODUCT!