eBay actually has a pretty interesting search engine, but it's not boolean like most others.

Its general rules are that (except for delimiters like I get to below), if you throw a bunch of words in the search area, its default hash for the search words is "all"  -- i.e., it won't pull up listings unless they have "all" the words in the subject.

The problem of course, and we've all seen it, is that you go looking for something, but you have trouble keeping all the crap auctions out of your search.   A good example is if you're looking for a part for an SKS rifle.

Unfortunately "SKS" seems to be the abbreviation hobbiests use for "socks" of yarn, so you get this retarded listing consisting mostly of yarn auctions, with a set of parts or two in between.

So, what you've got to learn is to put mandatory, but alternative terms in a +() and exclusionary terms in a -()  which is how eBay handles that.

For example:  In the early 1980s, the Coleco games company manufactured these nifty table top games in little mini arcade cabinets.   Unfortunately for the ebay searcher, Coleco also manufactured cabbabe patch dolls, they made the "Colecovision" game system, and they sold air hockey and footballs systems, and assorted other crap.  

If you just search for "Coleco" you'll be scrolling through page after page to find what you want among hundres of items you're not even remotely interested in.  What a waste.  Time is money, baby.

And, If you try to narrow the search to, for example, "Coleco Game" you'll  have two problems.  First, you will still get a lot of crap you're not looking for, including air hockey, the colecovision stuff, etc.    But you will also MISS auctions in which someone described the item as "Coleco handheld Pacman" without using the word game.  DOH!  

So, to do it right, you would use something like this:

coleco +(table, handheld, hand, frogger, galaxian, pacman, zaxxon, donkey) -(controllers,colecovision, patch, cartridge, air,hockey,football)

The first word:  "coleco" is mandatory.   Every listing must have it.

In addition, the parethesis with a "+" in front tells ebay at least one of the terms in paren must ALSO appear in the title of the auction.   Note that these terms are comma separated.   Also, if you want to use a two word phrase, i.e., "donkey kong" then you need to put it in quotes.

Finally, the things in the parenthesis with a "-" in front are things you want to exclude.  You're telling ebay that even if your other rules are met, NO LISTING that has any of the terms in the "minus" brackets should come up.

In my example, you see that I search for Coleco.   Then I use a bunch of terms, including specific games I knew they made in the "table top" versions, to focus on what I'm looking for.   Finally, I get rid of came controllers, cartridges, cabbage patch dolls, air hockey, etc.)

Here's the result of that search:  LINK

This has been your friendly eBay search tip of the day.

(And yes, I've got a whole set of those old Coleco games from when I was a kid.  They still work!)

tag

How do I find AR barrels disguised as broom handles?

Quoted: How do I find AR barrels disguised as broom handles?

barrel +("5.56",223) -(contender,center,70,winchester,bolt, 700, mauser)

That might work, but I think eBay catches Black Rifle auctions and throws them out.

Nice info!

BigDozer66

I have learned to NEVER use the term "AR" or "AR 15" unless you want your auction cancelled and a nasty email sent to you...

Use words like "Airsoft" but NOT "AR"...politically correct fuque-heads.

tag

Definately a good tip! Thanks!

Quoted: So, to do it right, you would use something like this: sheep +(shaved,young,nubile,inflatable,tight,easy,fishnet,heels) -(old,sticky,skanko,loose,very-loose,holland-tunnel,) The first word:  "sheep" is mandatory.   Every listing must have it.

TAG

Quoted: Quoted: So, to do it right, you would use something like this: sheep +(shaved,young,nubile,inflatable,tight,easy,fishnet,heels) -(old,sticky,skanko,loose,very-loose,holland-tunnel,) The first word:  "sheep" is mandatory.   Every listing must have it.

No, no, no.

Please keep your own Craig's List "favorite search" phrases to yourself, Umkay!

Airsoft replacement barrels up for auction.
Shoots special order 5.56mm BBs!

This would be great advice if I wanted to give money to those nazis...

Gee. You're much smarter here then when you appeared on the Muppet Show.

Seriously, thanks for the tip.

e +(Bay)  [enter]

"No items found"

You are awesome.

We need to start putting arfcom in auction paragraphs, as a code...

Cool ... <off to EBay to find a Lightning Link or DIAS>

woman +(obedient,stacked,slim,cook,windows,vacuum,hummers) -(chunky,nag,headache,spendthrift,mother-in-law)

60 items found for woman +(obedient,stacked,slim,cook,windows,vacuum,hummers) -(chunky,nag,headache,spendthrift,mother-in-law)

cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7738032161

cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4602963508

cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7211224979

cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5462460703

Quoted: Quoted: How do I find AR barrels disguised as broom handles? barrel +("5.56",223) -(contender,center,70,winchester,bolt, 700, mauser) That might work, but I think eBay catches Black Rifle auctions and throws them out.

Given that, why is it that we should patronize E-bay?

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: How do I find AR barrels disguised as broom handles? barrel +("5.56",223) -(contender,center,70,winchester,bolt, 700, mauser) That might work, but I think eBay catches Black Rifle auctions and throws them out. Given that, why is it that we should patronize E-bay?

You don't have to if you don't want to.

eBay has a lot of stuff that is hard to find.  

They don't have to sell things they don't want to sell, just like I get to pick the kind of law I want to practice and no customer has the right to show up in my law office and "tell" me that I should represent the Brady Center in a suit against the NRA.   My business, my services, my choice.

If I make business choices that piss off enough people that I go out of business, then that's my problem.   If military pattern semi-auto enthusiasts represented a large enough market segment, then eBay would either reconsider or make one of their competitors rich by their decision.  But it is their decision.   Again, you don't have to do business with them.   But you don't get to tell them their business, either.

There are plenty of services that do sell black rifles and their parts at auction, and those sites are doing just fine meeting my needs.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: How do I find AR barrels disguised as broom handles? barrel +("5.56",223) -(contender,center,70,winchester,bolt, 700, mauser) That might work, but I think eBay catches Black Rifle auctions and throws them out. Given that, why is it that we should patronize E-bay?

For items that can be sold or bought nowhere else...

Cool-so I can add an extender -(not)!  Keyword  spammers need to burn in hell!!!

Quoted: Cool-so I can add an extender -(not)!  Keyword  spammers need to burn in hell!!!

Yup, I use the -(not) thing to get rid of those fucking ads all the time.

tag.

Quoted: woman +(obedient,stacked,slim,cook,windows,vacuum,hummers) -(chunky,nag,headache,spendthrift,mother-in-law) 60 items found for woman +(obedient,stacked,slim,cook,windows,vacuum,hummers) -(chunky,nag,headache,spendthrift,mother-in-law) cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7738032161 cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4602963508 cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7211224979 cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5462460703

That's some funny shiznit, right there.

Bump