I currently have a number of Great Britain booklets listed using SG booklet numbers. Let's take one for an example it is Great Britain SG PM3. I have the catalogue number listed with a space as SG PM3. Try a search and it comes up with nothing for me.
If I type Tonga SG in the search field at the top of the main page, there are 15 results. None of my 232 listings show. That is, the discussion regarding the space is directed toward this type of search, not specific catalogue numbers.
This is a very worthwhile discussion. This is the key in my mind to having a system that really works for stamp collectors worldwide. Thanks Mark for looking into it with such an open mind.
Thanks. That makes sense, since that would just be a keyword search, and you would see the same thing if you searched for Tonga Sc or Tonga Scott.
If you search for an specific Country and Catalog Number, then all of your items will be returned correctly - with or without a space. For example, if a buyer searched for "Tonga SGO7" or "Tonga SG O7" or "Tonga SG#O7" they will see you matching item.
I get what your saying now. If you type in Tonga SG?,or SG??,SG??? and SG???? that will show your items. (It depends on how many numbers and letters you have after the SG as to how many come back in the search. (4 questions marks shows the items that have like SGO137 etc)
Peter - Thanks for your example. If you're listing an item manually (unlike being imported from ebay or bidStart), then if you put a space or not in the "Catalog Number" field - that would make a difference. Unlike in the title, since we will extract it and format it accordingly. Within the field itself we do have a set format, which is intended to be explained, since below the field on the Sell form we put the following note:
"With the exception of Scott Catalog Numbers, please prefix by Catalog abbreviation, ie: SG45, Mi710, YT15, etc."
However, that doesn't explicitly state you shouldn't add a space between the Catalog abbreviation and Catalog Number - it just shows an example. I'll make a note to review this further to avoid any confusion.
Curious if range searches work here. I did a test of Belgium 1-50. All the #1 were there (as were the 1 F coins). But nothing else. To make sure I tested Belgium 10 Yes, plenty of stamps Belgium 10 present. Is the syntax for range searches different, or is it not yet activated?
Ralph - We actually had a similar question earlier today elsewhere. Range searches are not currently operational, but they are scheduled to be within the next ~two weeks.
Mark: great to hear that. I think the confusion to buyers like me is coming from the distinct searches, for keywords, and for year of for cat numbers. It does not differentiate them, so one assumes they are the same. The instinctive buyer's search is to put what he is looking for in the search line at the top.
If one finds the year, or the cat number fields to search specifically on these fields, things may be easier....so you may want to direct buyers to them if that is the intent of their search, certainly at first, until they get the hang of the new system. This is looking very encouraging.
(Should this thread be split? The original topic has morphed into one about listing and search terms.)
I try to accommodate international buyers by including SG and/or Mi catalog numbers, when I know them, in my title. But the search engine is looking only at the catalog number field. So are my efforts all for naught?
I was playing around with one of my listings, editing the title to see what works and what doesn't. This is what I found:
I have a listing: Albania C58 Used - Michel 493 - 1950
When entering the search term "Albania 493," 0 results are returned (naturally, because the catalog field says C58).
Using the search term "Albania Michel 493" or "Mi 493" (with the title edited to Mi 493), returns 0 results (because the search engine is looking in the catalog # field, which is already filled with the Scott #, C58).
Entering the search term "Albania Michel" does return all my listings with Michel #s in the title. But, any customers searching by Michel numbers will not necessarily know about this search limitation, and I am going to miss out on possible sales because of this. The only listings they will find are those by dealers who put the Mi# in the catalog # field.
Been thinking about this and you mentioned that you have about 4,000 listings right now. I certainly don't know everything,sometimes I do verbalize what seems to make sense to my mind. That being said I am not sure that you are aware of the fact that right at the moment I have almost 70,000 listings up at the moment on Hipstamp,so I think I can say on some of the issues I do have some experience on using the sites. And I think I may just have some things to bring to the table and see things a bit differently.
Yes - as Rod noted we do not currently support multiple Catalog Numbers per listing at the moment (which includes if you enter multiple Catalog Numbers which are actually the same representation of the same stamp in two difference Catalogs), but both with regards to ranges and cross-catalog numbers we do plan to address each.
One important point of clarification - when you search for a Country and Catalog Number in the search bar - we do not search the title of the listing for the Country and Catalog Number. We only search the Country field and the Catalog Number field, which is why in part it's important for us to extract this information from the title of imported listings, and why you won't see random other numbers, such as Catalog Values, number of lots, etc. in results when searching by Country and Catalog Number.
Question for you,I am not if this has been asked When the time comes is it possible to set up a tutorial for the sellers on how to optimize the listings for the searches,and also one for the buyers to be able to optimize the search functions? I think long term that would help both the buyers and sellers to locate and set up what the buyers are looking for.
Mark - I'm obviously doing something wrong. I have started to go back and edit my listings by eliminating the space between the catalogue name and number in the catalogue number field, but I still get 0 search results. For example for Canada postal cards having a Unitrade UX number I have changed the catalogue number to UnUX but I get 0 if I search for Canada UnUX, Canada Un UX, or Canada UNUX. Why? Does the search work on the country and catalogue number fields or the title? I want to get one listing right before I go and change the rest.
Note that if you update an existing listing, it will take a few minutes before those changes are reflected in the search engine. So you wouldn't be able to update a listing and immediately search for it based on those updates.
Comments
If I type Tonga SG in the search field at the top of the main page, there are 15 results. None of my 232 listings show. That is, the discussion regarding the space is directed toward this type of search, not specific catalogue numbers.
(Michael, is that example good enough?).
If you search for an specific Country and Catalog Number, then all of your items will be returned correctly - with or without a space. For example, if a buyer searched for "Tonga SGO7" or "Tonga SG O7" or "Tonga SG#O7" they will see you matching item.
I get what your saying now. If you type in Tonga SG?,or SG??,SG??? and SG???? that will show your items. (It depends on how many numbers and letters you have after the SG as to how many come back in the search. (4 questions marks shows the items that have like SGO137 etc)
"With the exception of Scott Catalog Numbers, please prefix by Catalog abbreviation, ie: SG45, Mi710, YT15, etc."
However, that doesn't explicitly state you shouldn't add a space between the Catalog abbreviation and Catalog Number - it just shows an example. I'll make a note to review this further to avoid any confusion.
I think the confusion to buyers like me is coming from the distinct searches, for keywords, and for year of for cat numbers. It does not differentiate them, so one assumes they are the same.
The instinctive buyer's search is to put what he is looking for in the search line at the top.
If one finds the year, or the cat number fields to search specifically on these fields, things may be easier....so you may want to direct buyers to them if that is the intent of their search, certainly at first, until they get the hang of the new system. This is looking very encouraging.
I try to accommodate international buyers by including SG and/or Mi catalog numbers, when I know them, in my title. But the search engine is looking only at the catalog number field. So are my efforts all for naught?
I have a listing: Albania C58 Used - Michel 493 - 1950
When entering the search term "Albania 493," 0 results are returned (naturally, because the catalog field says C58).
Using the search term "Albania Michel 493" or "Mi 493" (with the title edited to Mi 493), returns 0 results (because the search engine is looking in the catalog # field, which is already filled with the Scott #, C58).
Entering the search term "Albania Michel" does return all my listings with Michel #s in the title. But, any customers searching by Michel numbers will not necessarily know about this search limitation, and I am going to miss out on possible sales because of this. The only listings they will find are those by dealers who put the Mi# in the catalog # field.
In a nutshell, yes. I think Mark is developing a plan for multiple catalogue numbers in listings.
See Mark's reply to this related Bugs post: Editing title of existing listing to include catalog#
Been thinking about this and you mentioned that you have about 4,000 listings right now. I certainly don't know everything,sometimes I do verbalize what seems to make sense to my mind. That being said I am not sure that you are aware of the fact that right at the moment I have almost 70,000 listings up at the moment on Hipstamp,so I think I can say on some of the issues I do have some experience on using the sites. And I think I may just have some things to bring to the table and see things a bit differently.
One important point of clarification - when you search for a Country and Catalog Number in the search bar - we do not search the title of the listing for the Country and Catalog Number. We only search the Country field and the Catalog Number field, which is why in part it's important for us to extract this information from the title of imported listings, and why you won't see random other numbers, such as Catalog Values, number of lots, etc. in results when searching by Country and Catalog Number.
Question for you,I am not if this has been asked When the time comes is it possible to set up a tutorial for the sellers on how to optimize the listings for the searches,and also one for the buyers to be able to optimize the search functions? I think long term that would help both the buyers and sellers to locate and set up what the buyers are looking for.
https://www.hipstamp.com/search?keywords=Canada+UnUX246&parent_id=0
Note that if you update an existing listing, it will take a few minutes before those changes are reflected in the search engine. So you wouldn't be able to update a listing and immediately search for it based on those updates.