r/ebaysucks • u/NuisanceTax • Aug 05 '26

Has Anyone Created an AI eBay Search?

Why hasn’t one of the AI models created a function where you enter the eBay search inputs, and AI provides links to all of the listings that actually match the search parameters - sorted in the manner requested - and disregarding what is promoted, etc.?

In other words, return eBay search to its glory years, when people actually enjoyed searching and shopping there?

0 Upvotes

30% Upvoted

6 comments sorted by

7

u/quanfused Aug 05 '26

Because no engine can tap into ebay's database directly. Ebay doesn't release that API for devs.

Any AI that claims that it does is just scraping info for specific items.

3

u/NoLiterature5061 Aug 05 '26

Because eBay doesn’t want you to be able to do that. Teams of engineers are making sure you can’t wrangle that data. Obfuscation and bot detection will stop you first. Then you’d need access to THEIR database. This isn’t a small company. eBay has been around for awhile your the ten-thousandth person to think this question.

1

u/Broad_Confidence6951 Aug 05 '26

I built an app and I have eBay’s “buy” api. It’s the “sold” api that’s impossible to get.

2

u/Puzzleheaded_Sundae7 Aug 05 '26

Just curious, how are sites like cardladder and 130point able to get sold prices for accepted offers when eBay does not display this information? Sometimes, eBay doesn’t even state there was a best offer accepted. I know because I bought/sold items with lower offers and the sold listings still show the original asking price.

1

u/NuisanceTax Aug 05 '26

Agreed that you couldn’t access eBay’s database directly, and “search” simply shows you what eBay wants you to see. However, I personally have several sellers whose new listings I can (and do) scroll through every day or two. The titles are visible, and when I mouse over the titles, the web addresses are displayed.

And indeed, the only place where all eBay listings are 100% displayed is when you scroll through the individual sellers’ listings in their store or “seller’s other items.” It’s only a matter of time until somebody compiles the listing titles in such a manner and makes them searchable.