The Trade Me search

Written by The Trade Me team in General and Top Seller at 4:55pm, Tue 7 Jun 2011

From time-to-time, we get asked about the factors taken into consideration when Trade Me displays members’ search results. We figure if we provide people with some pointers on this, it will encourage sellers to make great listings for buyers, so here goes.

Our search takes a few things into consideration, including:
- placement of words that match the search term(s)
- buyer activity on the listing: for example the number of views and the number of bids
- whether the listing has the Gallery feature selected, because it makes for a better browsing experience for buyers

So, to optimise your position in our search results:
- think carefully about the title of your listing, and start it with the words people are most likely to use when they're searching for your product
- maximise activity on your listings by having a good title/photos/description, and consider opting for a lower reserve (ideally $1)
- promote your listing: for example add Gallery