Types of Advanced Searches on eBay

By Marsha Collier

To conduct an advanced search on eBay, click the Advanced Search link next to the Search button. You’re whisked to the Advanced Search: Find Items page, which will have your search options in a box on the left side of the page. Three categories of searches are available: Items, Stores, and Members.

The various searches available in the Advanced Search area.

Under the Items field, you can choose the following types of searches:

Find Items: Search by keywords or item number. Type the keywords that describe an item (for example, Superman lunchbox or antique pocket watch) and click Search, and you can see how many are available on eBay.
On eBay Motors: Looking for something related to wheels or an engine? Click here to see the form specifically designed for eBay Motors searches.
By Seller: Every person on eBay has a personal user ID (the name you use to conduct transactions). Use the Items by Seller search if you liked the merchandise from a seller’s auction and want to see what else the seller has for sale. Type the seller’s user ID, and you get a list of every item that person is selling.
By Bidder: User IDs help eBay keep track of every move a user makes at eBay. If you want to see what a particular user (say, a fellow Star Trek fan) is bidding on, use the Items by Bidder search. Type a user ID in the By Bidder search box, and you get a list of everything the user has won.
By Item Number: Every item that’s up for auction on eBay is assigned an item number, which is displayed next to the item name on its page. To find an item by number, just type the number and click Search.

The second search field is Stores. Once you click the link to search in Stores, you can search by two options:

Stores with matching items: eBay stores have their own search engine. Listings of items in eBay stores will appear on a regular search for items only under select circumstances.
Store name only: If you know an eBay store name or description, you can type a store name — or portion of a store name — and find the store you’re looking for.

The final search area is Members:

Find a Member: Here you can type the user ID of any eBay member to view his or her feedback profile, About Me page, or user ID history.
Find Contact Information: When you are in a transaction with someone, you can type the person’s user ID and the number of the transaction to receive an e-mail containing the phone number of your trading partner. This works only if you have a current bid or have bought an item.