AuctionMapper FAQ

    Q: Can you give me a quick explanation of how AuctionMapper works?

    A: It is true that using AuctionMapper is somewhat different from using a typical search engine and AuctionMapper does much more than place eBay items on a map. AuctionMapper is designed to help you find exactly what you want in the shortest amount of time; therefore we have used technology that gives you search results without having to go from web page to web page.

    Think of AuctionMapper as a deluxe search tool that allows you to quickly filter your searches down precisely to what you are looking for. The filtered searches are then presented either in a list view or on a map depending on how you choose to view the results. Unlike a typical advanced search where you have to keep going back and forth between advanced search page and the results page to tweek various constraints, AuctionMapper stays on one page while only the results change, making adjustments to the constraints painless.

    If you are looking for something big that would be difficult to ship or that you would not want to bid on without seeing first then the map is a great way to locate items for serious consideration. You can easily map the 25 nearest items by dragging a category to the map. You can also map the most or least expensive items as well as by when the item was listed. There are sliders above the map that dynamically display items on the map based on various criteria such a price, number of bids, ending time, and distance.

    On the other hand AuctionMapper is also a great way to narrow down your searches for items for which location is irrelevant. There are Item Finders that help you locate specific items quickly. The Category Tree lets you see which categories contain your search term. The Item List lets you sort and resort your search results quickly based on price, number of bids, and ending time. You can also select items from the list to display on the map once you find items of real interest and want to see where they are.


    Q: How do I do a typical search?

    A: When you type a search term in the box above the "Search eBay" button in the upper left hand portion of the tool and then hit the button you will not get a list of items like you do with an eBay search. Instead you will notice that the Category Tree grays out momentarily and when the search is completed the category tree will be rearranged to show the search results. Once the Category Tree is displaying the search results you can then select the category that fits what you are actually looking for and either single click to open a Item List or drag and drop to the map.

    Keep in mind that AuctionMapper is not primarily a mapping tool but rather a power search filter that includes displaying items on a map if location is important to a particular search. Therefore, you can use AuctionMapper just as you would any other search engine. Just type in a search term and hit your keyboard enter key or the "Search eBay" button. However, instead of giving you a list of items right a way, AuctionMapper displays the results in the Category Tree where you can see your results broken down by category. Now to see a list of items simply single click the category that matches what you are looking for and an Item List will pop up. If you prefer to see your search results on the map just drag the category to the map.

    If you choose to view your search results in the Item List keep in mind that you simply need to click on the item row to open a new browser window with the detail page for that item. Also you can resort the Item List instantly by clicking on the column header. So for example if you want to find the least expensive item just click on the Price header and the list will resort with the least expensive items at the top. If you click Price again you will get the most expensive items at the top.

    If you choose to map items be sure to try out the sliders that are above the map. Pins will instantly disappear when items don't match the criteria that you set with the sliders. As you hover over a pin on the map you will see the item description and a thumbnail photo if one is available. Clicking on the pin opens a new browser window for the detail page for that item.


    Q: I enjoy browsing through categories of items rather than typing in a search term. I can simply click on a subcategory to get an Item List or I can drag any subcategory to the map. However I can not get a top level category to drag to the map or open an Item List! Why is this?

    A: There are times that we would like to do this too but the way information comes from eBay simply does not allow you to display items directly from a top level category without supplying a search term, and for good reason. There are tens of thousands of items typically in each top level category and trying to list them 200 at a time in the Item List or 25 at a time on the map is really not practical. However, if you will place a term in the search box you can now open an Item List or drag to the map from a top level category without hitting the "Search eBay" button.


    Q: There are times when I look at the Category Tree that I know that there are more sub categories than I am seeing in the tree. How can I see the sub categories that I know are there?

    A: The Category Tree is complete and can be drilled down to the bottom when you hit Reset. However when you enter a search term and hit the "Search eBay" button you are returned only a three level tree in order to provide quick results. If you need to see the full tree for your search then simply double click a subcategory and the search will now be run just for that category and will display all sub categories and the number of items in those sub categories. Double clicking a top level category is not possible because of the way search results come from eBay.


    Q: There are items in the Item List and on the map that I would like to bid on or buy. How can I easily get to the actual listings for those items?

    A: You simply click on the line for that item in the List View and a new browser window should open up with the details for that item. If your are working from the map you simply click on the pin of the item that you want to see and the same thing will happen for that item. If when you select an item and a new browser window doesn't pop up then probably you have your browser set to block popups. If this is the case you will need to adjust your browser to allow popups from AuctionMapper. See your browser help file to find out how to do this.


    Q: What is the "U. S. only" checkbox for?

    A: The "U. S. Only" checkbox does two things:
    It constrains the search results to displaying only items that are in the United States.
    If you drag a category to the map with the "U.S. Only" checked then the pins will be arranged so that those closest to your specified zip will be displayed first even if the sort order is set to "ending soonest", etc. However when mapping with "U.S. Only" checked AuctionMapper will only be able to map items with a valid U.S. zipcode supplied by the seller. There may be items that are in the U.S. but that don't show up on the map because the seller has chosen not to specify a zipcode for the item.

    If you want to use the map and include items that are not associated with a valid U.S. zipcode simply uncheck the "U.S. Only" box and items outside the U.S. and those in the U.S. but without a valid U.S. zipcode will be shown in the Pacific Ocean.


    Q: Why is there a pin out in the ocean?

    A: If a seller does not provide a valid U. S. zip code, then the pin will be placed on the left hand side of the map in the Pacific Ocean. When hovering over the pin you can see the details of the item and it may list the town and state where it is located.


    Q: How are the pins sorted on the map?

    A: The first-time default setting for pin location is by distance , however, YOU can determine if the pins are sorted by distance from the zip code you have entered or by ending first. If you want the pins to be placed on the map by any other search criteria (ending time, price, etc.), then uncheck the U.S. Only box.


    Q: Why are the pins different colors?

    A: The blue pins are the normal single items listed and the red pins mean more than one item is listed from a particular zip code. After you hover over a pin, an "X" is placed on it so you can keep up with which items you have already looked at.


    Q: Why don't you offer a "Basic Search" version?

    A: The concern of overwhelming users has been thought through and we are considering splitting the site into basic and advanced searches, but in the mean time we want people to have all the options available to filter down to exactly what they are looking for.
    We would encourage users to focus on the search criteria that would be applicable to their particular search or just ignore all of the options for a very generalized search. The current form allows users to search at the depth they prefer without having to wait for a page reload.

    The idea behind our design is that we want people to be able to easily access the world of possibilities that eBay offers. By offering many different options right at your fingertips, we hope to allow even rookies to eBay, to quickly and easily become "power searchers."


    Q: Why does "Reset" not clear the pins on the map or close the list-view boxes?

    A: Reset only removes the search constraints that you have adjusted. Reset does not wipe out previous search results. So, if you are doing some comparison shopping and you want to have two or more search results on screen at the same time but need to get back to results with no constraints applied this is easily accomplished by hitting "Reset".


    Q: What do the little yellow stars mean in the category tree list?

    A: The yellow stars in the Category Tree indicate that there is an Item Finder available to assist you in finding items related to that category. You can simply double click on that category and the Item Finder that is related to that category will display in the space above the map. Also every time you do a regular search the Item Finder for the most popular category that has an Item Finder will be available via the "Item Finder" tab over the map.


    Q: Why do I sometimes get a "List All" button and other times I don't?

    A: The "List All" button only appears if your search results include 300 items or less.

    Q: Sometimes the number of items is different before I use the Item Finders and after. Why is this?

    A: When a seller lists an item they are given the option of supplying the additional information that would make the item show up in an Item Finder or not. If they choose not to list it as such it will show up in the Category Tree, but not in the Item Finders.

     

     

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