eBay Tests AI Generated FAQs In Search Results
eBay continues testing ways to integrate generative AI into listing, homepage and search experiences with sellers noticing a new AI powered FAQ module displaying in some search results on the mobile app.
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...this was in the search flow (on the ebay App on my Android phone) for a search of "Hokey Wolf":
If you click on the little ebay.ai link, a pop up helpfully reminds you that "This content was generated with ebay.ai, which uses cutting edge technology that sometimes yields inaccurate and irrelevant results. Be sure to review all listing information carefully before making a purchase."
I am going to refrain from further comment ...at least for now LOL
Unfortunately, I was not able to replicate the experience with that or any other search in the eBay Android app myself, which suggests this is likely a test that may not be shown to all users at this time.
The idea of providing generative AI powered FAQs may not be a bad one, but the placement is sure to be controversial as it pushes some items further down the results page, potentially impacting impressions and views.
That could make an already crowded and competitive landscape which gives search preference to sponsored Promoted Listings ads even more difficult for those who are unwilling or don't have the margins to pay to play for placement.
And of course, whether this future is truly useful to buyers will depend largely on the accuracy and relevance of the information provided - something eBay's AI tools have consistently struggled with, especially in their early iterations.
For example, when eBay first released AI generated description capability in both the app and desktop experiences, the feature was almost immediately removed due to bugs which, in eBay's own words "created a broken user experience" and then reintroduced months later.
Liz Morton
Similarly, when eBay's AI background enhancement tool was introduced, sellers reported the experience was buggy and laggy, not to mention it caused a technical glitch which turned images into white shapes on black backgrounds.
Liz Morton
Magical AI listing promises have also been watered down, instead of the "just take a picture and let AI do the rest" single listing experience sellers were promised over a year ago, eBay has released a bulk AI listing tool that still has a lot of limitations.
Liz Morton
eBay has also been leveraging AI and image recognition technology for "search visually similar" features but results can vary widely and in many cases are reported to be wildly inaccurate - or they are launched prematurely and then quietly disappear, like the recent "press, hold, discover" functionality in the eBay app.
CMO Adrian Fung is making the podcast rounds talking about how eBay uses AI yo product recommendations and discovery.
But AI tools he mentioned like Shop The Look and eBay Explore have also struggled to provide useful, relevant experiences for buyers.
Liz Morton
When Explore was first introduced for fashion categories, users were prompted to choose an interest across various style options to personalize their feed and the option to "update interests" in order to curate or change the results.
That "update interests" option was still available in October when eBay announced they were testing downvoting to let buyer's rate the recommendations, ostensibly to help train the AI to improve quality and relevance over time.
Liz Morton
But now that eBay has expanded to include items in additional categories, the "update interests" button is gone on both desktop and mobile app, leaving the user with just a random selection of items theortically personalized based on their past views and searches.
The thumbs down option still lets the user provide feedback that appears to influence results when refreshing, but it's far from the previous experience which allowed for selecting specific style types.
And most recently, eBay's new Saved Feed page is annoying and frustrating buyers who say it's confusing, not useful, and pushes them toward irrelevant sponsored visually similar ads.
Liz Morton
What do you think about AI FAQs in search and other ways eBay is integrating the latest generative technologies into the overall site experience? Let us know in the comments below!
