February 2005 - eBay has issued the following fact sheet to aid new users:

eBay Search Tips will help buyers quickly find exactly what they are looking for by following a few simple search tips:

1. Try different search words - There are many words to describe any item. Imagine which words a seller might use to describe the item you're looking for. For example: You're trying "vase," but maybe the seller called it an "urn." Try several different options and combinations -- but use just two or three words at a time to be sure you get a variety of results.

2. Use specific words instead of general ones - For example, a search for Beatles poster will return fewer, more-targeted listings than a search for Beatles.

3. For a closer match, specify a date, color, or brand - For example, to find a particular Barbie item, don't just type Barbie in the search box. If you're looking for a Barbie dress made in the 1960s, enter Barbie dress 196*. If you want only red dresses, type: Barbie red dress. Remember, be specific and narrowly define your search.

4. Search titles and descriptions to get more matches - Search always looks for your keywords in the title of the items for sale. Click on search titles and descriptions under the search box to also search item descriptions. You'll get many more results.

5. Add or remove the letter "s" for more results - For example, you'll get two different lists of items when you search for diamond rings and diamond ring. Try your search with and without the final "s".

6. Experiment! How might a seller describe what you're looking for? - Try common misspellings of your keywords. For example: If you're looking for Wedgwood china, also try the keyword "Wedgewood." (And if you're not sure about your spelling, be sure to look the word up and search with the correct spelling!)

7. Be careful when using the words "and", "or", and "the" - eBay's search engine searches for and, or, and the just like it would any other word. Use and, or and the only if you're searching for items containing these words, such as Dianna Ross and the Supremes or Truth or Dare.

8. Don't use extra punctuation - Only use punctuation in your search if you expect it to be in the item title or description for which you're searching. Examples include t-shirt, N-Sync and Dr. Watson.

9. Consider Browsing - If you're not searching for something specific, try browsing through the category listing pages for surprising discoveries.

10. There are many other ways to search on eBay - Try searching by category, keyword, item number, country, ZIP code, seller and bidder.

For more information visit:
http://pages.ebay.com/help/find/ia/searching.html