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hello, my name is lindsey, and i am augmentd on depop. i’d like to take a few minutes to speak on behalf of myself and many other sellers on the topic of the new algorithm update.
to provide a general overview of the situation, myself and many other sellers have been experiencing a virtual elimination of interaction on posts, including likes, messages, comments, and of course, sales.
many have attempted to contact depop support to attain some sort of comprehension of the new system, but are met with the same link ( https://depophelp.zendesk.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360013992858-Introducing-New-Search-Results-View)
that preaches in a near patronizing way that sellers should work to attain “good photos” which will work to improve sales, and that sellers should be experiencing “more likes and more engagement” on their items.
both of these ideals are quite obviously not what is actually happening, and i will elaborate on them right away.
“good photos”
personally, i have experimented with 4 different photo styles since the update hit. all of these are comparable, if not better, to the photo quality of my items before the update.
personally, i have experimented with 4 different photo styles since the update hit. all of these are comparable, if not better, to the photo quality of my items before the update.
after implementing these, I have received, quite literally, 0 likes on posts that would typically have received 5-20 before the update. others have shared this experience, as you will see if you visit the depop subreddit.
having “good photos” does not increase sellers’ visibility or profitability, hence providing virtually no way sellers themselves can improve their sales.
“more likes and more engagement”
there is irrefutable evidence that posts that would typically garner a seller anywhere from 5-1000 likes are getting marginally less now, or in some cases, zero.
there is irrefutable evidence that posts that would typically garner a seller anywhere from 5-1000 likes are getting marginally less now, or in some cases, zero.
spam likes are rampant, and genuine engagement is at an all time low.
i’ll now list the issues that sellers have found with the update, including a reiteration of the aforementioned, followed by complaints of buyers.
I included complaints from myself as both a buyer and seller, which is consistent with my activity on the app.
sellers:
-are experiencing a virtual elimination of all interaction, including likes, comments, and messages, because buyers simply CANNOT see our listings
-are experiencing a virtual elimination of all interaction, including likes, comments, and messages, because buyers simply CANNOT see our listings
-are experiencing disturbing amounts of spam likes, as the addition of the like feature on the main page breeds
-are irrefutably making marginally fewer sales with the same quality of photos, indicative of either a broken algorithm or of an elitist hierarchical system
that promotes those who meet the hidden and capricious standards that most sellers cannot seem to come upon.
buyers:
-are seeing the same post appear at the top of the search listings everyday. these posts do not even align with the published guidelines including having “quality” photos” or “detailed descriptions.
-are seeing the same post appear at the top of the search listings everyday. these posts do not even align with the published guidelines including having “quality” photos” or “detailed descriptions.
i have attached screenshots from the depop subreddit. i encourage further investigation there to further your understanding of users’ experiences throughout this update.
-are confused by the aesthetic and ergonomic value of the search results screen.
having 2 items per row does near nothing to increase the visibility of the items, and it decreases the amount of items a buyer can examine at once. having the like button appear on the search results screen provides no benefit, when the size of the item is not even provided
before then.
-are frustrated by having the posts sort by a poorly definition understanding of “quality”, as items that are not necessarily the best lit or cleanly presented are appearing at the top of search results, while accurate and aesthetically viable posts are appearing at the bottom.
-do not understand why default sorting of items in this way is beneficial. sorting by relevancy eliminates all possibility of being one of the first buyers to stumble on an item and find a good deal before others
questions:
-how does the new algorithm determine relevancy/quality, and why are the same posts appearing at the top of the search results day to day?
-how does the new algorithm determine relevancy/quality, and why are the same posts appearing at the top of the search results day to day?
-truly, how do sellers make their posts visible to buyers?
suggestions:
-go back to having the default search method be sorting by new posts. instead of switching to “relevant posts” first, give the buyers the ability to filter their search by best match (relevancy), newest, and price. #fixdepop @depop
-go back to having the default search method be sorting by new posts. instead of switching to “relevant posts” first, give the buyers the ability to filter their search by best match (relevancy), newest, and price. #fixdepop @depop
-get rid of the exterior like button. it breeds the same sort of spam activity this update was intended to tackle. @depop @askdepop #fixdepop
your platform of sellers and buyers alike are deeply disappointed with the implementation and treatment of this update.
this algorithm did not do what it intended to do. buyers and sellers are frustrated to the point of hopelessness, and a furtherance of estrangement of your core merchants and customers will damage your reputation,
and hence your profit, in an era where online retail platforms are nothing but uncommon.
depop does not profit if their sellers are not making money. sellers are not making money if buyers cannot find their posts. therefore, this update is not in the best interests of anyone. #fixdepop @depop @askdepop
please take these suggestions into consideration and make a genuine effort to address the exasperated community.
Lindsey (augmentd)
