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Buying - Search Tips

Tips for Searching on Half.com

  • Too many results?
    Try adding additional keywords.

  • Too few results?
    Think of different words to use.

  • Not sure which keywords to use?
    Use specific words instead of general ones. For example, a search for "xbox console" will return fewer and more targeted results than a search for "console"

  • Be careful when using 'and', 'or', 'the'
    Use 'and', 'or', 'the' only if you are searching for items containing these words such as "Diana Ross and the Supremes" or "Truth or Dare". (Look in the Search Command Chart below for how to link words together for a more complex search).

  • Expand your search by adding or removing the letter 's'
    If searching for laptops doesn't return everything you are looking for, try laptop.

  • Not looking for a specific product?
    Browse our catalog by clicking on the categories listed on the left side of most pages.

  • Looking for a specific product?
    If you know the ISBN (Books) or UPC (Movies/CDs) number you can search for them by:

    1. clicking on the category tab at the top of the page, such as Books, Music, Movies, or Video Games

    2. selecting ISBN or UPC from the "Search:" drop down list

    3. entering the ISBN or UPC number; and

    4. clicking the Go button

More Search Tips

Still can't find what you're looking for?
Here are a few more tricks that could help you:

  1. Search for exact phrases using quotation marks (" ")
    Typing "war of the worlds" will find items with those words in same sequence. Without the quotation marks, you could wind up with many other listings containing the words "war" or "worlds"

  2. Use the minus sign (-) to exclude products
    If you enter moulin rouge -kidman, you'll find all the moulin rouge products except the movie with Nicole Kidman. Don't forget -there's no space after the minus sign e.g. -kidman, not - kidman).

  3. Use a wildcard (*) for multiple endings
    By typing an asterisk (*) at the end of a word, you can search for matches with multiple endings. For example: searching for fred* douglas* would return books by Frederick Douglass as well as Fred Douglas

  4. Not sure if you are spelling the words correctly?
    Use the percentage sign (%) before words that may be spelled incorrectly. For example: moulin %rogue will still find moulin rouge

You can also try our other Advanced Searches:

  • Search for Books by Title, Author, Hardcover or Paperback, and more

  • Search for CDs by Album Title or Artist and more

  • Search for Movies by Title, Actor, Director, DVD, VHS, and more

  • Search for Video Games by title or UPC

Search Command Chart

To search for:

Use the Command:

Example:

One word AND another

Use space between words

computer monitors
Returns items containing the words computer and monitors

One word OR another

(word 1,word 2)
Attention: No spaces after the comma!

(computer,monitors)
Returns all items containing the words computer or monitors

One word BUT NOT another

-
(minus symbol)
Attention: No spaces after the minus sign!

computer -monitors
Returns items containing the word computer and will exclude all items containing the word monitors

One word BUT NOT SEVERAL others

-(word 1,word 2,word 3)
Attention: No spaces after the minus sign or the comma!

computer -(monitors,cases,keyboards)
Returns items containing the word computer and will exclude all items containing the words monitors, cases and keyboards

Any words starting with a SPECIFIC SEQUENCE OF LETTERS

*
(asterisk symbol)

comp*
Returns items containing words starting with "comp" such as computers, computer monitors and B. B. King's CD Completely Well.

Words OUT OF A GROUP

@1 word1 word 2 word 3

@1 computer monitors covers
Returns items containing two out of the three words specified. This example will return items containing the words computer and monitors, computer and covers or monitors and covers in the title. You can try searching for 3 words out of 4 by using @2 in the beginning of the command.

How can I find items for sale by my favorite seller (the Seller's Shop)?

You can get to a seller's shop by clicking on a seller's name anywhere on the site, or by accessing a seller from your "Favorite Seller" list on the "My Account" page.

Additionally, if you know the seller name of the shop you are trying to get to, you can go directly there by using the following URL:

http://shops.half.ebay.com/sellername

Once you visit your favorite seller's shop you may also search his/her inventory by putting the item you wish to search for in the search box in the upper left hand corner of their shop.