eBay Traffic Reports Incorrectly Show Promoted Listings Sales As Organic
Sellers are once again reporting discrepancies in eBay reports and analytics with Traffic page in Seller Hub incorrectly showing Promoted Listings ad sales as Organic.
The issue appears to have started sometime in the last week, according to a Value Added Resource reader who provided screenshots showing the differences in data across different reports.
The Traffic report shows 1 Organic sale on September 3rd, 2 Organic sales on September 5th and 1 Promoted sale on September 6th.
But the Order overview page has 1 Promoted sale on September 3rd, 1 Promoted and 1 Organic sale on September 5th, and 1 Promoted sale on September 6th - contradicting the Traffic report.
The Promoted Listings Ad Dashboard report also shows the correct amounts to match the Order overview, confirming 1 Promoted sale on September 3rd, 1 Promoted sale on September 5th, and 1 Promoted sale on September 6th.
When users report discrepancies like this with recent statistic, eBay often uses the "72 hour reconciliation period" excuse, saying "technical limitations" can sometimes delay ad attribution and reporting.
Previously, Promoted Listings ad reports carried a caveat that data was reported in "near real-time" but sellers would need to allow approximately 72 hours to reconcile - and when they introduced the new Ads Dashboard in 2024, eBay gave themselves even more wiggle room by saying some ad types might require even more time.
"Metrics are reported in near real-time. Allow at least 72 hours to reconcile, although some ad types might require more time."
Since then, sellers have increasingly noticed that offers and completed sales which initially come in as organic with no ad fee applied are often switched to Promoted Listings attribution and charged the ad fee hours or even days later.
Liz Morton
But that potential 72 hour attribution period wouldn't explain this specific data discrepancy since the Payments page shows each of the Promoted sales during this time period was attributed within minutes of the order being placed.
This is just the latest "display issue" to impact analytics and reporting after new Promoted Listings General Ads management tools were introduced to the eBay app last month and sellers also continue to report errors when trying to enable Promoted ads on some listings.
Liz Morton
These ongoing technical problems also continue to erode trust in eBay as sellers grow weary of constantly wondering if things they experience are glitches or intentional but unannounced tests or changes to the site - like in 2023 when eBay ran an unannounced test which removed most promoted listings ad spots from item pages, tanking impressions for a 10 day period when the test was active.
Liz Morton
Or the many other examples sellers have shared over the years of how the math on Promoted and Organic impressions and views doesn't always add up.
Liz Morton
And sellers are understandably concerned that these glitches may also foreshadow eBay expanding the new ad attribution model launched in the UK, EU and Australia earlier this year to the US or that eBay may back charge them for additional ad fees again like they did back in June.
Liz Morton
Are you seeing discrepancies between your eBay Traffic reports and Promoted Listings dashboard or Orders overview? Let us know in the comments below!
