Note: All calls in the Finding API have been deprecated and will be decommissioned on February 5, 2025.An alternative to this API is the Browse API, which also has advanced search capabilities.
The response contains details about items matching the search criteria. By default, eBay returns a specific set of data in the response to your call. findItemsByKeywords lets you refine your search results using item filters (itemFilter) and aspect filters (aspectFilter). Use paginationInput and outputSelector to control the amount of data returned from each request. Results are sorted by Best Match by default, with the most relevant items listed first. Use sortOrder to specify a different sort order, such as sorting by current price or the listing end time.
The GLOBAL-ID URL parameter (or X-EBAY-SOA-GLOBAL-ID HTTP header) specifies the eBay site to use for searches. When specifying a global ID (e.g., EBAY-DE for the eBay Germany site), the search response contains only items available on the site specified. If you do not specify a global ID, eBay uses the US site (EBAY-US) by default.
Filters provide you with control over search results by narrowing the range of items returned. The itemFilter container uses name/value pairs to describe specific filters. You can specify filters for variety of properties, including the item condition, number of bids, price range, listing type, and so on. All item filters are optional input parameters.
Some filters take additional parameters. For example, when using the MaxPrice or MinPrice filters, you can specify the currency value with itemFilter.paramName and itemFilter.paramValue. When you use MaxPrice and MinPrice item filters, itemFilter.paramName defaults to Currency and itemFilter.paramValue defaults to USD.
For more details on how to use item filters, see Refining a Search with Item Filters in the User Guide. See the ItemFilterType type documentation for more information about the allowed values, usage rules, and dependencies.
Aspect information can be used to create filters to refine your search results. To see aspects in action, a search request on the eBay site often displays aspects and their respective aspect values on the left-hand side of a search result page. Aspect values are the details of the aspect. For instance, Optical Zoom might have an associated aspect value of "10x." eBay determines aspect values from listing properties such as item specifics, titles, and subtitles.
When searching for items with one of the Finding API calls, you can request that an aspect histogram to be returned in the result. In a URL request, specify outputSelector=AspectHistogram. The resulting aspect histogram provides information you can use to refine your search. The histogram lists the aspects for the category that are most pertinent to your search. In addition, for each aspect, all the associated aspect values are listed with the number of active listings that match that given aspect value. For example, "Athletic" or "Dress Shoes" could be aspect values associated with the "Style" aspect of Men's Shoes.
Aspect filters consist of an aspectName, and one or more aspectValueName values. Find the values for each of these fields in the aspect containers returned in a query response that has aspect histogram values. For example, the following shows a URL-formatted aspect filter using values taken from a previous search response:
You can specify buyerPostalCode for distance-based searching. Find items located close to you by specifying buyerPostalCode and setting sortOrder to Distance. The following sample will sort matching items in the results with items closest to the buyer's postal code listed first:
You can locate items that have been listed for local-markets only by specifying a buyerPostalCode and item filters for LocalSearch and MaxDistance. The following sample returns only the items listed for both for local markets and are located within a 100-mile radius of the buyer's postal code (wrapped for readability):
Note that depending on the specified global ID, the value returned for the distance can be in either kilometers or miles. For example, if the global ID is EBAY-DE (Germany), the distance is returned as kilometers.
Each searchResult.item container returns with a default set of data for the items matching your request. If you want more data than the default set of data, use one or more outputSelector fields to expand the results:
Use the sortOrder element to specify the order in which the returned items are sorted. For example, specify a value of PricePlusShippingAsc to sort results by the combined cost of item price plus shipping cost, with the lowest priced items listed first. Sorting has no affect upon the quantity of returned results.
Use paginationInput and its child elements to control which set of items matching the search criteria are returned in the result set. Use paginationInput to divide the returned items into subsets, or "pages," of data:
By default, the response returns the first page of data up to a maximum of 100 items. The following example shows how to return the second page of results, with each page containing a maximum of 50 items:
Affiliates can earn money from eBay by driving traffic to eBay. As an affiliate, you promote eBay on your site. If eBay captures a sale or a new member registration through your promotion, eBay will pay you money. eBay tracks the traffic generated from your application by your affiliate ID, which you need to embed in your code. Commissions are generated when users perform qualifying actions, such as bidding, buying, or registering on the site.
The box below lists all fields that could be included in the call request. To learn more about an individual field or its type, click its name in the box (or scroll down to find it in the table below the box).
See:
aspectHistogramContainer for more information on aspects, aspect values, and domains.
findItemsByCategory Call Sample: Returning Aspect Histogram Information
findItemsByCategory Call Sample: Refining Results Using Aspect Filters
See:
ItemFilterType for more information about the allowed values, usage rules, and dependencies
findItemsIneBayStores Call Sample: Using itemFilters to define a price range
findItemsAdvanced Call Sample: Using itemFilters to search for used Buy It Now items
The box below lists all fields that might be returned in the response. To learn more about an individual field or its type, click its name in the box (or scroll down to find it in the table below the box).
The outputSelector input field gives you control over which call-specific output fields may be returned from your queries. outputSelector accepts a set of preset values, each of which permits the return of a different set of fields. (All standard output fields are returned regardless of outputSelector.)
The table below details the fields that each outputSelector value controls. In addition, the table includes a none column that shows the fields that are not controlled by outputSelector settings. Note that some fields are returned only when certain conditions are met; see the associated field documentation for a clarification of these conditions.
Supply a postal code in the buyerPostalCode field and specify the maximum distance to search for items in the item filter Distance field. eBay returns only those items that are found within the specified distance from the supplied postal code. The distance will be calculated in the units that are local to the specified postal code (kilometers or miles).This type of search is called a "proximity" search.
Using the buyers postal code, eBay sorts the responses by the items closest to the buyer. The query uses an outputSelector to include seller information in the response. In addition, both a minimum and a maximum price are specified, so the results return only the items that fall within the set price range.
Affiliates earn money from eBay for driving traffic to eBay. For more information, see eBay Partner Network. eBay knows that a sale came from your application because you include your affiliate ID in API calls. Affiliate tracking is enabled for all of the search calls in the Finding API.
The networkId specifies the third party who is your tracking partner. This number is 9 if you are registered with eBay Partner Network. The trackingId (a number obtained from your tracking partner) specifies an ID to identify you to your tracking partner. The customId need not be specified, but you can use up to 256 characters to create an ID to better monitor your marketing efforts.
In addition to specifying affiliate information, this sample also specifies the sort order of EndTime, the auctions ending soonest are listed first in the response. By default, items are sorted by BestMatch.
Not all listings on eBay.com are eligible for the Program. eBay may alter or amend the eligibility requirements for EIS Items without notice. You agree not to sell any ineligible items through the Program. More information about ineligible items may be found here. You agree that eBay shall have the right to decide if the EIS Item is eligible for the Program. You agree that in respect of any items found to be ineligible, a third party service provider will liquidate or dispose of such EIS items, unless such items are handed over to the authorities.
You agree not to sell or export any EIS Items through the Program in violation of any applicable laws or regulations of the countries eligible for the Program, including export regulations, international labor standards and applicable labor laws and regulations. Where necessary, you are responsible for appointing an economic operator in the European Union for product safety obligations. By not opting an EIS Item out of the Program, you are representing and warranting that your sale, transfer, export or import of the EIS Item does not violate any applicable laws or regulations of any eligible country and that you as a seller have taken all necessary steps to ensure you are in the position to export items outside of the United States including where applicable, obtaining an EORI number (Economic Operators Registration and Identification number) for export including to the European Union. You are responsible for ensuring that your sale and exportation of the EIS Items complies with all laws, regulations and requirements of the country from which it is being exported and in which it is being sold. You will provide to eBay all necessary information required by it regarding the EIS Items sold. You hereby represent and warrant that EIS Items posted do not require an export license to the ultimate destination country.
d3342ee215