How Our Search Results Are Ranked (SERP Algorithm)

When you search on Automa.Net, the order of the search results is determined by a combination of key factors. Each factor contributes to a final score that dictates the position of each offer in the search results. Our goal is to ensure the most relevant and reliable offers appear first, considering aspects like membership level, shipping times, and product details.

Your membership level has the highest impact on search ranking. Sellers with higher-tier memberships get priority, giving their offers more visibility.

• Premium: Weight: 4.0 – Highest priority
• Enterprise Plus: Weight: 3.2 – Strong priority
• Enterprise: Weight: 2.4 – Moderate priority
• Business: Weight: 2.1 – Slight priority boost
• Standard: Weight: 1.8 – Base priority

Offers that are updated regularly are ranked higher because fresh information is more valuable to buyers.

• Linear Weight: Recent updates boost visibility. Please aim to update you stock a minimum of every 48 hours to maximize this score. <24h gives you extra points. 
  

Shipping time is crucial for many buyers, so it significantly affects rankings.

• "Ships In" Provided: Weight: 1.1 – Clear shipping information adds a moderate boost.
• Shipping within 2 Days: Weight: 1.2 – Faster shipping times (up to 2 days) give a significant boost.
• Same-Day Shipping Available: Weight: 1.3 – Offers with same-day shipping capability receive a small but noticeable increase in ranking.
• Next-Day Shipping Available: Weight: 1.2 – Offers prepared for next-day shipping also benefit from a slight ranking boost.
  
  READ MORE: (Delivery Settings: Shipping Today/Tomorrow)
  

• Warranty Info: Weight: 1.2 – Including warranty details gives a slight boost.
• Condition (e.g., New, Refurbished): Weight: 1.3 – Clear condition details provide a moderate increase.
• Product Match: Weight: 1.2 – Products accurately matched to our database get a small boost.
• Price Information: Weight: 1.3 – Listing prices gives a small advantage.
• GTIN/UPC/EAN: Weight: 1.2 – Including these product identifiers in the stock file you upload, adds to your ranking.
• Category Information: Weight: 1.2 – Clear product categorization results in a slight boost.
• Image URL: Weight: 1.1 – Offers with product images rank higher.
• Product Weight: Weight: 1.2 – Providing weight information also adds a small advantage.

We’re introducing a "Report This Listing" feature, allowing buyers to flag listings they believe are inaccurate or misleading. When a listing receives multiple verified reports, it will be devalued in the search rankings.

• Reported Listings: Weight: Negative – Each verified report will result in a devaluation of the stock’s search ranking for a certain period. The most severe penalties and devaluation occur when parts are listed as "in stock" or with specific quantities, but the seller does not actually have access to those products. We will carefully review each report, contact the seller for clarification, and take appropriate action if necessary.
  
  Sellers are encouraged to maintain accurate and reliable listings to avoid penalties. This will be implemented on our interface. Until then please send your reports to [email protected]
  
  Please mention the reason in the email, eg "Company XYZ, inaccurate stock list, indicating offers out of stock as "in-stock" 

Each offer is evaluated based on a weighting and summing system, meaning each factor contributes a certain amount to the final score. The sum of all these weighted factors determines the position of your offer in the search results.

If an offer:

• Belongs to a Business member (Weight: 2.1),
• Has a shipping time of 2 days (Weight: 1.2),

The final score would be: 1.0 (Base score) + 2.1 (Membership) + 1.2 (Shipping)= 4.3

We ensure that search queries and product names, whether hyphenated or not, are treated equally to provide accurate and relevant results.

Want your offers to appear higher in search results? Here are a few steps you can take:

1. Update Offers Regularly: Keep your offers up-to-date for better visibility.
2. Ensure Listing Accuracy: Avoid receiving negative reports by providing accurate, detailed, and reliable product and stock information.
3. Optimize Shipping Times: The faster the shipping, the better the ranking. Aim for same-day or next-day shipping where possible.
4. Upgrade Your Membership: Higher membership levels provide a significant ranking boost.
5. Add Detailed Product Information: Include essential details such as warranty, product condition, and price to improve your offer’s score.