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Query Operators

Keyword Query Operators

These operator rules and information have been copied from eBay's developer handbook without permission. If a search query is not functioning as described here, please refer to eBay's help that may include any changes to the search operators or rules.

Table 24-1 Keyword Query Operators and Punctuation 
Modifier Purpose Example Returns
Space between words Applies AND logic to multiple keywords. 
music album
 Items with both the words "music" and "album".
Comma between words, no parentheses Applies AND logic to multiple keywords. 
music,album
 Items with both the words "music" and "album".
Comma between words in parentheses Applies OR logic to multiple keywords. 
(music,album)
 Items with either the word "music" or the word "album".
Quoted words Requires an exact sequence of words. 
"music album"
 Items with the exact phrase "music album".
-word Specified word cannot be present. 
music -wav
 Items that have the word "music" but not "wav"
-(word, word, word) Specified words cannot be present. 
music -(wav,album,video)
 Items with the word "music" but not "wav," "album," or "video".
* Substitutes for one or more characters. 
music*
 Items starting with the string "music". Use "*" by itself or with a minimum of 2 characters. Do not use "*" by itself unless you are using CategoryID or you are searching by seller.
@ sign Search must find two of three words from a list. 
@1 music wav album
 Items with two of the three words "music," "wav," and "album". For a "3 out of 4" search, use @2 and a list of four words.
+ Concatenates a query string using AND logic with another keyword. 
@1 music wav album +video
 Items with any two of the three words "music," "wav," or "album" in the title plus the word "video".