The Science Behind the Swoop Score
Every listing ingested from Facebook Marketplace is continuously evaluated on a 1.0 to 9.9 scale. Here is how our quantitative model separates true marketplace steals from ordinary retail listings in real time.
Interactive Score Simulator
Adjust listing variables below to see the math compute in real time.
Verified authentic photos and established account (+2.0 pts).
Derived from secondary eBay completed sales clearing frequency.
Deep Dive: The 4 Core Pillars
How each component is algorithmically sourced and weighed.
1. Net Arbitrage Discount
We compare asking prices against live completed eBay sales records and proprietary model databases. Rather than raw dollar savings, the score rewards relative market discount:
- 80%+ Discount: Contributes 3.6 to 4.3 points
- 50%–79% Discount: Contributes 2.3 to 3.5 points
- <30% Discount: Marginal yield, filtered unless rare
2. Physical Condition & Vision Audit
Computer vision audits the listing photographs for surface scratches, cracks, tears, and overall cleanliness:
- Like New (9.0–10.0): Contributes 2.25 to 2.5 points
- Excellent (7.5–8.9): Contributes 1.85 to 2.2 points
- Normal Wear / Fixer: Scaled down proportionally
3. Seller & Safety Trust
Marketplace scams waste valuable time. Our trust pipeline verifies that listings are legitimate before presenting them:
- Authentic Photos: Natural household backgrounds favored
- Stock Photo Penalty: Pure catalog stock photos demoted
- Account Maturity: Older member accounts awarded full 2.0 pts
4. Clearance & Resale Velocity
Liquidity is critical for flippers and bargain hunters. High-demand items that sell in hours score higher than slow-moving inventory:
- < 24 Hours (1.0 pt): MacBooks, Dewalt tools, Herman Miller
- 2–4 Days (0.7 pt): Audio equipment, specialized fitness gear
- 1–2 Weeks (0.4 pt): Heavy wooden dining sets, specialty items
The Score Tiers
How to interpret the badge when scouting listings.
Extremely rare pricing outliers (75%+ off). High-conviction deals that trigger instant notifications and claim locks.
Verified high-margin opportunities (50%–75% off). Clean items, authentic seller photos, and fast liquidity.
Standard everyday marketplace discounts (30%–50% off). Good practical purchases for personal use.
Fair market or retail prices with minimal arbitrage margin. Filtered out during ingestion to keep feed signal high.
Automated Telemetry & Protections
When a motivated seller reduces their asking price, the system awards an automated bonus (Score + Drop% / 20) and flags the deal with the Motivated Seller ribbon.
Sellers often list items for $1 or $123 to attract clicks. Our regex title and price sanitizer flags placeholder listings and caps their score at 4.0 so they never pollute the top of the feed.
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