If a customer tells you they set up a search alert but are not receiving email notifications, or that their recent searches are not showing in the search drawer, here are the most common reasons and how to resolve them.
Why recent searches are not showing in the search drawer
Recent searches are stored per browser and per session. If a customer's recent searches are not appearing, the most likely reasons are:
- The customer is using a different browser or device than the one they searched on before
- The customer cleared their browser data or cookies, which removes stored recent searches
- The customer is not logged in to their Vivastreet account
Resolution: Advise the customer to log in to their Vivastreet account before searching. Recent searches and Favourites are tied to account login, not just the device.
Why search alert emails are not arriving
If a customer set up a search alert but is not receiving emails, check these four things in order:
1. Spam or junk folder — alert emails sometimes get filtered. Ask the customer to check their spam folder and mark Vivastreet emails as safe.
2. Alert confirmation — after creating an alert, the customer should have seen this message: "Alert created. You'll be emailed new ads matching your criteria." If they did not see this, the alert may not have saved correctly. Ask them to set it up again.
3. Alert criteria too specific — if the search criteria is very specific (tight location, many filters applied), fewer listings will match, so fewer emails will be sent. This is not a fault — it is the alert working as intended.
4. No new listings yet — alerts only trigger when new listings are posted that match the criteria. If no new matching listings have been posted since the alert was created, no emails will have been sent.
What this means for your listing
Customers who have set alerts for your category and location will be emailed automatically when you post or renew a listing. Keeping your listing details complete ensures it matches as many relevant alerts as possible.
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