Community Chat, Oct 11th @ 1pm PT - Structured Data

[alan@ebay]

Hi Community, 

Please join us on Wed Oct 11 @ 1 pm PT for a Community chat on the topic of Structured Data. eBay experts will be on hand to answer any question you might have. 

See you then! 

[Anonymous]

---

@coinslabz26 wrote:
The seller hub has nice features and can be useful but listed and sold items are the most important things to see. Ebay had it right with the old page. Why are we no longer able to use the old my ebay page without the choice to use what works best for us?

When I need to see the graphs and other info I could make a bunch of clicks and page loads to get there. Why are those things I don't really need the first things I have to see in my ebay? Why is it all the important things like my sold items, questions, and ability to print shipping labels cause me all the clicks and page loads?

Don't get me wrong the seller hub is nice but the only thing that matters to me is giving great service and maintaining perfect ratings. Seller hub does not accomplish this, only the old page does.

Also setting the old my ebay to display items newly listed reveals in real time when items over 16 months old have been relisted and need revising. This alerts me to check the price and other info, a feature I lose with seller hub. The growth suggested data compares my products to unrelated items so in collectable category it isn't useful, neither is my growth rate of my top two categories. All of the new stuff is not very helpful and the important stuff is a few clicks away. How do we benefit?

---

Thanks coinslabz26 for the suggestions. We will share them with the Seller Hub team. 

[stoneledge]

---

@coinslabz26 wrote:

---

@stoneledge wrote:

---

@coinslabz26 wrote:
The seller hub has nice features and can be useful but listed and sold items are the most important things to see. Ebay had it right with the old page. Why are we no longer able to use the old my ebay page without the choice to use what works best for us?

When I need to see the graphs and other info I could make a bunch of clicks and page loads to get there. Why are those things I don't really need the first things I have to see in my ebay? Why is it all the important things like my sold items, questions, and ability to print shipping labels cause me all the clicks and page loads?

Don't get me wrong the seller hub is nice but the only thing that matters to me is giving great service and maintaining perfect ratings. Seller hub does not accomplish this, only the old page does.

Also setting the old my ebay to display items newly listed reveals in real time when items over 16 months old have been relisted and need revising. This alerts me to check the price and other info, a feature I lose with seller hub. The growth suggested data compares my products to unrelated items so in collectable category it isn't useful, neither is my growth rate of my top two categories. All of the new stuff is not very helpful and the important stuff is a few clicks away. How do we benefit?

---

The Overview Page is not "The Seller Hub."  It's just a tool that's part of the Seller Hub.

The Seller Hub is the menu across the top of the page and down the left side of the page. 

eBay has failed to define what the Seller Hub is for Sellers and it has generated a lot of confusion. 

Most of what Sellers need to do are on the Orders and Listings pages of the Seller Hub.

---

No I understand pretty well what it does and what is where.  I think in that respect ebay did well. The problem is that the info in the overview is not useful to me or was readily available on the old selling page.

---

You can Customize the Overview Page of the Seller Hub.  You can  remove or add Tiles and rearrange the Tiles so that only the ones you care about are displayed and the ones you use most are at the top of the Overview page.

[long_live_the_seller]

---

@dhbookds wrote:

---

Maybe you better define what you are looking for in reference to Structured Data......I could tell you right now I'm wondering if any auctions I list are going to have Best offer on them.........but I doubt that's what you are looking for.......

---

---

When we say structured data, we are looking for commonly used item attributes and the product's GTIN (UPC, ISBN, EAN).

For a list of category requirements, visit ebay.com/requiredidentifiers

[coinslabz26]

I had a post about the coin catalog that should relate to structured data that seems to have been overlooked at the beginning of the thread. It is a major ongoing issue if someone could please review post 10. PCGS coin numbers that are no longer searchable were the identifying codes ebay contracted with PCGS to use and all catelog data is based off of that PCGS data, which no longer works.

[tealt]

I too had a post that was about the chat topic—structured data.

Could you please review post #5.

[dtexley3]

I'm assuming by structured data you are also talking about the item specifics that can be added.  The suggestions need to be more consistent across sub-categories.   Under Hallmark Ornaments there are several sub-categories, some suggest Brand, Series, Year and so forth but other's don't.  Same within the Dept 56 categories.

There should be some uniformity in the RECOMMENDED item specifcs based on the categories.

[papermoneyforme]

---

@vrykalak wrote:

---

@dtexley3 wrote:

<soapbox on>

You really want to help sellers:

• Slow down the changes! 
• Talk to us BEFORE the changes are put in place, multiple times, multiple venues!
• TELL US when you going to run some sort of "test feature" such as Best Offer on Auctions.
• Don't use us a guinia pigs for the "next great idea" without telling us.
• Get more eBay staff to address issues raised on the community boards
• Don't use twitter and facebook as your primary support services, many of us have little use for either and can't access them when issues actually arise.
• You should have policies and procedures in place for IT planning, development, testing, user acceptance testing and end user assistance.  They are obviously not being enforced.  Start enforcing them.
• Have the same rules and policies for non-USA sellers as USA sellers.

I could go on but  </Soapbox off>

---

Yes. YES. Y*E*S!!!

---

Did you get Daniel's permission to use that?

[Anonymous]

---

@golfingaddict wrote:

I guess I am a bit confused about structured data.  I try to be very complete when it comes to using item specifics.  I fill out all of them and more in hopes that it gives buyers more information.

But the catalog has me confused.  Every now and  when I list a "catalog" list of random (and I mean really random items) pops up.  None of them even seem related and none of them are even close to what I am listing. 

Is it my catagories?  Who is originally putting items in those catalogs and how do I put new items in there?  And why am I not give the option very often.

And lastly, is structured data a term you are using to encompass all of the ways that we are inputing information into out listings such as UPC, Item specifics, MPN?    I read that page about structured data but never saw a true "definition" for us less than tech savvy sellers.

---

Hi golfingaddict, 

You're correct in that structured data is a term that includes item specifics, commonly used item attributes and the product's GTIN (UPC, ISBN, EAN).

If you see an item that is inaccrately represented in the catalog you can submit feedback to dl-ebay-catalogsubmission@ebay.com and the team will review and correct. 

Thanks,

Tara

[dbmm-media]

 when is the book category going to be fixed?   

try and list, most of the time it defaults to the wrong cartegory with no way to choose the correct catogory

[mam98031]

---

@dtexley3 wrote:

<soapbox on>

You really want to help sellers:

• Slow down the changes! 
• Talk to us BEFORE the changes are put in place, multiple times, multiple venues!
• TELL US when you going to run some sort of "test feature" such as Best Offer on Auctions.
• Don't use us a guinia pigs for the "next great idea" without telling us.
• Get more eBay staff to address issues raised on the community boards
• Don't use twitter and facebook as your primary support services, many of us have little use for either and can't access them when issues actually arise.
• You should have policies and procedures in place for IT planning, development, testing, user acceptance testing and end user assistance.  They are obviously not being enforced.  Start enforcing them.
• Have the same rules and policies for non-USA sellers as USA sellers.

I could go on but  </Soapbox off>

---

Good Grief, I couldn't agree more.

While I certainly like some of the changes, hitting us with them right and left at this time of the year is counter productive for many sellers.  This isn't something new we have been saying to Ebay, yet EVERY year they wait to start implementing many changes that cause sellers to have to learn about them, implement them and revise listings or whatever they need to do to comply.  ALL of that takes away time from being able to get more listings posted for the holiday season because we are too darn busy just trying to keep of the the announced changes.

Then on top of the Announced changes, there are the SURPRISE changes that create their own set of problems.  Most recently are the changes to the FB posting pages.  What a hot mess.  Why OH why does Ebay continue to change things that do NOT need any help instead of fixing known problems.  And on top of that the changes to the FB page cause more work for sellers.  Among the problems are you can NOT repeat the same FB comments.  Every FB you leave must be different by at least one character.  You can't enter in bulk anymore.  And more.  It just adds to our workload, WHY???

Then there is this darn Make Offer button that now appears on some auctions.  What the heck?  Again no heads up from Ebay as they apparently do not think we need or deserve to be warned about stuff like this.  This change as so many issues it is ridiculous.  We can't turn it off either.  This is a forced thing by Ebay that wants to be my "Partner".  Why does my Partner feel that these surprises are fair, much less productive.  

Partner does not mean that one party gets to do whatever they want, when they want without consideration to the other partners.  We are suppose to be working together here.  I'm more than happy to work WITH Ebay, but we desperately need them to STOP working against us.

[long_live_the_seller]

---

@tealt wrote:

I sometimes list used books.

EBay’s chart says that used books must be listed with an ISBN or UPC.

How will I be able to list a book which was published before ISBNs and UPCs existed?

Will eBay software allow “does not apply” for such books?

Will lack of ISBN and UPC hurt my book in search if later editions/revisions of the same title have. ISBNs or UPCs?

---

Does not apply is currently reccomended for books that were printed before ISBN/UPC were assigned.

Your listing won't be impacted in eBay search by designated does not apply.  We are looking into other pieces of information you might be able to apply where a traditional product identifier is unavailable.

Thank you.

[golfingaddict]

---

---

When we say structured data, we are looking for commonly used item attributes and the product's GTIN (UPC, ISBN, EAN).

For a list of category requirements, visit ebay.com/requiredidentifiers

---

Thanks for the link to that page.

Be sure to add your item's brand, manufacturer part number (MPN), and global trade item number (GTIN)—along with item specifics such as size and color

I have never seen a GTN on my clothing/purses/totes

Is that a number that is found on  some items but not others?

I also put sizes in the item specifics ..is that good enough for structured data?

And what about color?  Do I put the color  that the company calls it ls it  (colbalt blue)  or should I use a generic color .  What happens to florals or plaids?  Is multi=color good enough?

[Anonymous]

---

@dhbookds wrote:

Again, relative to Product pages:  This one:

https://www.ebay.com/p/Corning-Ware-Spice-of-Life-5-QT-Casserole-Dish-Dutch-Oven-W-Lid/1830451421?_t...

is totally incorrect, the item shown is a Spice of Life Casserole, the Product Page id's it as  Blue Cornflower.

Problem is sellers are using the Size Designation from Corning as MSN  and that designation will be on all 5qt Casseroles........no matter what the pattern, and there are numerous patterns. 

---

Thanks dhbookds for bringing this item to our attention. We will relay to the catalog team. In the future, if you come across an item that is inaccrately represented in the catalog you can submit feedback to dl-ebay-catalogsubmission@ebay.com. 

Thanks,

Tara

[lacemaker3]

---

@long_live_the_seller wrote:

---

@dhbookds wrote:

---

Maybe you better define what you are looking for in reference to Structured Data......I could tell you right now I'm wondering if any auctions I list are going to have Best offer on them.........but I doubt that's what you are looking for.......

---

---

When we say structured data, we are looking for commonly used item attributes and the product's GTIN (UPC, ISBN, EAN).

For a list of category requirements, visit ebay.com/requiredidentifiers

---

I have a question from the buyer's view point.

I would like to be able to run a keyword search for a brand name, which does not return items where that brandname exists as a string of random characters somewhere in one of the Product Identifiers in the item specifics and the keyword itself is not included anywhere in the listing, title, or item specifics.

I do a regular search for a vintage brandname, items that I collect from the 40s - 60s. This search now returns a lot more irrelevent items because the brand name is included as part of one of the numbers for a camera battery.

I understand how including these product identifiers is supposed to help return more relevent items ... but in this case, it isn't helping.

There should be a way to turn it off, or at least make it return results for only complete words so it won't give false results because the character string is included in a UPC or MPN.

[long_live_the_seller]

---

@dhbookds wrote:

Has any progress been made in the cookbook category?  I believe new listing are still defaulting there?

---

We are regular looking at suggestions that have been made.  If you have submitted a request to

dl-ebay-catalogsubmission@ebay.com 

but have yet to see adjustments, we may not have had a chance to review your feedback.  If you have greater detail on the change you would like to be made in the cookbook category, feel free to document it here so that I can take it back to the team.

Thank you.