Inaccurate book information provided by eBay

[yaddith]

eBay insists on inserting inaccurate information into book listings, contradicting the accurate information provided by the seller.  This confuses the buyer and makes the seller look like an incompetent idiot.  Can anything be done about this?

[hartungcards]

Yes, edit your listings.

[1786davycrockett]

@yaddith 

@hartungcards 

One of the more recent problems which I've been encountering on some of my older listings, is the addition of information to my book listings of item specifics which I know I had NEVER entered at the time when I had originally listed these items.

For instance -- eBay has deliberately (and without warning or permission) added ISBN numbers to several of my listings -- and those ISBN codes do NOT match the particular editions of the books which I have listed!  The publishing information may be incorrect, including publisher, page count, subject matter, illustrated (or not illustrated), author's name (or names), genre -- and even whether the book is a hardcover, mass market paperback, or trade paperback.

In addition, some of these listings now include the weight of each book, as well as the dimensions of the book -- none of which were included in my initial listings.

While I am aware that eBay thought that they were being "helpful," it is obvious that they are simply demonstrating once again that eBay knows absolutely NOTHING about the book business -- and I wish that they would stop pretending, as it is harmful for sellers who may be confronted with NAD claims made by buyers, due to eBay's incessant meddling and addition of incorrect  and inaccurate item specifics.

And I have over 3000 book listings -- so it's not realistic to expect me to go back and edit each and every item.

[yaddith]

I've tried that, but unfortunately eBay is so proud of its garbage that it won't allow me to remove it.

[b86fiero]

This has been an ongoing issue for several years, ever since one of the huge book sellers miscategorized thousands of fiction books as cookbooks. Additionally not every ISBN assigned to different printings and reprintings of a single title appear in eBay's catalog.

When I sold hardcover fiction books I attempted to add ISBN numbers to the eBay catalog to no avail.

I recall having to list without the ISBN number and occasionally using a upc number instead.  

[brightlightbookseller]

I usually have removed the ISBN (maybe adding it under a custom Item Specific named something different if I thought searching by it was likely) and just entered the details manually in those cases.  I agree, it's frustrating.  You can also report those problems, though I forget now the procedure because I stopped bothering.

[chapeau-noir · Accepted solution]

I don't use ISBN, etc. as I've known for years that eBay's catalog is incomplete or incorrect.

[ittybitnot]

- eBay has deliberately (and without warning or permission) added ISBN numbers to several of my listings --

@1786davycrockett 

That is creepy.  Isn't it still the ISBN number that adds/populates automatically the albeit incorrect info from the eBay catalog?  I know it used to do it for me when I tried to sell books....I would look at the listing and see a picture of the book that looked nothing like the one I had in my hand.  Back then an ISBN number was not required, but I did show it in a photo to avoid any drama and prevent the auto insertion by eBay. 

[yaddith]

Thanks!  I guess the best answer is just to forget about listing the ISBN.  I don't think many people search by this anyway.  it's too bad we have to work around eBay's stupidity.

[kensgiftshop]

The first and only item I listed using their catalog information was a book and only about half of the information they provided was right.

It took more time making changes then it would if I just entered everything myself to begin with.