Item Specifics

[katzrul15]

So................

On all these category changes today - when you go to what used to be Dolls & Bears and then there were many, many choices for a category and now there is just 1.  (Like Curly in the movie - "1")

ALL of the item specifics that I spent days and hours refining - they are ALL gone.  Nothing there - poof, see ya, nada, GOODBYE............

Are they putting these BACK into the listings and today is JUST a transition or am I about to have to re-new my Friendship with Mr Belvedere???  And in the meantime, search is just "search" with no refinements and no way probably anyone will find these Holiday Barbies I worked to be politically correct on?

[bids-n-bargains-r-us]

I was going to start selling again to make some money for the holidays.  I'm not selling until they put the item specifics back.  It's impossible to even find something you want to buy so why would I waste my time trying to sell?  If you want to buy new sneakers, look under fresh oranges.  You might find a pair there. 

[bids-n-bargains-r-us]

And, just when I thought it couldn't get any worse.  Keep sawing ebay, maybe someday you'll see the light.  

[mr_lincoln]

Hey velvet@ebay  thanks for jumping in on this thread.  I have some questions and missed the Chat today ... I noticed on my Business Tool Listing Templates for model train cars that the Item Specific area has changed (see pic below for reference).

-There is NO "Required" Item Specific area any more and it used to be JUST the two items "Brand" and "MPN" in orange boxes below.

-Now there is "Required soon" in two places (orange arrows) and my question is do those pertain to BOTH columns of Item Specifics in total or just the top two in each column.

-If indeed ALL these Item Specifics will become REQUIRED then there will be problems because a number of those are hard to find, not available or don't even apply for Model Railroading categories but more importantly, not used by Buyers in Search. 

-The green arrows just point to the separation lines between sections ... above the top one is the picture grid and the below the bottom one is "Additional" item Specifics

[velvet@ebay]

---

@mr_lincoln wrote:

Hey velvet@ebay  thanks for jumping in on this thread.  I have some questions and missed the Chat today ... I noticed on my Business Tool Listing Templates for model train cars that the Item Specific area has changed (see pic below for reference).

-There is NO "Required" Item Specific area any more and it used to be JUST the two items "Brand" and "MPN" in orange boxes below.

-Now there is "Required soon" in two places (orange arrows) and my question is do those pertain to BOTH columns of Item Specifics in total or just the top two in each column.

-If indeed ALL these Item Specifics will become REQUIRED then there will be problems because a number of those are hard to find, not available or don't even apply for Model Railroading categories but more importantly, not used by Buyers in Search. 

-The green arrows just point to the separation lines between sections ... above the top one is the picture grid and the below the bottom one is "Additional" item Specifics

---

Good morning @mr_lincoln! I'd be happy to go into a little more detail about how this is working.  I'll start by saying things may not quite look normal yet. There will be required item specifics in the end though. So those new, soon-to-be-required item specifics you're seeing will become required by Feb 22, 2022.

During this transition, item specifics that you have already filled in will be maintained for you as the category moves are completed. Most should be done within 48 hours but as I noted above and has now been updated here, it could take up to a week. All of the additional item specifics you're seeing won't be required, but as always, the more you're able to fill out, the better visibility your listings have to buyers. 

[mr_lincoln]

---

velvet@ebay wrote:

---

@mr_lincoln wrote:

Hey velvet@ebay  thanks for jumping in on this thread.  I have some questions and missed the Chat today ... I noticed on my Business Tool Listing Templates for model train cars that the Item Specific area has changed (see pic below for reference).

-There is NO "Required" Item Specific area any more and it used to be JUST the two items "Brand" and "MPN" in orange boxes below.

-Now there is "Required soon" in two places (orange arrows) and my question is do those pertain to BOTH columns of Item Specifics in total or just the top two in each column.

-If indeed ALL these Item Specifics will become REQUIRED then there will be problems because a number of those are hard to find, not available or don't even apply for Model Railroading categories but more importantly, not used by Buyers in Search. 

-The green arrows just point to the separation lines between sections ... above the top one is the picture grid and the below the bottom one is "Additional" item Specifics

---

Good morning @mr_lincoln! I'd be happy to go into a little more detail about how this is working.  I'll start by saying things may not quite look normal yet. There will be required item specifics in the end though. So those new, soon-to-be-required item specifics you're seeing will become required by Feb 22, 2022.

During this transition, item specifics that you have already filled in will be maintained for you as the category moves are completed. Most should be done within 48 hours but as I noted above and has now been updated here, it could take up to a week. All of the additional item specifics you're seeing won't be required, but as always, the more you're able to fill out, the better visibility your listings have to buyers. 

---

Thanks for the reply velvet@ebay ... and can we clarify one point.  In my pic I show 10 Item Specifics that are listed as Recommended now but have notations at the top of the two columns"Required soon" ... which mean Feb 22 next year.  Now please confirm that you mean ALL 10 will eventually become Required ... is that what you are saying?

Mr. L

[katzrul15]

My views on the dolls we have listed are now pretty non-existent.  And ours are sponsored and still nothing in the way of views, so certainly no sales.

[hotproperties]

I have been doing this INSANE ITEM **bleep** since August 2020, with a store that has 2700 listings. WHAT A FN waste of time EBAY has become, if I could I would leave tomorrow, I would. Their IT personal has got to be THE WORST on the planet. To delete all the listings info or say 90% of the content has no business on any Platform Change. EBay cares less about what a SELLER has to endure. Just one sellers opinion. Good Luck trying to sell something, they must all be working for Amazon.

[4_seasons_hobbies_and_collectibles]

They did the same for HO trains  that had over 400,000 items within that category and now lumped use into Model Trains .... no sale here now for a week. 

[katzrul15]

@4_seasons_hobbies_and_collectibles 

Sorry to hear - unfortunately it is happening to so many of us.  

[4_seasons_hobbies_and_collectibles]

Typical , these Companies "think " they need to change something, go ahead and d it, then wonder why they are losing business and $$$$ too.  I no sell, they get no Fee$$$$$ . 

[velvet@ebay]

---

@mr_lincoln wrote:

---

velvet@ebay wrote:

---

@mr_lincoln wrote:

Hey velvet@ebay  thanks for jumping in on this thread.  I have some questions and missed the Chat today ... I noticed on my Business Tool Listing Templates for model train cars that the Item Specific area has changed (see pic below for reference).

-There is NO "Required" Item Specific area any more and it used to be JUST the two items "Brand" and "MPN" in orange boxes below.

-Now there is "Required soon" in two places (orange arrows) and my question is do those pertain to BOTH columns of Item Specifics in total or just the top two in each column.

-If indeed ALL these Item Specifics will become REQUIRED then there will be problems because a number of those are hard to find, not available or don't even apply for Model Railroading categories but more importantly, not used by Buyers in Search. 

-The green arrows just point to the separation lines between sections ... above the top one is the picture grid and the below the bottom one is "Additional" item Specifics

---

Good morning @mr_lincoln! I'd be happy to go into a little more detail about how this is working.  I'll start by saying things may not quite look normal yet. There will be required item specifics in the end though. So those new, soon-to-be-required item specifics you're seeing will become required by Feb 22, 2022.

During this transition, item specifics that you have already filled in will be maintained for you as the category moves are completed. Most should be done within 48 hours but as I noted above and has now been updated here, it could take up to a week. All of the additional item specifics you're seeing won't be required, but as always, the more you're able to fill out, the better visibility your listings have to buyers. 

---

Thanks for the reply velvet@ebay ... and can we clarify one point.  In my pic I show 10 Item Specifics that are listed as Recommended now but have notations at the top of the two columns"Required soon" ... which mean Feb 22 next year.  Now please confirm that you mean ALL 10 will eventually become Required ... is that what you are saying?

Mr. L

---

Sorry for any confusion @mr_lincoln but the entire column won't be required, just where it's noted by each box/dropdown menu. 😊

[mr_lincoln]

---

velvet@ebay wrote:

---

@mr_lincoln wrote:

---

velvet@ebay wrote:

---

@mr_lincoln wrote:

Hey velvet@ebay  thanks for jumping in on this thread.  I have some questions and missed the Chat today ... I noticed on my Business Tool Listing Templates for model train cars that the Item Specific area has changed (see pic below for reference).

-There is NO "Required" Item Specific area any more and it used to be JUST the two items "Brand" and "MPN" in orange boxes below.

-Now there is "Required soon" in two places (orange arrows) and my question is do those pertain to BOTH columns of Item Specifics in total or just the top two in each column.

-If indeed ALL these Item Specifics will become REQUIRED then there will be problems because a number of those are hard to find, not available or don't even apply for Model Railroading categories but more importantly, not used by Buyers in Search. 

-The green arrows just point to the separation lines between sections ... above the top one is the picture grid and the below the bottom one is "Additional" item Specifics

---

Good morning @mr_lincoln! I'd be happy to go into a little more detail about how this is working.  I'll start by saying things may not quite look normal yet. There will be required item specifics in the end though. So those new, soon-to-be-required item specifics you're seeing will become required by Feb 22, 2022.

During this transition, item specifics that you have already filled in will be maintained for you as the category moves are completed. Most should be done within 48 hours but as I noted above and has now been updated here, it could take up to a week. All of the additional item specifics you're seeing won't be required, but as always, the more you're able to fill out, the better visibility your listings have to buyers. 

---

Thanks for the reply velvet@ebay ... and can we clarify one point.  In my pic I show 10 Item Specifics that are listed as Recommended now but have notations at the top of the two columns"Required soon" ... which mean Feb 22 next year.  Now please confirm that you mean ALL 10 will eventually become Required ... is that what you are saying?

Mr. L

---

Sorry for any confusion @mr_lincoln but the entire column won't be required, just where it's noted by each box/dropdown menu. 😊

---

Hi again velvet@ebay  ... no worries about the "confusion", it may take a little for this to get dialed in so I guess we're in that tweaking phase.  Okay, let me address your last comment and again just to clarify from my specific example.  The orange outlined ones WERE the old Required Item Specifics (IS), those were BRAND and MPN.  Per your reply " ... the entire column won't be required, just where it's noted by each box/dropdown menu." Is eBay saying the two noted above "GAUGE" and "TYPE" will be the ONLY TWO going forward OR when using the dropdown menu it will indicate if an IS is Required or Recommended?

On a side note, one thread on The Community deals directly with Model Railroading and some Buyers have complained that they can not search by GAUGE any more just to snoop around ... searches are returning more then the GAUGE they want to look through.  I've experienced similar issues doing Sold Search for sales research, I have seen different GAUGE lots returned even though I do not specify GAUGE in the title search. 

[velvet@ebay]

---

@mr_lincoln wrote:

---

velvet@ebay wrote:

---

@mr_lincoln wrote:

---

velvet@ebay wrote:

---

@mr_lincoln wrote:

Hey velvet@ebay  thanks for jumping in on this thread.  I have some questions and missed the Chat today ... I noticed on my Business Tool Listing Templates for model train cars that the Item Specific area has changed (see pic below for reference).

-There is NO "Required" Item Specific area any more and it used to be JUST the two items "Brand" and "MPN" in orange boxes below.

-Now there is "Required soon" in two places (orange arrows) and my question is do those pertain to BOTH columns of Item Specifics in total or just the top two in each column.

-If indeed ALL these Item Specifics will become REQUIRED then there will be problems because a number of those are hard to find, not available or don't even apply for Model Railroading categories but more importantly, not used by Buyers in Search. 

-The green arrows just point to the separation lines between sections ... above the top one is the picture grid and the below the bottom one is "Additional" item Specifics

---

Good morning @mr_lincoln! I'd be happy to go into a little more detail about how this is working.  I'll start by saying things may not quite look normal yet. There will be required item specifics in the end though. So those new, soon-to-be-required item specifics you're seeing will become required by Feb 22, 2022.

During this transition, item specifics that you have already filled in will be maintained for you as the category moves are completed. Most should be done within 48 hours but as I noted above and has now been updated here, it could take up to a week. All of the additional item specifics you're seeing won't be required, but as always, the more you're able to fill out, the better visibility your listings have to buyers. 

---

Thanks for the reply velvet@ebay ... and can we clarify one point.  In my pic I show 10 Item Specifics that are listed as Recommended now but have notations at the top of the two columns"Required soon" ... which mean Feb 22 next year.  Now please confirm that you mean ALL 10 will eventually become Required ... is that what you are saying?

Mr. L

---

Sorry for any confusion @mr_lincoln but the entire column won't be required, just where it's noted by each box/dropdown menu. 😊

---

Hi again velvet@ebay  ... no worries about the "confusion", it may take a little for this to get dialed in so I guess we're in that tweaking phase.  Okay, let me address your last comment and again just to clarify from my specific example.  The orange outlined ones WERE the old Required Item Specifics (IS), those were BRAND and MPN.  Per your reply " ... the entire column won't be required, just where it's noted by each box/dropdown menu." Is eBay saying the two noted above "GAUGE" and "TYPE" will be the ONLY TWO going forward OR when using the dropdown menu it will indicate if an IS is Required or Recommended?

On a side note, one thread on The Community deals directly with Model Railroading and some Buyers have complained that they can not search by GAUGE any more just to snoop around ... searches are returning more then the GAUGE they want to look through.  I've experienced similar issues doing Sold Search for sales research, I have seen different GAUGE lots returned even though I do not specify GAUGE in the title search. 

---

Right now, based off your screen shot @mr_lincoln, it looks like Brand and MPN are recommended but not required. Come February 2022, it looks like Gauge and Type will be required. Since things are still being updated though, I would go off of what's currently showing as required and be sure you include that info. 

[mr_lincoln]

---

velvet@ebay wrote:

---

@mr_lincoln wrote:

---

velvet@ebay wrote:

---

@mr_lincoln wrote:

---

velvet@ebay wrote:

---

@mr_lincoln wrote:

Hey velvet@ebay  thanks for jumping in on this thread.  I have some questions and missed the Chat today ... I noticed on my Business Tool Listing Templates for model train cars that the Item Specific area has changed (see pic below for reference).

-There is NO "Required" Item Specific area any more and it used to be JUST the two items "Brand" and "MPN" in orange boxes below.

-Now there is "Required soon" in two places (orange arrows) and my question is do those pertain to BOTH columns of Item Specifics in total or just the top two in each column.

-If indeed ALL these Item Specifics will become REQUIRED then there will be problems because a number of those are hard to find, not available or don't even apply for Model Railroading categories but more importantly, not used by Buyers in Search. 

-The green arrows just point to the separation lines between sections ... above the top one is the picture grid and the below the bottom one is "Additional" item Specifics

---

Good morning @mr_lincoln! I'd be happy to go into a little more detail about how this is working.  I'll start by saying things may not quite look normal yet. There will be required item specifics in the end though. So those new, soon-to-be-required item specifics you're seeing will become required by Feb 22, 2022.

During this transition, item specifics that you have already filled in will be maintained for you as the category moves are completed. Most should be done within 48 hours but as I noted above and has now been updated here, it could take up to a week. All of the additional item specifics you're seeing won't be required, but as always, the more you're able to fill out, the better visibility your listings have to buyers. 

---

Thanks for the reply velvet@ebay ... and can we clarify one point.  In my pic I show 10 Item Specifics that are listed as Recommended now but have notations at the top of the two columns"Required soon" ... which mean Feb 22 next year.  Now please confirm that you mean ALL 10 will eventually become Required ... is that what you are saying?

Mr. L

---

Sorry for any confusion @mr_lincoln but the entire column won't be required, just where it's noted by each box/dropdown menu. 😊

---

Hi again velvet@ebay  ... no worries about the "confusion", it may take a little for this to get dialed in so I guess we're in that tweaking phase.  Okay, let me address your last comment and again just to clarify from my specific example.  The orange outlined ones WERE the old Required Item Specifics (IS), those were BRAND and MPN.  Per your reply " ... the entire column won't be required, just where it's noted by each box/dropdown menu." Is eBay saying the two noted above "GAUGE" and "TYPE" will be the ONLY TWO going forward OR when using the dropdown menu it will indicate if an IS is Required or Recommended?

On a side note, one thread on The Community deals directly with Model Railroading and some Buyers have complained that they can not search by GAUGE any more just to snoop around ... searches are returning more then the GAUGE they want to look through.  I've experienced similar issues doing Sold Search for sales research, I have seen different GAUGE lots returned even though I do not specify GAUGE in the title search. 

---

Right now, based off your screen shot @mr_lincoln, it looks like Brand and MPN are recommended but not required. Come February 2022, it looks like Gauge and Type will be required. Since things are still being updated though, I would go off of what's currently showing as required and be sure you include that info. 

---

Thank you velvet@ebay , that clarifies it for now based on what I am seeing on the new IS layout on the Business Listing tool.  I think I mentioned previously that some of the potential IS shown on my pic may be difficult for Sellers to even attain or they may not even apply.  I think what may happen, especially for the casual Seller who is just trying to get rid of things, they may make up answers for some of the IS blocks that they do not know.  I suppose that that may be a topic for a different thread ...

Regards,

Mr. L

[merrysu]

The item specfics changes are awful. Let us say what we want about our items, we shouldn't be forced into eBay's descriptors. Also, since they changed categories many of my items have ended up in totally wrong categories. Having to scrutinize over 300 listings is huge drag and I'm guessing won't result in better sales. Grrrrr!