We had to remove one or more of your listings for not following our Standard sizing policy
Summary: trains23107 expressed frustration over eBay's Standard Sizing Policy, which led to the removal of several listings due to inaccurate size labeling. The policy requires sellers to choose from predefined sizes that often do not match the manufacturers' specific labels, leading to confusion and potential inaccuracies. Other participants shared similar grievances, with some considering moving their products to other platforms. Additionally, sellers discussed challenges related to eBay fees and shipping costs impacting profitability, with some noting unpredictable shipping rate structures.
Several of my listings were recently removed for incorrect sizing.
I’ve been selling on eBay for 23 years, and I sometimes wish more things were still like they were in the beginning. I actually made fairly good money back then, and sellers could rate buyers fairly—not just positively.
If you’ve been on eBay for years, you know that eBay is constantly changing things. Unfortunately, many of those changes have made selling more frustrating and less profitable over the years. I used to have an eBay store with about 90% new merchandise, but I gave that up several years ago because it simply wasn’t profitable enough anymore.
The Standard Sizing Policy
The Standard Sizing Policy has to be one of the more nonsensical across-the-board changes eBay has made. Blanket policies don’t always make sense for every type of product.
I had several listings pulled because of this policy, and several of them were socks. One package of women’s socks was clearly marked:
Size 9–11 — Shoe Size 4–10
It’s printed right on the package. Still, I received the notice:
“We had to remove one or more of your listings for not following our Standard sizing policy.”
That makes no sense to me. eBay wants me to choose Small, Medium, Large, etc., when the manufacturer clearly identifies the socks as Size 9–11, Shoe Size 4–10. Isn’t that the specific information a buyer really needs when buying socks? I know I always buy my own socks in size 10–13.
So, I had to change the listing to my best guess of Medium. The package doesn’t say Medium, and I honestly don’t know whether these women’s socks would officially be considered Medium. But eBay accepted the revision, and the listing is live again.
I have several more listings to fix when I get around to it. For this one, I added this prominently to the description:
“Please note: These socks are Size 9–11, Shoe Size 4–10.”
In other words, I had to select a less-specific size that isn’t printed anywhere on the product just to satisfy the policy, while making sure the actual manufacturer’s sizing is clearly stated in the listing.
Ridiculous and aggravating.
One more gripe while I’m here: eBay Fees and Postal Rates
Between eBay’s increasingly high fees and today’s postal rates, selling inexpensive items is barely worth the time and effort anymore.
There are times when the Post Office makes as much or more from a transaction than I do. Then factor in eBay fees, packing materials, peanuts, bubble wrap, labels, ink, tape, boxes, and everything else, and the seller can end up on the short end—especially with lower-priced merchandise.
The postal changes affecting Ground Advantage Commercial rates have made selling some small, lightweight items even more difficult. With the move away from the old ounce-based pricing structure for sub-pound packages, destination can make a surprisingly large difference in the shipping cost.
Thankfully, for eBay sellers using eBay shipping and its negotiated platform rates, the biggest impact seems to be with rural ZIP codes and certain non-contiguous destinations. But that can still mean the same small package might cost around $4–$5 to ship to one location and $7–$8.40 or more to another.
For items selling for only $10 or $15, there sometimes isn’t much profit left.
I just had a sale where I made less than $3.00, the Post Office got $8.40, and eBay got $2.70. That pretty much says it all.
And here’s another strange one I’ve discovered: Sometimes entering a higher package weight actually produces a lower shipping price.
For example, I recently had a package that actually weighed 9 ounces. I checked the rates and found that 15 ounces cost the same—but 1 pound, 2 ounces was actually cheaper!
So, of course, I purchased the 1-pound, 2-ounce label.
Go figure!
Well, that’s my two cents after 23 years of selling on eBay.
ruby_c_took
·yesterday at 8:28 PM · EditedHad a similar experience with the 'standard sizing'. Absolutely infuriating to be required to listing something with a size that is counter to what is on the actual packaging. I've got a pair of Vera Bradley flip-flops for sale (that I need to lower the price on as well, likely) and they're size S (5-6), which is pretty standard for flip-flops that don't use single number sizes. HOWEVER, there are no S/M/L options for the shoe category and no size ranges, either.
I had previously entered a custom value but they suspended the listing until I chose a value. So I had to choose size 5 or 6--which is inaccurate. I left my title with the correct info, the description as well, and the photos show the packaging with the sizing clearly, but I hate that eBay is making me chose item specifics that don't apply.
Edit: Oh, and I think Medium was your best option for the size you had to chose for the socks, btw. Not optimal or accurate but if I had to guess a letter size for that size of women's socks I would have said either Small or Medium, and would have gone with Medium as well.
may-grayllc
·3 days agooh, I just discovered this absurd sizing update. We sell kids clothes- sizes differ by brand. I have a shirt listed in toddler boys and big boys- however, there isn't even size option for boys bigger than toddler. Can't add it. I think someone who has NEVER worked in apparel has come up with this genius idea. It is not worth the time for me.
authentic*vintage
·5 days agoEvery now and then it pays to bulk edit your listings to see what warnings there may be on your listings
trains23107
OP4 days agoTrue, but this was a nonsensical burden to place on sellers, and it actually makes many listings less accurate. I found that choosing the non-corresponding size eBay wants still lets me list the correct size of the clothing item in the title and description. Example: eBay item number: 234969834447. They also pulled some listings for this reason (This listing was removed for violating our Fashion Size Standardization policy), but when I click Resolve, some aren't actually in the Resolution Hub. So there is no way to edit or revise. I will have to recreate the entire listing anew.
robot-hands
·5 days ago · EditedI had a pair of shoes pulled for being size M/L which is right on the tag from the manufacturer.
...but ebay obviously knows better than the company that makes the shoe.
Novelty socks pack as well. There was no need for ebay to get more involved in the selling of packs of Mario & Luigi socks
trains23107
OP5 days agoNo need at all
nath-24693
·5 days agothe good old days on eBay is gone, eBay is run by greedy ,lazy people now,who has Ai,targeting sellers
inhawaii
·5 days ago2 of my listings were taken down yesterday.
I made the necessary corrections and re-listed.
robot-hands
·5 days ago · EditedDid those changes make your listings inaccurate or nonsensical?
trains23107
OP5 days agoAbsolutely ridiculous.
robot-hands
·4 days ago · EditedI know right. Ebay making sellers use sizing that isn't consistent with the manufacturer is insane.
fm2000
·5 days ago · EditedI had the exact same problem selling vintage nylon stockings. eBay pulled some of my listings for not using their "standard sizes". There is no "A" or "XS" or "20" size for those, that is not how they are sized/measured, and no one interested in them is going to search by made-up eBay sizes. I have to put a close-as-possible "fake eBay" size in and explain in big bold letters in the description "the real size is 9M, ignore the eBay size" and hope they do. 9M is a "real size" for those items, "A" is not, and this size system has been standardized and in use since WWII, I am not making it up.
trains23107
OP5 days agoExactly
authentic*vintage
·5 days agosame
susan9491
·6 days agohi,, same thing just happened to me with 6 listings due to size 'violations' . Many clothing items, especially jean brands have odd sizes as well as even sizes, i.e. 25, 27, 29, 31. But EBAY won't let you actually put the correct size!! and makes you choose a size smaller or larger in the listing - it makes no sense whatsoever - I have been selling for 25 years and this is getting so frustrating - probably have a lot of those sizes listed and just waiting for EBAY to tell me I have to change listing or it will be deleted. How is this good for buyers who are actually looking for specific sizes?
kickin.assets
·6 days agoHad this happen today also to several items. Guys swim trunks. Tagged size 33 … eBay? Nope. You can be a 32 or a 34. No 33! WTH kind of BS is this? Oh and 12P jeans? Again, no. 10P or 14P. Absolutely ridiculous nonsense and a huge time suck having to revise sizes that retail stores carry but eBay decides don’t exist?!? SMH
mamacassidy
·6 days agoI had it happen as well.
There were some I re-listed. For instance, I have a couple of women's suits that are Plus Size Petite (24WP) but there is not an option for that. So I just listed it as the Plus Size 24W and wrote out the word Petite. It's not great, but I guess it'll do.
But there were some I'm not willing to take that chance on. I have a men's blazer that's a 41 and I have a couple of men's pants that are 33 and I'm not willing to list the wrong size. Those are just being listed on another platform.
frugalmarketplace
·6 days agoIf more people moved inventory maybe they would wake up. I remember when shoes came in real widths. I needed a AA…they wouldn’t know what to do with that.
fm2000
·5 days agoI noticed there are no "WP" sizes either, makes me wonder if anyone who implemented this knew about clothing sizes at all. WP sizes are very hard to come by and can be lucrative.
Sad to say some other platforms are following eBay's lead in requiring a limited number of fixed sizes (that are not even standardized to begin with.) Unbelievable.
trains23107
OP5 days agoProbably some eBay tech person who has never sold anything. 🧐
mamacassidy
·5 days ago"probably some ebay tech person"
Which makes it even crazier to me!
In this day and age of ebay using AI, we should be able to input ANYTHING into the size, and the search should be able to pull that up. There is no need for them to eliminate sizes to "optimize" the search.
deltilogical
·4 days ago...or, this technology IS limiting by design and implentation...
kickin.assets
·5 days agoOr mom still buys his clothes …
may-grayllc
·yesterday at 4:04 PMExactly. It was someone how has NO idea how the clothing industry works! We sell clothes here, just excess stock, so we don't have to sell here. We are leaving because of this nonsense. I cannot put up with ignorance.
reclaimed_denim
·6 days agoI've been selling about the same amount of time and totally agree with you!
I just had to revise a denim skirt which is tagged a size 25 to a size 0, because eBay hasn't incorporated "waist sizing" as an item specific in the skirts category and doesn't include waist sizing under standard sizing. If feel like skirts and shorts categories haven't been keeping up with new policy updates for awhile now. I just created my own item specific for waist size, so I think that should cover me... but yeah, it's annoying.
And, USPS shipping costs are crazy high and unpredictable. I'm going to have to raise prices again with the holiday shipping increase, which has never made sense to me. I mean, they're getting a ton more business at this time, but then turn around and charge more money and announce shipping delays. It feels like paying more for less. I might be more onboard if they limited it to the month of December, but no one is shipping their holiday packages in October! Definitely feeling the frustration more than ever this year.
tobaccocardyahoo
·6 days agoThere once was a time when mass market retail clearance merchandise could be bought for a below wholesale cost.
That time passed long ago, and online sellers on Ebay and other sites who relied upon such merchandise had to adapt or drop certain types of merchandise.
I see no pattern to what you offer and sell. I assume it is whatever the numbers tell you might meet your profit goal when you encounter it.
That is mighty tough to deal with because the new merchandise many sellers can find either does not have enough margin or is merchandise which did not sell well in its original channels.
I've been selling online a long time, and the number of categories I list in has decreased with the changes in the market, the Ebay buyer and the amount of effort I want to put into each sale.
Ebay's cut of my sales has been pretty consistent but shipping has increased several times a year.
Many items I could count on selling quickly do not sell quickly any more.
I have had a month where most of my sales have been items which have been listed for years. I cannot explain it. I suspect that maybe these older listings had lower shipping charges than current shipping. But the amount I have lost on shipping for these items has been lower than if I ran a 10% off sale on these items.
I had a long time buyer return and place a multiple items order which brought a so so month up to an acceptable sales level. Thank God for long time buyers.
I have items which are bought by return buyers because they collect them and I try to always have something in the areas of collecting which sell for me.
Unfortunately, Ebay is no longer a great place to run a yard sale. You need to be more like a store.
ashleyswan
·6 days agoFor example, I recently had a package that actually weighed 9 ounces. I checked the rates and found that 15 ounces cost the same—but 1 pound, 2 ounces was actually cheaper!
So, of course, I purchased the 1-pound, 2-ounce label.
I saw on another feed that someone did this and the USPS weighs the items and if caught, will charge - so be careful!
trains23107
OP6 days agoI did think that might happen. I brought it to the post office, and he weighed it in front of me. I saw him take a long look, but it went through as-is. It still might get caught, I suppose. If so, maybe next time I'll add some rocks to get the lower rate, lol. Sounds completely silly to get a cheaper rate for more weight. CRAZY
frugalmarketplace
·6 days agoI had that on a couple of items…One was a summer coverup and it was S-L, and it also came in XL-3X, another was kids slippers. It is so absolutely stupid. I moved both items to another platform. just not playing that idiotic game.