No more categories......

[bimm_corp]

According to the eBay Spring Update 2021, most comics categories are being eliminated and most comics are being lumped into a new general category, "Comics & Graphic Novels". What do you think?

[comics-scifi-collectibles]

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@bimm_corp wrote:

According to the eBay Spring Update 2021, most comics categories are being eliminated and most comics are being lumped into a new general category, "Comics & Graphic Novels". What do you think?

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I haven't taken the time yet to read all of the details of the update.  Not sure what to think other than that if it means that graphic novels will no longer be charged the book rate it's a good thing..... off to read in a bit.  

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your feedback on the planned changes in Comics and Graphic Novel categories. Instead of being eliminated the current very granular categories are being replaced by Item Specifics. This allows us to react more quickly to add missing values and topics in the fast changing world of comics instead of waiting for the next set of category changes to make any updates. This change will also add flexibility to both how sellers list and buyers search. This change will also add flexibility to both how sellers list and buyers search. For example in the case of crossover events sellers can multiselect characters and we can make this visible to buyers. If you want to see what the experience will be like I recommend you look at the eBay UK site where we have already made this transition:   https://www.ebay.co.uk/b/American-Comics/259103/bn_16570923.  Thank you again for taking the time to share this valuable feedback, and for choosing eBay! Kind regards, Arthur

[nyvaluecomics]

I think categories are overrated. Most collectors know what they are looking for and can narrow it down through search terms. But for someone new to comic collecting it may be harder to find what they want.

[bimm_corp]

@Anonymous 

Thanks for your info. As with most eBay changes, there are bound to be problems with implementing Item Specifics. One I have issue with immediately is the Features specific in Comics. Many of my items contain collections of mixed titles, publishers and issues. There is only one selection available under Features in Item Specifics, "Complete Collection". This designation is incorrect for my mixed lots and it would be misleading to buyers to use it for these items. eBay still sends nagging tags about these items and continues to suggest that they need to have this specific. More selections are needed under the Features specific, such as Mixed Lot, Mixed Publishers, etc. Thanks for listening.

[blombo]

As of right now I hate this category system.  I do not collect modern books books and this new system makes it very hard to browse. 

[ckf.415]

This category system is absolutely horrible for the following reasons:

1. Yes I may be searching for a specific book, but that book is bound to have a thousand reprints which I now have to sift through to find what I actually want. Now that I can no longer use the era of comics which I am looking for as a filter, it is impossible to avoid this.

2. I do not collect modern comic books, and the majority of comic books listed on eBay are modern books. This means that in order to find older books, I cannot simply search "Comics > Bronze Age/Silver Age/Golden Age > Superhero > Batman" .  Again, makes everything much harder to find.

3. As both a buyer and a seller, this makes filler books, even expensive ones far more difficult to buy/sell. eBay likely doesn't understand the comic book market, but there are keys and filler. Keys are the books that people actively seek out, and filler books are ones that people will occasionally seek out, but for the most part will purchase for their collection when they see it and if the price is right. This is common with golden age books, where filler tends to command huge prices. The books may not be keys, and may not be searched for, but nonetheless they are expensive and without the golden age category, will get a hell of a lot less views.

I hope eBay considers that, because whatever form it takes, the eras of comic books must exist as a means for buyers to locate what they want.

[ckf.415]

@Anonymous 

[bimm_corp]

@ckt415

> the eras of comic books must exist as a means for buyers to locate what they want.

As you may have noticed @Anonymous  did not respond to my problem with item specifics. I doubt you will get a response to your problem. I did note that an "Era" selection is available in Item Specifics and I have used this on occasion when listing Golden Age books.

Don't expect much help from eBay; they are too busy helping thieving buyers use eBay policies to steal from honest sellers.

[sysm1984]

Please revert. This change is horrible. Why change things that are working just fine? I also can't edit some of my listings due to this change. 

[starblazer100]

Why would I want to enter 7-8 search terms just because they want to do away with categories which narrow the focus of the search in a much less cumbersome way?

[victorycomicsgroup]

Incredibly damaging move by ebay.  I'm a seller but also a buyer of golden age books.  Impossible to search now.  Not going to root through 24000+ batman listing to find the golden age books.  Same with action comics.  My personal collecting purchases will now be almost nonexistent on ebay.  Sure ill still look for keys i can resell but ebay has put a stake in the collectors ability to search and buy.  You have to be able to search by era.  Period.  

[cpbseller11]

Unfortunately, the changes they've made add more categories for sellers to have to sift through in order to list comics. 

I'm not sure who these modifications are aimed at.  It doesn't streamline listing comics.  There is nothing helpful about the process.  Not sure how it will affect buyers but as a seller I do not like it.

[pazsky1]

As a buyer and seller for 35+ years, you couldn't have made a more erroneous statement- try searching  for Amazing Spiderman #6 (silver-age) with no "Silver Age Comics" category. Go ahead. You'll get THOUSANDS of listings, every title with the word "Spiderman" and every #6 issue. It's ridiculous to change this and will hurt my sales as well. Nobody wants to waste time digging for a book when the system wasn't broken to begin with.

[wife_is_making_me_sell_these]

I’ll just be selling and buying used on Amazon and online comic retailers now. It’s too bad. I used to enjoy searching for issues to buy and listing issues to sell on ebay until now.