tree*fern
ShipScript has been an eBay Community volunteer since 2003, specializing in HTML, CSS, Scripts, Photos, Active Content, Technical Solutions, and online Seller Tools.
alan@ebay Could this board remain open beyond June 10? If not, it would be helpful to have one place / path to report problems.
Question: Which Item Specifics fields can have more than one keyword (separated by a comma), and which can have only one?
@Anonymous , generally how long does it take for a necessary change like adding Staple-bound to the Books IS Format list?
I had a batch of staple-bound booklets ready to list, but now cannot add that format, and the other selections aren't appropriate.
I suppose Staple-bound could be added as a Special Attribute (and drop Illustrated as the Special Attribute), but that isn't a great solution as it would have to be changed later.
We hope eBay fixes their category-based Item Specifics downloader soon.
https://developer.ebay.com/tools/item-specifics
Here is a sneak preview of a tool that will extract data from eBay's file above and will convert it into a bulk editing tool with droplists to repopulate your listing Item Specifics. As mentioned, some Item Specific fields will be required (the tool will mark those headers in red), some are predefined by eBay, some are user-definable (with a list of popular options), some are multi-selects, and some have dependencies, like "Modified Item" (Yes/No) that will have a dependent field to describe the modification (not shown here).
@Anonymous wrote:Yes, you can submit issue with the June 10th changes as well. I do see Ring/Wire Bound as a option but not the format you desire. New values are published daily as they become approved.
Thanks! But Ring/Wire Bound isn't an optional substitute for Staple-bound, as they're not the same format at all (unless perhaps I wanted to invite a return for Not As Described).
I think the workaround in the meantime would be to use Sell Similar from an older listing for a staple-bound book.
@Anonymous
The bindery term is "Saddle stitched", but I doubt that most buyers would know that means "stapled". 
We saddle-stitched our smaller books, and used perfect-binding on the larger books we published.
@shipscript wrote:@Anonymous
The bindery term is "Saddle stitched", but I doubt that most buyers would know that means "stapled".
Yes, exactly! 😉
@Anonymous
"Staple-bound" could mean one staple up in the left corner, staples down the left margin, or saddle-stitched in the gutter. Are you sure you want to use that term?
If you do use the correct bindery terms saddle stitch and side-stitch, please include the word staple so that buyers understand what is meant.
I also agree that some adjectives may be needed.
While not bindery terms, side-stapled, corner-stapled, top-stapled, and centerfold-stapled might fit the need.
They're all types of staple binding, though. I'm not convinced it would be useful for buyers if we differentiate to that degree in the Item Specifics. (Needed in the seller's description and photos, of course.)
It's the same as using the single term spiral bound to cover all the different types and materials of spiral binding.
Saddle stitching is common in magazines, manuals, and smaller books (typically those that have no ISBN). The other types of stapling should really be "other" because they don't represent standard publications. Anyone can make a book, or photocopy a book, and staple it on the corner or edge or put it into a 3-ring binder.
