Listing Category Confusion

[rarebird631]

I have a signed studio art pottery decorative bowl. When I search similar listings, every single one, both active and sold, are listed under Collectibles & Art as the first category. As a matter of fact, I just looked at a recent listing of mine for a studio art platter, which I listed under Pottery and Glass and it's showing Collectibles & Art as the first category. I'm really confused. Is ebay automatically changing the listing categories? When I go to list my item, no such option exists. Even if I click Sell Similar, it changes the category. If I start with Pottery & Glass > Decorative Pottery & Glassware, there's no option for bowls, let alone studio art. I'd have to go on to Decorative Cookware, Serveware, & Dinnerware, which it really isn't. What is the best option for listing studio art pottery, or do I just have to rely on the item specifics in the listing to reach the right people? Thanks!

[stainlessenginecovers]

ebay does not 'change' listings. If you 'sell similar', which could be your item or someone elses; it will come up as in whatever category that item was originally in.

It's still a 'bowl' first. So, whatever category is 'closest' to that, use it. You can 'edit' any category, you just have to click the little 'pencil' off to the right. You can do this after it's listed. You can also 'add' a 2nd category if you think that is helpful. 

[rarebird631]

My confusion is where does the "Collectibles & Art" category come from as the first category in the listings? I didn't put it there. There is no "Collectibles & Art" category to select when you go to list an item, nor is that an option to search in. When I do sell similar, "Collectibles & Art" goes away, and it's listed under Pottery & Glass. 

[lacemaker3]

@rarebird631 

"Pottery & Glass" is a 2nd-tier subcategory (a branch category) under the top-level category "Collectibles & Art", but you can't list anything in either of those, because you have to continue choosing subcategories until you get to the lowest level (leaf) category.

Your platter is in the lowest (leaf) category: "Platters" which is the best place for it.

[wastingtime101]

What you're seeing is deceiving if you don't know what you're looking at.

On the listing page, the category breadcrumb trail at the top leads to catalog pages, hence the /b/ in the URLs. Not exactly sure why eBay has it set up this way as I haven't spent much time looking into the category breadcrumbs, but it's been that way since Fall 2021.

What matters is the category you see when you revise the listing. While Pottery & Glass may reside under the Collectibles & Art vertical for the catalog, you'll notice on the listing form that P&G is at the top of the category trail.

In other words: ignore the breadcrumbs at the top of the live listing. All that matters is the category chosen on the listing form.

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@rarebird631 wrote:

If I start with Pottery & Glass > Decorative Pottery & Glassware, there's no option for bowls, let alone studio art. I'd have to go on to Decorative Cookware, Serveware, & Dinnerware, which it really isn't. What is the best option for listing studio art pottery, or do I just have to rely on the item specifics in the listing to reach the right people?

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Category and item specifics are both very important. If I recall correctly, under P&G > Decorative Cookware, Dinnerware & Serveware there is a subcategory for Bowls, and there is an item specific for Production Style where you can select Art Pottery.

[rarebird631]

Thanks, that's helpful!

[rarebird631]

Thank you, that's a helpful explanation. 

[4162lesley]

I can access this category and view the listings but the page is unresponsive

[kh-laura]

Hi everyone,

Due to the age of this thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.

Thank you for understanding.