eBay

vintageantique77 · ‎11-30-2020

I find it odd that I get a message from eBay stating my listings have missing REQUIRED item specifics...If they were "required", why was I able to list the item in the first place? I know on some items the listing generator will actually halt your listing if you haven't put in certain item specifics - but some don't...Are these item specifics really necessary? Has anyone noticed a benefit in fiddling with these? I don't remember the push for item specifics in the past...it is more of a recent spiel.

my-cottage-books-and-antiques · ‎11-30-2020

Those messages are telling you that those ISs WILL be required. They need to be in your listing by, I believe its some time in February. So eBay is giving us all PLENTY of time to get this done. This "push" has been going on for quite a while, but it used to be that you were supposed to go through a complicated list to figure out which of your listings needed ISs and so forth. Many people never bothered, which may be one reason why some people have come here complaining that their items aren't showing up....they never put in the required IS. It is now easier than ever to comply with this (although still a pain).

Yes, you want to comply with this. Period. You want your stuff to be seen, you comply.

There are also "recommended" ISs. You can pick and choose here, some of them won't really apply at all, and you can safely ignore them. But do NOT ignore any that ebay describes as required.

therogue-trader · ‎11-30-2020

As of earlier this year eBay announced requiring more item specifics for some categories

Are they really necessary? No, never. Beneficial though? Perhaps, but hard to say for sure without data on how customers perform searches for certain goods

portkoop-0 · ‎11-30-2020

Rubber grommet item specifics...

Type of fuel...

Horsepower...

You know, item specifics such as these are just as likely to make things worse.

But I learned a long time ago, if ebay says jump I start jumping.

No questions asked, if they think they know better than I do, who am I to question them?

vintageantique77 · ‎12-01-2020

I can appreciate doing the item specifics if they will indeed make my items more visible or increase my chances of selling the item ( quicker, etc. ). I guess I should jump on that then! Did not know they had a mandated compliance date...oops.

clarissa4692 · ‎12-01-2020

Totally agree. I sell women's designer clothing, one of kind pieces not bulk. It seems like I am updating once a year. They now require a "department" with the choices being women's, girls or unisex. I have already chosen the category as women's clothing. And some of the choices on required listing don't even make sense! It is maddening!

strugglinlikeyou · ‎12-01-2020

Just checked my listings. Had two tagged for item specifics.

One was a camp stove made in Austria. eBay wanted part #. I chose does not apply.

The other was a fishing lure. Manufacturer listed in title, but eBay wanted me to fill in another box.

I appreciate eBay trying to be helpful, but this is silly.

portkoop-0 · ‎12-01-2020

@clarissa4692 wrote:
Totally agree. I sell women's designer clothing, one of kind pieces not bulk. It seems like I am updating once a year. They now require a "department" with the choices being women's, girls or unisex. I have already chosen the category as women's clothing. And some of the choices on required listing don't even make sense! It is maddening!

It kills me...

They want me to enter new item specific "Manufacturer"

I'm looking through my present ones because I don't normally leave this one out?

Sure enough, there it is: "Mfg."

Guess that wasn't good enough.

I enter the actual manufacturer, my "Mfg." one disappears...

Then a month later it wants me to enter the "Mfg."

I do that, the Manufacturer disappears...

You can see where this is going.

And that may not be the exact turn of events but it sure feels like it.

tulen_2000 · ‎12-01-2020

@therogue-trader wrote:
Beneficial though? Perhaps, but hard to say for sure without data on how customers perform searches for certain goods

Let me give an example. I had to edit every listing I had in "pants" category. The only "required soon" field I had to fill was "Type". With only one option to choose: "Pants". It's already in pants category, what else it could be? Ok, if ebay needs it for some reason, why they couldn't just automatically add this to all listings?

Beneficial though? Perhaps, but hard to say for sure.

Let me give you another example. I had to edit every listing I had in "dress shirts" category. The only "required soon" field I had to fill was "Type". With only one option to choose: "Dress shirt".

Should I continue?

calntom · ‎12-01-2020

We saw this coming in a summer update about 2 years ago when they announced that they were targeting Google search as an asset to sales.

I had to do about 150 required this past summer and I have 972 recommended at this time. I went through nearly every listing late this summer and updating pricing and doing more larger lots rather than onesie and twoses. I don't think I can bring myself to go through another 972 when I have items that need to be listed.

vintageantique77 · ‎12-02-2020

@calntom wrote:
We saw this coming in a summer update about 2 years ago when they announced that they were targeting Google search as an asset to sales.

I had to do about 150 required this past summer and I have 972 recommended at this time. I went through nearly every listing late this summer and updating pricing and doing more larger lots rather than onesie and twoses. I don't think I can bring myself to go through another 972 when I have items that need to be listed.

That sounds *exhausting* to say the least...

vintageantique77 · ‎12-02-2020

@tulen_2000 wrote:
@therogue-trader wrote:
Beneficial though? Perhaps, but hard to say for sure without data on how customers perform searches for certain goods
Let me give an example. I had to edit every listing I had in "pants" category. The only "required soon" field I had to fill was "Type". With only one option to choose: "Pants". It's already in pants category, what else it could be? Ok, if ebay needs it for some reason, why they couldn't just automatically add this to all listings?

Beneficial though? Perhaps, but hard to say for sure.

Let me give you another example. I had to edit every listing I had in "dress shirts" category. The only "required soon" field I had to fill was "Type". With only one option to choose: "Dress shirt".

Should I continue?

Yes this seems to be a common complaint. I think eBay needs to just fill in this obvious stuff automatically.

25kenwood · ‎12-02-2020

Under the 'corded drills' (as opposed to battery-powered) category you are required to disclose if a battery is included or not 🙄

glasser · ‎12-02-2020

So many specifics are basically pointless. People don't search with a list of 10 specifics. You can even see when eBay indicates the number of searches by a specific.

I sell in antiques, etc. They have specifics that no one would ever search by. EVER. And I don't get the Google search connection as most people search by normal language.

They should reduce it down to like 3-5 absolute key specifics.

luxgoods · ‎12-03-2020

I was listing a pair of shoes today and there is a field for the Australian Shoe size? Really? Who comes up with this stuff? Anyone remember awhile back when ebay messed with item specifics and deleted a whole bunch of information and then told us the sellers we would have to fix it. Typical Ebay.