Multicolor or state each color in title and item specifics?

[b86fiero]

When creating a title and filling in item specifics for a multicolor item do you use the term multicolor or do you state each individual color?

If stating each color in the title do you use commas between them?

In item specifics when stating each individual color do you use a comma between colors?

Do people actually search for multicolor anything or is it more common to, for instance, search for a red dress or a blue and green floral bikini?

[gwens*4saleitems* · Accepted solution]

1) When creating a title and filling in item specifics for a multicolor item do you use the term multicolor or do you state each individual color?

You only get 80 characters for a title. Multicolor is good for a floral.

2) If stating each color in the title do you use commas between them?

You only get 80 characters for a title. The use of commas goes like this: a comma uses 2 spaces, no comma 1 space.

3) In item specifics when stating each individual color do you use a comma between colors?

Item specifics depends on what you are describing: a floral, a plaid, a color block.  And yes, put a comma in-between each color.

4) Do people actually search for multicolor anything or is it more common to, for instance, search for a red dress or a blue and green floral bikini?

I don't think anyone searches for "multicolor" anything so yes, people searching will usually (normally) search by color.

[b86fiero]

Thanks for your reply!  

The multicolor conundrum is bothering my brain as I sell lots of multicolor items. 

Like all sellers I want my merchandise shown in search results and I know a lot depends on what buyers type in when  using search. 

I personally have never searched for a multicolor anything. And asking friends and relatives didn't turn up anyone who used multicolor in searches on any website. Thought I'd ask here too.

Hmmm .... so now my brain can ponder doing an experiment with my listings where some will retain the "multicolor floral" in their title and others will be changed to "floral red green yellow" or "yellow floral" for example. 

Sure wish sales would improve to keep me busy and give my nitpicking brain a rest.

🙄

[b86fiero]

Hey Gwen,

You were so nice to be the first to answer my questions that I took a quick look into your store and purchased a piece of Corning Ware from you.

Thanks a bunch!

BJ

[gloryglorygifts]

I don't know how anyone else does it but I will put predominant colors first and them multi. Like Gold, multi. Commas in between as well. Like with your towels I would put white, red, multi-colors.  IMHO

[b86fiero]

Glory glory gifts,

Thanks for good advice.  Appreciate you taking the time to reply.

Found some really cute Celtic Earrings in your store.  My daughter is going to love them.  😊

BJ

[wastingtime101]

Hey @b86fiero !

Item Specifics:

Generally you're restricted to selecting a color from the drop down. If the category allows you to free type, I do not suggest it because buyers won't find your listing using search filters. Best option is to choose muticolor from the drop down or if one color is dominant, choose that color. If you want to list out individual colors, put it in your description.

Item Titles:

Do not use commas! The system hates symbols. In fact, there are some symbols (! @ / *) that can prevent your item from appearing in search (read more). Plus commas use up extra characters and can make titles more difficult to read.

In titles I would not list more than 3 colors, like: red white blue

You might consider listing just the dominant color in the title if you're short on space.

[wastingtime101]

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@b86fiero wrote:

Hmmm .... so now my brain can ponder doing an experiment with my listings where some will retain the "multicolor floral" in their title and others will be changed to "floral red green yellow" or "yellow floral" for example. 

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Or option C:

Colorful Floral

Buyers are more likely to use multicolor in search filters (e.g., item specifics entry) and type the word colorful as a search keyword (e.g., listing title). 🙂

For title, use dominant color(s) or colorful, prob not multicolor.

For IS, use multicolor, or dominant if there's a single dominant color.

For description, you have more flexibility so do what feels right.

[b86fiero]

Thanks for that info. I understand not wasting title space on commas or other punctuation. 

The categories I list in allow me to type in a color or colors in the item specifics dropdowns. I have seen many listings where the item specifics contain several color names separated by commas in the listing item specifics. These have come up in search when I'm browsing to buy. 

I was not aware commas were an issue.  I did read a long time ago about certain symbols like @ ! * interfered with search results.

I do see titles that contain / # ~ that still show in search results.  Like in Lot # or w/lid or towels ~ red.

Has eBay AI overcome the search issues with symbols? Or some of the more common symbols used?

Is that an eBay search issue or does it apply to Google or Bing searches too?

[wastingtime101]

It's my understanding the symbols can (but not 100% of the time) cause issues with eBay search, Google and Bing.

While you can still pull items up in search when you free text in the color IS field, you cannot pull them up with search filters.

In other words, your IS says free texted: blue, green, yellow

When a buyer searches floral dress (or whatever you're selling), if they want to narrow the results for floral dress using search filters on the left - they choose size M and condition new and color multicolor

Your listing will not appear because the buyer filtered by multicolor and your listing had free text in the IS color field.

Or if the buyer filters by blue, again your listing will not appear when buyer uses the color filter.

So using multicolor or the dominant color means you have a better shot at appearing in search when the buyer is using those search filters.

Hope that makes sense?

[b86fiero]

Thanks again for your insight.

Dessert time here - off to eat a Cannoli  - yum!

I'll check tomorrow for any other comments. I find this topic very interesting.

BJ

[wastingtime101]

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@b86fiero wrote:

Dessert time here - off to eat a Cannoli 

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I'll be right over - don't start without me!

I find this topic very interesting.

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Every poster on this discussion so far has offered some great information. What you ultimately do is a personal preference, and you can try different things to see what works best for your products.

[gwens*4saleitems*]

Thank you, I appreciate that gesture.

I do like the wisdom of using Multicolor floral for some things because you can't isolate certain colors from others. Yellow floral or red yellow floral makes sense if you need to / want to highlight the main colors. Good choices.

[mam98031]

@b86fiero 

These are great questions, I'm glad you came here to discuss this.  It is likely that many of us will learn something new or something we never thought about through having this discussion.  So Thank you.

Couple things to remember.  The Title is prime real estate in which to get your Keywords in front of your buyers as they search for stuff. 

However there is an important other process to consider.  When someone comes in to search for something via Cassini [Ebay's search engine] the returns they get are from words contained in your Title AND from the ISBs [item specific boxes].  So those ISBs can be very important too.  

With that said, your title still remains the most important because we get many of our buyers coming to us through Google and Google uses the title.

While I do have some stuff where color is important, moreover mine is Craft books and they types of patterns they contain can be very important to a search.  So I often try to get as many of the popular designs named in the title to enhance the searches.  Same as you might do with your colors.  I would doubt that anyone is looking for "multicolored", besides to me that denotes that the item is of multiple colors.  I often use the words Various Colors.  Or if I list some colors to fill out the title it may look something like:  Red, Blue, White, Green +.

I use the + sign instead of the word More because it takes less space and leaves me more space for what I believe to be more important.

In my ISBs, if the ones that are preset by Ebay aren't enough for what I want to say, I create my own ISBs as I see fit for the item I'm wanting to sell.

[mam98031]

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@wastingtime101 wrote:

Hey @b86fiero !

Item Specifics:

Generally you're restricted to selecting a color from the drop down. If the category allows you to free type, I do not suggest it because buyers won't find your listing using search filters. Best option is to choose muticolor from the drop down or if one color is dominant, choose that color. If you want to list out individual colors, put it in your description.

Item Titles:

Do not use commas! The system hates symbols. In fact, there are some symbols (! @ / *) that can prevent your item from appearing in search (read more). Plus commas use up extra characters and can make titles more difficult to read.

In titles I would not list more than 3 colors, like: red white blue

You might consider listing just the dominant color in the title if you're short on space.

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You can set up your own ISB to put the colors in.  You just need to name it differently that the preset ISB title is.  You may call it Options or something else.

Commas do appear and likely makes it much easier to read.