NEW STORE FORMAT

[toysaver]

Unwelcomed surprise.  The ability to search for newly listed is gone.  Categories are gone from the side to a drop down menu.  Is this just a test on a select few or are all stores downgraded?  

[denisevanpattendolls]

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@my-cottage-books-and-antiques wrote:

@valueaddedresource  I just added two "categories" in that module (the photos are lousy, and don't meet the recommended specs, I'm just playing around here)....but I do like how quickly a click on this will bring up my category. Easy peasy to set up, especially IF you have the foresight to create some square 300 x 300 pixel photos for your categories....

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I looked at your store, and by putting up those two "Featured Categories" you have very few listings  showing up on my non-scrolled page on my giant computer screen, and just those 2 featured categories. To see anything else takes scrolling, or drop down boxes; this is bad retail design (not your fault; you didn't design it!).

Before, in a store, you could see a huge number of customized categories on the left-hand side of the screen without scrolling;  getting a feel for what the shop had to offer.

Also, for some reason with your layout there is no "Sort" drop-down for Newly Listed, Ending Soonest etc. (I do have that drop-down box back in my store at least, for which I'm grateful; it wasn't there initially).

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

@denisevanpattendolls I think they are taking a new approach to the store landing page: rather than a basic page with all your listings, it is now a page where the seller can highlight stuff he wants to draw attention to: specific categories, new listings, sale items, etc. And the About tab has been expanded to allow more text about the business, along with the seller's policies, and---not yet, but we've been told probably coming at some point---a short video about the business if the seller wants to do one, and maybe some other features. 

This approach won't go over well with all sellers, but I think buyers will adjust pretty quickly, and sellers who learn how to optimize it will benefit from it. Only time will tell. Right now, I'm just playing around with it a little, but on balance, I think it will be improvement. But like any change, it will take some adjustment. This stuff was all announced in the Fall Update, and it would certainly have been better if they had released it BEFORE Q4, but at least it's still early in Q4....

[katzrul15]

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@jayjaspersgarage wrote:

These are the types of horrible surprises that convinced me to switch to the month-to-month subscription last July.  Just in case it becomes too unbearable to struggle to make a few extra dollars.

 And in less than five minutes after sending off an email my categories are back.  Whew!

Oh, maybe not.  So my customers can't see the shipping cost without opening the listing?

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Probably not, so they will think shipping is FREE.  *sigh*

(this place really gives me a headache - if it is not 1 thing, it is 12.  Shoot me now..............)

[denisevanpattendolls]

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@my-cottage-books-and-antiques wrote:

@denisevanpattendolls I think they are taking a new approach to the store landing page: rather than a basic page with all your listings, it is now a page where the seller can highlight stuff he wants to draw attention to: specific categories, new listings, sale items, etc. And the About tab has been expanded to allow more text about the business, along with the seller's policies, and---not yet, but we've been told probably coming at some point---a short video about the business if the seller wants to do one, and maybe some other features. 

This approach won't go over well with all sellers, but I think buyers will adjust pretty quickly, and sellers who learn how to optimize it will benefit from it. Only time will tell. Right now, I'm just playing around with it a little, but on balance, I think it will be improvement. But like any change, it will take some adjustment. This stuff was all announced in the Fall Update, and it would certainly have been better if they had released it BEFORE Q4, but at least it's still early in Q4....

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We pay good money every month for our eBay Stores; why does one size have to fit all? Obviously if you hit “more,” bizarely the old store face front page comes back.  I was hoping to keep my store “browsable” the way eBay no longer is.  Why does one size have to fit all?   And yes, doing it in the 4th quarter on top of collapsing the categories and the nonsense item specifics....the timing could not be worse. 

I mean, YAY, bigger images, but I need some control over how my categories are displayed, and no, 4 giant images highlighting only 4 categories, pushing product down the page isn’t what I had in mind. 

[somanypostcards]

When I set up my store I created categories that matched eBay's old categories for postcards.  Does this new change limit me to just 5 main store categories?  Here's the announcement I got today:

Manage store categories

You can create up to 300 store categories to help organize your listings and display your items to buyers. You don't need to use the categories on the eBay site — you can create your own.

Here's how to create a category in your eBay Store:

1. Select the Store tab in Seller Hub.
2. Select Store Categories on the left-hand side.
3. Select Add Categories to add up to 5 categories that best fit the items you're selling.
4. Select Save.

You can also add subcategories to your categories by selecting Edit next to the categories on the Manage Store Categories page. However, you won't be able to create subcategories if your categories already contain listings.

If you'd like to delete or rename a category, you can do so by selecting Edit next to the category.

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

@somanypostcards I'm not sure, but I think you can just continue using your existing categories as is, unless you really want to change them. I believe the total of 300 refers to categories and subcategories combined. Not sure why they mention five categories....maybe you can only create 5 new ones at a time? 

I've been wanting to revise my categories for a long time, and this will give me the push to do it, but I'm not sure when I'll get to it. I'll try to post about my experience once I do it. 

So far, ebay hasn't even announced that these changes have been made. I'm going to play around with some of the other features, but I'm going to wait on categories and hope ebay provides a tutorial, or maybe the Stores team appears on Weekly Chat or somewhere....

[wrong66]

I wonder how many more "improvements" eBay can think up just before the holidays? I feel for you people. Thank God I just do auctions in categories that haven't been destroyed yet. Yet...

[jayjaspersgarage]

"I worry much MUCH more about the person that buys an item titled 'Fits Mustang 2012-2015 and then complains that it don't fit their 2003. "

Not as much as I am disappointed in vehicle window shade sellers with no clue how to sell the correct size for each windshield.  For instance I ordered two separate shades for my 1998 4Runner and was dismayed to receive two window shades large enough for a large truck!  Pathetic service out there in the mass sales arena.   I'll cut one out of a piece of cardboard next time I need to replace one.

[nuclearomen]

I just looked yup. go to store, a message pops up about it...the store categories are there, but not on side bar anymore it's dropdown list at the top now....apparently they changed the banner size to so my store banner has a grey areas on the left side now... going to have to go and investigate things and try to fit at least that... 

[nuclearomen]

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@my-cottage-books-and-antiques wrote:

@toysaver  I believe I'm seeing the same thing. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click "see All", that will bring up something that looks more like (but not identical to) the old store format. Or at least , it does for me.

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it does, but i believe that is temp thing likely... and not perm, just to "see all"? See they also  changed the 4 featured item spots that use to be on top of page as well when hit manage you can add more then 4 now seems...

[nuclearomen]

so in case anyone is having issue with their store front banner at top of store...ebay's provided dimensions are wrong (1200 is too short) i had 1400 on the old store format, on the new that was too short and left side had a greyed area, I fixed it, my banner is now 1800 x 400 pixels, png transparent.

[katzrul15]

@nuclearomen 

Thanks for the update on that.  I need to adjust mine - again.

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

@nuclearomen It could be temporary, but I don't think so. I think ebay's new approach is : Think of the store landing page as your marketing tool, like a store flyer in the newspaper or as the cover of a mail order catalog, and the "See All' as your full catalog. Not everyone wants to go through the entire catalog, and you can use the landing page to direct them to stuff you want to highlight, like stuff on sale, or a really great new addition to your inventory, etc.

So, basically, the old store landing page is now the catalog for everything in your store (or it is the store itself) and the new store landing page is more about marketing. 

As with most changes ebay makes, it will take a while for sellers and buyers to get used to it (I suspect buyers will adapt pretty quickly)

[b86fiero]

Oh good grief!  Another eBay update that we get to spend time adjusting to, coordinating our merchandise with and gnashing our teeth over. 

Why are all of these changes hitting right now at the busiest selling time of the year??   

Some buyers will doggedly search store listings in pursuit of that special item while others have the attention span of a gnat.  Not immediately being shown what they want, they're out of here.

[nuclearomen]

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@my-cottage-books-and-antiques wrote:

@nuclearomen It could be temporary, but I don't think so. I think ebay's new approach is : Think of the store landing page as your marketing tool, like a store flyer in the newspaper or as the cover of a mail order catalog, and the "See All' as your full catalog. Not everyone wants to go through the entire catalog, and you can use the landing page to direct them to stuff you want to highlight, like stuff on sale, or a really great new addition to your inventory, etc.

So, basically, the old store landing page is now the catalog for everything in your store (or it is the store itself) and the new store landing page is more about marketing. 

As with most changes ebay makes, it will take a while for sellers and buyers to get used to it (I suspect buyers will adapt pretty quickly)

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@my-cottage-books-and-antiques yeah...don't like it... and that's not what most sellers agreed to pay for. I need to look more into the advertising banners ...how the actually work/display on the store etc... but all in all, this is horrible idea...like most ebay ideas, but this is really bad... when do I get refund?