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Postcard Categories ERASED OVERNIGHT with NO ITEM SPECIFICS

There were probably a hundred or more postcard categories. eBay nuked them and put all postcards in two categories:

 Topographical Postcard

Non-Topographical Postcards

eBay always has been claiming that they make these changes to help buyers find our items. But they also removed all of the item specifics. The item specifics we did have are now generic item specifics, so the user can't use them in the left hand navigation search.

 

Can someone at eBay explain to me how this is supposed to help sellers? I have added hundreds of postcards to my inventory for fourth quarter and now I am concerned that my buyers are going to have 10x more trouble finding them. 4th Quarter is the absolute WORST time for eBay to make this change. 

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Postcard Categories ERASED OVERNIGHT with NO ITEM SPECIFICS

I noticed the same thing today!  I have over 20,000 active and 10,000 inactive postcards that are all now in one category.  Still trying to absorb how to proceed. 

 

Looks like we have quite a job ahead of us to update all the item specifics.  I sure don't see how this is going to make it easier to find my postcards.

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Postcard Categories ERASED OVERNIGHT with NO ITEM SPECIFICS

I figured eBay had a plan to use item specifics instead of categories, but they didn't even add item specifics. With other categories, you can use left-hand navigation when you search to narrow down your search. eBay has removed all left-hand navigation item specifics. 

 

Another major issue is that some sellers depended on the category when they made their listing. For example, if they list in the Postcard - California category, they didn't need to type California in the title, because it would automatically appear if someone searched California. Now all of these listings where the seller depended on the category will not be able to be found.

 

The only thing we can do now it seems is focus on making good titles.

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Postcard Categories ERASED OVERNIGHT with NO ITEM SPECIFICS

This happens every single time they make category changes. They don't think of what they are doing to sellers and our listings. They did it with clothing, I think last year, then came households and collectibles, and recently toys as well. They got rid of a LOT of categories and just shoved things together into condensed categories.  They put most of my toys, (including things like toy cars and stuffed animals) into the action figure category, and household things are all over the place. I still have hundreds of items now in the wrong categories. The worst are the item specifics that were measurements and they wiped those out.  I cannot even count all of the updates over the years which have required me to spend countless hours revising thousands of listings. There has to be a better way for them to make updates. 

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Postcard Categories ERASED OVERNIGHT with NO ITEM SPECIFICS

A REMINDER that when they announced this.......they said they would move items from deleted categories into new categories......but then possibly move them again in to the proper categories......So DON"T try to make any changes for a couple of days........it will just be a waste of time...........

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Postcard Categories ERASED OVERNIGHT with NO ITEM SPECIFICS

I want to second dhbookds comment.

 

This is from the Fall Update: "In the week following our October 12 release of new item specifics, you may see changes to the structures and item specifics names in the categories listed above. We’ll automatically adjust your affected listings to reflect these changes."

 

Frankly, I would do nothing to any effected listings until at least a week has gone by....

 

And, no, this should NOT be happening in Q4, but ... we are stuck with it. Might as well try to deal with it as efficiently as we can. 

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Postcard Categories ERASED OVERNIGHT with NO ITEM SPECIFICS

Good idea - I'll hold off making any changes for a few days and see if something shows up in item specifics.   If I revise 1,000 a day with bulk revisions, I will be all done in a month.  Sure don't want to do this twice.

 

In the meantime, buyers will need to find my postcards by keyword search in the title (I suspect that is how most folks shop nowadays anyway).

 

Another impact I noticed - I offer free US postage because I use the new "eBay Standard Envelope" which only costs $0.73 for a 2 ounce package and includes limited tracking and insurance.   This morning I had to pay $3.42 to ship a Zeppelin postcard because an item I sold originally had 2 categories: the normal old postcard one and a transportation one I used for a dirigible (airship).   Only the transportation - dirigible category remained after eBay's change and that is not considered a "postcard" for the eBay Standard Envelope, so I was blocked from using that shipping method.  In summary, I will also need to make sure I only use one category in each listing from now on. 

 

Change is constant....

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Postcard Categories ERASED OVERNIGHT with NO ITEM SPECIFICS

tyler@ebay   velvet@ebay   sheila@ebay 

 

No Announcement on this............with the info to wait to make changes?

 

We begged Ebay to explain what was being done during the Fall update, especially for sellers  not to try to make immediate changes ????????????

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Postcard Categories ERASED OVERNIGHT with NO ITEM SPECIFICS

yes, they did this to Christmas ornaments awhile ago with era made. My purchases have dropped to zero.

 

It does not help vintage sellers in anyway. It does help push unwanted items from offered by preferred/sponsored sellers. 

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Postcard Categories ERASED OVERNIGHT with NO ITEM SPECIFICS

I just went to the category to search, I do collect some postcards. Good luck sellers hmmm. The two categories are topographical and non topographical. 

 

I ask, are there any serious postcard collectors that go to a postcard show and search for items this way?

 

A customer comes to me at a show, do you have postcards separated by state or town?  Any Santa postcards? Any real photo postcards? 

 

So the good news all you trade show postcard dealers, just throw all your postcards in two boxes topical and non topical and watch your sales soar!

 

After all, that's what these changes are all about right? To increase sales and connect buyers and sellers.

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Postcard Categories ERASED OVERNIGHT with NO ITEM SPECIFICS

They no longer have Ebay standard envelope offered for a shipping option. Therefore, you either have to put a stamp on it without tracking or spend, sometimes, more than the postcard is worth for shipping with tracking..... I was so happy that they finally made an "ebay Standard envelope" for shipping postcards. They give it to you and then quickly take it away.....

I have been selling for several years but cannot become top rated because of the postcards not having a tracking number.... You have to have 95% uploaded for tracking and right now I am so close at 94.51%. I was hoping to finally get top rated within a month. soooo sad.......

Also, they changed all the Christmas categories too.....I sell mostly Holiday and postcards. My sales have dropped considerably due to the changes in categories. 

I believe in Ebay but am so very discouraged, why do they have to keep changing a good thing? 

Message 11 of 69
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Postcard Categories ERASED OVERNIGHT with NO ITEM SPECIFICS


@pricedtosell wrote:

They no longer have Ebay standard envelope offered for a shipping option. Therefore, you either have to put a stamp on it without tracking or spend, sometimes, more than the postcard is worth for shipping with tracking..... I was so happy that they finally made an "ebay Standard envelope" for shipping postcards. They give it to you and then quickly take it away.....

I have been selling for several years but cannot become top rated because of the postcards not having a tracking number.... You have to have 95% uploaded for tracking and right now I am so close at 94.51%. I was hoping to finally get top rated within a month. soooo sad.......

Also, they changed all the Christmas categories too.....I sell mostly Holiday and postcards. My sales have dropped considerably due to the changes in categories. 

I believe in Ebay but am so very discouraged, why do they have to keep changing a good thing? 


@pricedtosell 

 

I still see the postcard standard envelop for postcards listed as an option under flat rate shipping on the listing page.........why do you think it's been discontinued?    Using one of the 2 postcard categories. 

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Postcard Categories ERASED OVERNIGHT with NO ITEM SPECIFICS

"A REMINDER that when they announced this.......they said they would move items from deleted categories into new categories......but then possibly move them again in to the proper categories......So DON"T try to make any changes for a couple of days........it will just be a waste of time...........

 
I agree.  It pays to under-react when ebay changes anything.  
Message 13 of 69
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Postcard Categories ERASED OVERNIGHT with NO ITEM SPECIFICS

I just tried to ship out a postcard, went to print a label and it would not give me the option to purchase an Ebay Standard envelope (it said that option was not available). I had to ship it first class in order to include a tracking which cost me 3.65 to ship a darn postcard!

 

Message 14 of 69
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Postcard Categories ERASED OVERNIGHT with NO ITEM SPECIFICS

I just tried to ship out a postcard, went to print a label and it would not give me the option to purchase an Ebay Standard envelope (it said that option was not available). I had to ship it first class in order to include a tracking which cost me 3.65 to ship a darn postcard!

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