Should you "Enter your own" data in Item Specifics?

[robxznyc]

I have found some of the options from Item Specifics dropdown menu to represent categories at a level too high to be useful when someone does a search, while others at a level too low and specific. So there's lack of balance among all the options. Additionally, they should be mutually exclusive, collectively exhaustive, except they are not. 

Whenever I can't find a category to identify my item I have the dilemma whether to compromise accuracy and chose a given option, to enter my own or to leave it blank, which I think will sabotage my listing's visibility as my data won't be provided to a user as a filter option.

Is there any benefit to provide accurate Item Specifics and even to add your own? Or is that a complete waste of time? Is there a best practice for this?

[cherry*fizz]

I try to use as many as I possibly can. I am sure someone will come by and explain why it's better to use them. I think it helps them narrow their search if needed. Either way, the more information the better, IMO. Good luck! 

[robxznyc]

Why wouldn't eBay simply provide a best practice as it can equally benefit all sellers. The only reason I can think of is that they don't have an answer. So the sellers are left in the dark and have to make guesses. 

You said you fill them out as much as possible, but will you enter you own data or chose something less accurate?

[fashunu4eeuh]

Yes, use Item Specifics to its fullest extent.

From the 2016 Spring Seller Update, Ebay has said that they are important 1) in order to optimize your listings’ visibility on eBay as well as for search engines like Google and Bing. 2) use of IS provides more relevant search results across all eBay platforms. 3) provides better access to cross-border selling opportunities. 

Not using Item Specifics means “Your item will be less likely to be returned in Search, and excluding recommended IS will prevent your item from surfacing to buyers when they use the left-hand navigation refinements.”

For above attribution and for more detailed advantages to including Item Specifics, follow the links below.

https://pages.ebay.com/sellerinformation/news/itemspecific.html

https://pages.ebay.com/sellerinformation/news/sprupd16/category-item-specifics.html#faq=faq-ca-q10

[fashunu4eeuh]

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@robxznyc wrote:

Why wouldn't eBay simply provide a best practice as it can equally benefit all sellers. The only reason I can think of is that they don't have an answer. So the sellers are left in the dark and have to make guesses. 

You said you fill them out as much as possible, but will you enter you own data or chose something less accurate?

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Ebay wants the IS to be both accurate and using their recommended suggestions. But when the prefilled identifiers do not match your item, eBay advises changing them. 

“...To include item specifics in your listing:

1. In the Add item specifics section of the Sell Your Item form, enter the suggested details for your item.

2. For example, select your item's brand from the Brand drop-down menu.

3. If any item specifics are prefilled for you, verify that they're correct. If not, revise them.

4. Add other item specifics that apply to your item by clicking the "+" sign next to the item specific.

   Tip: To add your own custom detail, click the "+" sign next to Add your own item specific. For example, you might create an item specific called "Material" and specify that your item is "plastic."

5. Remove any details that don't apply to your item by clicking the Remove link next to the item specific.”

   https://pages.ebay.com/BR/pt-BR/help/sell/item_specifics.html

[robxznyc]

@fashunu4eeuh 

Thanks for your answer. I remember reading this listing instruction, which seems to encourage sellers to provide accurate information if unsatisfied by the prefilled options and add more relevant specifics. 

However this instruction didn't give examples to illustrate the benefits of doing so. From what I can see there's only disadvantage. Because when I search a product using filters I'm only allowed to chose from the prefilled options.  If I enter my own data rather than select the prefills my product won't show when these filters are used in search. So I don't understand how being accurate can improve my listing's visibility. 

[rolenboy01]

They want you to do all the work so they can steal your suggestions.

[robxznyc]

I don't mind doing the work if eBay steals my suggestions and improves the quality of search by surfacing more relevant listings. 

I mind nothing has been done by eBay on basic listing features to benefit sellers. I mind paying eBay 10% for their poor service. I mind eBay's dominating position in general consumer goods marketplaces and a lack of adequate competition. 

[ted_200]

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@robxznyc wrote:

@fashunu4eeuh 

Thanks for your answer. I remember reading this listing instruction, which seems to encourage sellers to provide accurate information if unsatisfied by the prefilled options and add more relevant specifics. 

However this instruction didn't give examples to illustrate the benefits of doing so. From what I can see there's only disadvantage. Because when I search a product using filters I'm only allowed to chose from the prefilled options.  If I enter my own data rather than select the prefills my product won't show when these filters are used in search. So I don't understand how being accurate can improve my listing's visibility. 

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eBay throws out a lot of "best practices" stuff, but they rarely tell you exactly how anything works, and their "best practices" often fly in the face of what users have learned about how things work on their own. 

For example, there has been continuous confusion about whether seller-added IS are search-able, or not.  eBay said they were, they definitely were at one point, but my own observations (and those of others) is that they are not now.  Not with eBay search, that is.  eBay has claimed other search engines like Google are using the Item Specifics, so maybe they are worth something as a search keyword there, I just don't know. 

Too broad, or too refined, as long as they're correct,  I'd probably go with the pre-filled eBay choices, for exactly the reason you cited.  Buyers may well refine searches using them, and if you've entered your own, your listing is going to get dropped no matter which one the buyer uses.  But not even all of the pre-filled choices are always available as search refinements, the only way to know would be to run a related search yourself, and see which of them eBay is using as a refinement selection.  Other eBay provided IS are never available as search refinements, but they may use them in other ways (like the suggestions that appear below the search bar).  The eBay provided choices do seem to be search-able, so that's another reason to use them.

So I use theirs, then I also add my own more relevant ones if I think there's something that would be useful or more accurate.  Is that a waste of time?  I have no idea.  eBay won't tell me, how their site works is a great big proprietary secret, you can't have users knowing how it works, they might be Amazon spies or something (like anyone would want to emulate this mess!).  Maybe Goggle will use them. 

[ted_200]

Oh, yeah... the product catalog!

Those things come with their own Item Specifics aleady provided.  If you're using that, you're getting some default Item Specifics.  If they're flat-out wrong, there is no way to change those!  I add the correct ones, if it allows me too. 

For fun, I've added this to my description more than once:

Please ignore the incorrect information at the top of this listing that eBay provided.  Despite what it says, the Country of Manufacture for this item is the United States, not Panama.

Most everyone looking at my listing would already know this, it's mostly so I don't look like I'm ignorant about what I'm selling, it erodes buyer confidence. 

[retrose1]

OP, to answer your initial question.....I have found that if I make up extra, relevant IS categories and keywords, I can sell some items a LOT faster than if I just use the ones ebay provides - which are often worse than useless.

A couple of tips, Always capitalize the first letter of everything you are entering, ebay will reject stuff not capitalized.  And you can not duplicate acategory ebay has already come up with, such as you have to change the word Material and not have a Material 2, it has to be different like Fabric.

Example, Vera Bradley purses, the pattern is important, so create a different pattern  IS by using Retired and then entering the pattern name.

The thing is that the newly created specific choice options will be at the bottom of the search options, but the actual IS you entered will be tossed into the search criteria and give your items an extra boost in search which is the whole point.

Actually it is a good idea to make sure that every word you have in the title of the listing is also in the IS options since it has become obvious to me that ebay is no longer using the title in search.

[robxznyc]

@retrose1, @ted_200

Thanks for your replies. I didn't know not duplicating IS titles means not re-using any of their words, like I have to call it Fabric and not Second Material. I sometimes specify second and third color, so should I change them to colour or hues and tones instead?

I sell a bag from the brand Cote & Ciel and when I used to enter "Cote Ciel Saar S" in google, my bag showed up on the top sponsored area with a picutre next to other retailers, and sometimes even on the top right box with more details. Since I didn't pay eBay for promotion I thought eBay and google had some agreement to give their listings priority. Then one day I don't see my listing on google anymore although I didn't change anything in the listing and I can only search it by entering the exact title on google. I think providing a platform allowing individuals to sell and managing their visibility on search engines are eBay's core competency and if they can tell me they have no idea what happened and that's my issue with google, what kind of responsibility and service is eBay providing?