TYPE MISSING IN LISTINGS. WHY IS THAT A PROBLEM WHEN IT IS IN THE HEADING?

[marviolet]

After many years of listing items on eBay, I now get a red alert that the item's specific type is missing.  This happens every time I try to do a revision.  I then have to go and enter the item's type.  I know of no one on eBay who does not have the item listed in their heading. Why is it necessary to again enter it?  The item's type is also in the description.  Buyers are already inundated with unnecessary information and they know how to do a search. Please someone tell me why.

[downunder-61]

IS = SEO

Item specifics assist in maximising search engine optimisation. The more IS the more likely a google search will find an eBay listing along with others.

[fashunu4eeuh]

Hi, good question! It may seem redundant, but Item Specifics has an important role in where the listing gets placed in Search results. So keywords found in the title, Item Specifics and the Description field are all necessary sources for optimum placement in results on eBay, Google, Bing and the like. Below is a link to eBay’s recommendations for Search Engine Optimization that you may find helpful.

https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/listing-and-marketing/boost-traffic-with-seo.html

[dhbookds]

Required item specifics are supposed to be used for the filters on the left side of search........i.e. Color Red...........buyers can choose the filter for the color red in search.........  if you don't specify the color in IS, the item will not show up, if the buyer chooses that filter,.........even though it may be in Title/description......

How far recommended IS are used in that way depends, I think, on the filters ebay has chosen for that category..........

[marviolet]

We are not talking about color, size, or style.  It is "type"  ie necklace, watch. bracelet.  This is already in the title and is the most effective use.  If I put "necklace" in any search engine it is found without appearing 10x times in a listing.  Unnecessary.

[marviolet]

Having been on eBay as a seller for over 5 years, this was never an issue until lately.  It is about "Type"  not item specifics.  How many times do I have to say what the item is?  The type of item is already listed in the title and is, I believe, the most effective if we are talking about optimization.  When I do a search for an item I find it and I think most people do as they are searching for a specific item, ie necklace, watch earrings, and maybe the designer.  Never been a problem.  I find that lately, eBay has the most information overload than most online stores that I have visited.

[katzrul15]

---

@marviolet wrote:

Having been on eBay as a seller for over 5 years, this was never an issue until lately.  It is about "Type"  not item specifics.  How many times do I have to say what the item is?  The type of item is already listed in the title and is, I believe, the most effective if we are talking about optimization.  When I do a search for an item I find it and I think most people do as they are searching for a specific item, ie necklace, watch earrings, and maybe the designer.  Never been a problem.  I find that lately, eBay has the most information overload than most online stores that I have visited.

---

@marviolet 

I agree with you it is often redundant.  Amazon is doing the same thing now, even though it is in a specific category.

I do enter the redundant ones.  If only, because I am concerned that are some point, e-Bay will only use the item specifics for the search, etc and the title and description become less factored than they are now.  I do not wish to continually update listings or change them in a short window to meet yet another e-Bay change (which is constantly happening now).

Yes, I say in the title it is a specific item, I have chosen that category, I have it in the description AND I have entered it into the item specifics.    I tend believe that e-Bay favors search to listings they deem complete vs in-complete.  ymmv