Updates are happening to some item specifics and category structures

[community_team]

--Final Update, October 28--

The category changes announced in our Fall Seller Update have been completed.

Now that all category changes are complete, while you might still see some adjustments to searches, it is okay to update or edit your listings without concerns of losing data or having it moved again. 

We appreciate your feedback on this roll-out. We'll continue to adjust the process based on the input we’ve received here, and we'll take all of these suggestions into consideration for future updates.

As this project is now complete the post is being locked from further comments. 

Resources and observations

We’ve heard from you that updating your Item Specifics in time for the February 2022 requirement date may be a challenge. 

A useful tool that may help is located in the Seller Hub under Listing>Active. There is a drop-down box labeled ‘Download’ which will generate an Excel document for ‘Missing Required or Recommended Item Specifics’. You can read more about this tool here.

Should you come across any inaccuracies within the new Item Specifics we ask that you report those directly to sdsupport@ebay.com so our team can investigate. Outside of that, please share suggestions as to changes you'd like to see going forward here, selecting the Categories and Item Specifics option.

---Update as of October 19th---

We apologize for this delayed update. Thank you for your patience while our teams worked to finalize category changes. 

All listings have been moved to their final destination categories. You may now proceed with checking your categories, revising items, and updating item specifics where needed. 

Some item specifics have been renamed, and the value you originally provided has been copied over to the new item specific, so you don’t need to re-add these item specifics. We encourage you to update your listings with item specifics that are showing as “Required Soon.” These will become required on February 22, 2022. 

All other item specifics are either Recommended or Optional. Learn more about item specifics. 

Some categories were retired and replaced by product-based categories. You and your buyers can still find the items you’re looking for. Simply browse to the product category of your choice and use the filters to refine your search.

More information about key category changes:

• Dolls & Bears. The categories based on Brand/Material/Theme/Character/Franchise/Product Line/Type of doll have been retired. Former categories have been replaced by left-hand navigation filters in the new Dolls & Doll Playsets category. You can access the filters by browsing to the product category of your choice and using Brand/Vintage/Material/Theme/Character/Franchise/Product Line/Type filters to refine your search. 

• Pottery & Glass. The categories based on Brand/Origin/Production Style/Production Technique have also been replaced by filters. You and buyers can now filter by the Brand/Origin/Production Style/Production Technique/Time Period Manufactured.
  
  
• Postcards. The categories based on Location/Theme/Subject have been retired and replaced with two main categories for Topographical and Non-Topographical postcards. The former categories have been replaced by left-hand navigation filters in the two new main categories. For example in Topographical Postcards, you can filter by Country and Region.

• Jewelry & Watches. The categories based on Main Stone and Metal Type have been retired and replaced by product-based categories under Fine Jewelry. Use the filters for Main Stone and Metal to refine your search. 

---Update as of October 14th---
The work continues on this move and is progressing according to plan. We are on track and anticipate all category changes for your listings to be complete by end of day tomorrow (10.15). Thank you for your patience while our teams implement these changes.

---Update as of October 13th---

We continue to work through this change and thank you for your patience as our teams work through it. We wanted to provide answers to some top concerns and questions:

Why are Gallery Plus fees being charged for items that were previously free?

We determined that a technical issue impacted a small number of listings, which resulted in incorrect charges (including Gallery Plus, subtitles, and insertion fees) for some sellers. The issue has been fixed and we will be crediting impacted sellers as quickly as possible. No calls to Customer Service are necessary as credits will be issued automatically.

The eBay Standard Envelope shipping option is grayed out and I can’t select it. When will the issue be resolved?

The eBay Standard Envelope shipping option issue resulted from the category changes update and has been resolved. eBay Standard Envelope is now available in applicable categories if your item meets the established criteria. 

Should I edit my listings if they’re in the wrong category, have been moved to another category, or have wrong or missing item specifics?

No. Recent category changes require updates to many thousands of servers and data changes to nearly every aspect of our platform. This level of adjustment takes time, which is why we asked for your patience while the process runs. We expect most data updates to be completed within 48 hours, but can they take up to a week (i.e., through Oct. 19). After that, if you have an item specific in mind that you think would work well for your listing, please consider adding it as a custom item specific.

Why isn’t my item coming up in search?

The category change update is still in process. We anticipate search issues will resolve when we complete most data updates during the next 24-48 hours. 

There are more item specifics now than ever before. Do I need to fill in all of them?

No. Item specifics that you have already filled in will be maintained as the category moves are completed during the next week. In addition, new soon-to-be-required item specifics are being added and will become required by Feb 22, 2022. As always, the more item specifics you fill out, the better visibility your listing has to buyers. 

For Parts & Accessories, when will fitment/compatibility charts start working again?

There was an issue with parts compatibility not working properly as the category changes rolled out that has been resolved. You should now be able to see the options to add fitment compatibility when editing your listings.

-----------------------------------------------------------

We’re updating some of our categories and item specifics to make your listings easier to find. 

Starting October 12th, you’ll see updates to the following categories. Learn more about category changes →

Collectibles & Art

Jewelry

Musical Instruments

Parts & Accessories

Sporting Goods

As these updates go into effect, you may see temporary impacts to your listing experience or to the visibility of listings in the affected categories.

This is a result of listings transitioning to the updated item specifics and category structures. Your affected listings should return to normal within 48 hours, though you may see irregularities on some listings for up to a week. We recommend checking your item specifics and categories in affected listings after these updates are complete.

These updates also include new item specifics in the above categories, which will be required February 22, 2022. Starting today, these item specifics will be available as you list, with the “Required Soon” tag. Learn more →

Keep an eye on this page over the coming days—we’ll be sharing up-to-date information on affected categories and listings, and answering any questions you have. 

[zamo-zuan]

---

@lotzofuniquegoodies wrote:

---

@flyingmvp wrote:

---

@treasureislandpearls wrote:

maybe Ebay can get a panel of actual sellers together to give input when they want to change categories.

---

They already have a panel and it's called "seller" message board on Ebay community where sellers of all categories, years of experience and knowledge come to share, help and complain about,

it is a nothing but a seller venting/ranting tool, 

Ebay ignores.

But hey, check out Ebay stock on Google finance/marketwatch, stock is doing fine and that's what matters.

---

@community_team 

Right about now it would be awesome to get a confirmation that N/A is NOT going to cause a problem going forward. (Re: February 2022). Currently it is the only go to workaround in a sellers toolbox.

-Lotz

---

This reminds me of a story of our own experience.

Back in 2017 we received an email stating that MPN requirements were to begin being enforced in 2017, but eBay had "heard our feedback" and held off enforcing MPN's until 2018, and that Summer 2017 they were going to have a new tool for creating brands in the new catalog to assist with the new requirements.

In around April-June 2017 we started having issues with items that were not duplicates appearing as duplicate, and they connected me to one of the supervisors at eBay. He had his "listing specialist" on a conference call with the 3 of us, and she had advised us to set "MPN - Does Not Apply" to resolve any issues, on any of our "Kit" products (which had multiple product codes bundled in to one item).

For the record, > 50% of our inventory is built up out of kits, so we had set MPN does not apply for those items, as suggested by eBay.

A few weeks later, suddenly ALL of our listings that were set to MPN does not apply had their listings taken down!!! This was very damaging at the time. Not just because we had our listings taken down, but because every item that was taken down had lost their ENTIRE sales history!

At the time this happened, the Cassini search engine was built around ranking sellers by their sales history. So this had a severe impact on our search placement! And all of our top selling items (we were the #1 seller in the engine mount category at the time) had lost their history and search placement.

Even though we did this change only because of the advice of eBay directly, including someone who is supposed to be a listing specialist, they weren't able to do anything to assist us.

To pour salt on the wound, AFTER all of our items were taken down specifically for the reason of "no MPN", we receive an email (in June)...

"Notice: Make sure to update your listings! Starting in July, any listings without an MPN will be taken down!"

To be clear, AFTER they had already began taking listings down, they sent a notice telling us that ONE MONTH LATER they will BEGIN taking listings down...?

I tried to speak to eBay about this, because this was outrageous. First of all, I forwarded the email to them and printed my own copy as I spoke to them on the phone, and the email straight up said they will NOT begin enforcement of MPN until 2018. Then eBay TOLD us to set MPN does not apply, followed by eBay enforcing the MPN policy (that they claimed they wouldn't enforce until 2018) in Summer 2017. Then they give a notice claiming the MPN enforcement will begin in July, when the earlier email said that would not be happening, and even that email was sent after enforcement began...?

What a mess!

And of course, even though we have evidence of them saying MPN's would not be enforced, it meant nothing. 

Later on in 2018, I was directly told by eBay that they could look at our records and they saw how we had a huge drop impressions at that time, and that they had NEVER recovered to the level they were at before.

Oh, and that "tool" for helping us transition to the MPN requirements? The feature that was SUPPOSED to be released in Summer 2017 to help us prepare for 2018? It didn't even go in to testing until Mid 2018, and was cancelled before it was even released. So their release schedule was backwards...

So now my reply for this topic - eBay's "confirmations" that this will not cause a problem don't mean anything. This has happened before. They have confirmed that it would not be a problem, and then it WAS a problem, and they had never done anything to resolve that problem. Sellers who experienced this were simply out of luck. The biggest mistake we made was LISTENING to eBay's advice. 

[valeries_trunk]

I had to call eBay about an international package & thought I would ask the rep what is going on. He basically didn't know any updates, so I called in to another rep. She said THEY HAVE RECEIVED NO UPDATES AS TO WHEN THIS WILL BE FIXED! She said only a small batch of sellers were affected! LOL! I told her MANY SELLERS WERE AFFECTED & they are fuming. I directed her to read this community Board & asked why no one has had the courtesy to keep us informed. So what I see is this: eBay reps are instructed to say they are working on it. They do not know when it will be fixed. Even their employees are not given information. That shows me the depth of this disaster. First eBay rep told me there is an open ticket on my account & the issue should be resolved within 90 days. OMG!!!! I got off the phone with him in a hurry! I said eBay had the audacity to bill me in advance for my store subscription, but they are not holding up their end of the bargain! I think we all need to continue to call, email & comment on this forum daily until this nightmare ends! Just wanted to share what little information I found today.

[zamo-zuan]

Here's the notice in question, and I've kept the date intact.

Now you could take a look at eBay's update records from 2017 and see when exactly they began enforcement...

Again, eBay's word can not be trusted regarding this subject! We trusted their word, and it devastated our account. 

[flyingmvp]

---

@flo_mingo wrote:

I I have moved on and found ather sites to be so much easier, I dont know why I keep beating my head against this wall. 

---

Pure masochism that's why, especially when on the other side of the wall sitting greedy board members and a $38,000,000 annually salaried CEO who has no inventory, no streming or cloud service or space rockets,

Just fees from our sales.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

---

@zamo-zuan wrote:

Here's the notice in question, and I've kept the date intact.

Now you could take a look at eBay's update records from 2017 and see when exactly they began enforcement...

Again, eBay's word can not be trusted regarding this subject! We trusted their word, and it devastated our account. 

---

Thanks for posting what I guess would be considered an historical explanation of what may or may not happen in this situation. Will it apply this time round? Who knows. Unfortunately that is not much help to sellers either selling OOAK, items without packaging, collectables, antiques  and my biggy, Mixed Lots(z) where that information is either unknown, meaning difficult to 100% confirm or impossible to apply easily. (A is Brown, B is Red, A is 5" x 9", B is 6 x 10")

-Lotz

PS. Consistency throughout the ebay platform has never been a strong suit. 

[andnowitsmine]

Let's see todays disaster. Twice a day I used to BROWSE the Vintage Barbie Pre-1973 Category with "NRFB" because I used to find incredible things, such as my treasured BB-Q Unopened TM Outfit from 1959.

Today? I type it "Vintage Barbie NRFB" Newly Listed, with Barbie and Vintage turned on in the irrelevant specifics that don't work. 

It is a cesspool of 1980s and 1990s Barbies in their boxes. Look at this screenshot, even with your irrelevant specifics turned on, I CANNOT BROWSE WHAT IM LOOKING FOR. There is no vintage barbies here, nor for more and more pages.

I haven't bought anything in a week because I CANT FIND ANYTHING.

[zamo-zuan]

---

@lotzofuniquegoodies wrote:

---

---

Thanks for posting what I guess would be considered an historical explanation of what may or may not happen in this situation. Will it apply this time round? Who knows. Unfortunately that is not much help to sellers either selling OOAK, items without packaging, collectables, antiques  and my biggy, Mixed Lots(z) where that information is either unknown, meaning difficult to 100% confirm or impossible to apply easily. (A is Brown, B is Red, A is 5" x 9", B is 6 x 10")

-Lotz

PS. Consistency throughout the ebay platform has never been a strong suit. 

---

Yep, I'd just like to give a heads up of what to expect. I *hope* for sellers sake the same thing doesn't happen again. Even if they tell you "Yup, everything will be fine!"... I advise to proceed with caution! 

In this case, I hope eBay isn't consistent, as if history repeats itself, sellers will be getting the short end of the stick again.

[andnowitsmine]

This reminds me of the time that one of the best local Antique Malls hired a new manager, the old manager from a grocery store. 

When he acquired his new position, of course, to justify his job, he decided to run the Antique Mall like he had a grocery store.

His brilliant ideas included charging loyal dealers more for "special end caps" for "maximum visibility" and wanted to create itemized "products" out of Antiques with the end goal of getting dealers to sign papers that "If someone else has the "same Antique" we should be able to price match, since they're the same product."

P R I C E M A T C H. 

This man literally applied his knowledge of selling chips to ANTIQUES.

Ultimately, we had to quit dealing in that Antique Mall and move our booth. That Antique Mall never recovered and lost most of its renters. The manager has since moved on.

[vintagebarbies]

I feel your pain, I have sold in the vintage Barbies pre-1973 category for almost 20 years.  This is totally killing my business, my sales and traffic are down 50% in the last week. I have spent days trying to fix all 450 of my current listings.  When I list an item I have to check at least 50 different category boxes and my items still don't show up when I search them.   I hope enough people complain to customer service, and they change the categories back.  This is the worst thing ebay has done in 20 years.

[andnowitsmine]

Yup, I currently have listed a very, very desirable NRFB outfit---something that should've gotten hundreds of views by now--and only 50 views in 4 days. 

I even had to state in my listing "Sorry, I cannot start my auctions out at 9.99 anymore like I usually do, due to eBay's removal of doll categories, because it has effected traffic visibility." And so I started it at $800.00 instead. 

No wonder. It's literally stuck floating alongside the thousands of 1980s and 1990s barbies.

eBay is really hilarious that they think a simple "Vintage Yes or No" "specific" will do anything. Vintage is subjective when collectors terms are not applied. Half of the sellers listing the vintage barbies they've found at garage sales for resale also have NO IDEA how old they are most of the time, and since the same copyright date is on nearly all barbie butts, 1980s Barbies get called 1960s Barbies all the time when eBay's specifics ask for age. And really, a date option for Vintage Barbie is 1910? Seriously? 

Whoever came up with this needs to show us their resume of selling and collecting Antiques, because I would literally chop my arm off in a bet that they have never spent more than 4 minutes in an Antique Mall in their life.

[andnowitsmine]

Amongst other specific questions I have that haven't been answered straightforwardly, I would like a reply to the 2004 catastrophe of Antique Category Removal in the glass and pottery collectibles. You know, the one they had to reverse in 2 weeks because it tanked sales and proved too difficult to search? The one they had to issue an apology for.

Nobody currently working for eBay even remembers that history, but I would like someone to review it and get back to me.

I'd also like to know why this has only applied to antique & vintage subcategories the most.

Why they purposely wanted to use search filters exclusively like Etsy is beyond me. Etsy is great for many things, mostly crafting and influencer shops, but it is atrocious to browse Antiques on. It's THE REASON why Etsy never took over the antique community that eBay harnessed.

[dhbookds]

I'd also like to know why this has only applied to antique & vintage subcategories the most.

it's been applied to many other categories.......and people have screamed just as loudly and long......the clothing board last 4th quarter was a prime example, then sport cards in the summer this year.....and electronics before all that.......

Postcard/doll sellers are just as upset as you this time around.........

[flyingmvp]

---

@andnowitsmine wrote:

This reminds me of the time that one of the best local Antique Malls hired a new manager, the old manager from a grocery store. 

When he acquired his new position, of course, to justify his job, he decided to run the Antique Mall like he had a grocery store.

His brilliant ideas included charging loyal dealers more for "special end caps" for "maximum visibility" and wanted to create itemized "products" out of Antiques with the end goal of getting dealers to sign papers that "If someone else has the "same Antique" we should be able to price match, since they're the same product."

P R I C E M A T C H. 

This man literally applied his knowledge of selling chips to ANTIQUES.

Ultimately, we had to quit dealing in that Antique Mall and move our booth. That Antique Mall never recovered and lost most of its renters. The manager has since moved on.

---

Speaking of that manager, he found a new gig with Ebay,  just got promoted to be the director of "restructuring itemized categories" after he successfully pushed for the "Advanced Promoted Listings" in lieu of better shelf/search placement. 😎

[dakotatreasurehunter]

None of my item specifics are there at all.

[us_bmich]

The reason this is effecting, Antiques, Glassware (Fenton, Waterford, Depression, etc) and collectibles is very simple. There is not another online marketplace that generates the sales that Ebay does in these very specific oriented areas. They know it, we know it, its been that way for years. 

This is a clear attempt, to raise their profits by forcing the small seller out of this marketplace, by making it next to impossible to both sell and buy in these catagories. Do you honestly think that not one upper crust director did not forsee this coming? Heck yes they did! Why do you think they refuse to update us on what the heck is going on? Simple because they do not have to, what recourse do we, as sellers, have? Yep just ONE, complain on this board? Thats it, thats all WE can do! And dont give me, "I will show them, I will just quit selling on Ebay..."., yea so? Thats exactly what they want you to do!

Hell yes I am mad, worked my rear off researching whats selling and whats not, keeping a perfect feedback, complying with all the ridiculous, insane changes only to have Ebay kick me in the neither region with an iron, boot! 

So our, my, choices are these, quit or adapt.