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.

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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. 

[gracieallen01]

For the most part, they use of the forums seems to be for the entertainment of the BOD and upper management.  ebay asks for help and suggestions and still goes on it's merry way, smiling, condoling and waving as the forge ahead.  ebay makes changes that aren't improvements, against professional advise (except the professional advice they pay for), not paying attention to the fact that many users of ebay know more than the board, management and 3rd party vendors from experience in multiple areas of retail, e-tech, commerce, management, etc.  This could very well be the faux pas that ebay can't 'make better'.  Will the system hold up to the changes, errors and corrections?  Will the sellers and buyers?

(personal opinion - your mileage may very)

[krys888]

Thank you. I’m sure you’re right. My sense was that calling in addition to all the other avenues being tried certainly couldn’t hurt. I guess I’ve been lucky because I’ve had a lot of issues solved by CS over the past few years. Certainly not all, but definitely more than not. I’m in the same boat as everyone else and just want it solved. 

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@pennpicker wrote:

I've found while searching in the frames subcategory that if a new search is made from the search bar without unchecking every last item specific that is currently enabled hardly any results are returned. Assuming it is because the item specifics are different for each category. Now easier going to the home page to start a new search as that resets things. Needless to say, an inconvenience that never used to happen that way. 

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The more critically I test this new search methodology the more I am deciding it will not work for the listings I and many others selling in the same categories. It may cause many buyers and sellers just to go elsewhere. This is what happens when the powers that be reverse engineer something that worked well in the past and sell it as the next best thing to sliced bread.

-Lotz

[velvet@ebay]

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@dhbookds wrote:

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@jamsionline wrote:

When are they going to fix the problems with multi-variation listings? Ever since the category changes we have been unable to edit the variations in our multi-variation listings. This is not due to receiving an error message or page - the link and page to edit variations is simply gone. We cannot change prices and we cannot change inventory levels. Already we have had items that we needed to mark as out of stock but couldn't that subsequently sold. Our suppliers have also increased prices, but we are unable to adjust the prices of these items. At best, we are making a fraction of the profit we should be making on these sales. At worst, we are losing a significant amount of money. And again, our hands are tied because it isn't even as though we can put these listings out of stock because we cannot edit them! 

I have contacted customer service by phone and by chat multiple times in the last 10 days. Each time they insist that the problem will be fixed soon and yet here we are. I have been told that the volume of complaints is what will determine when this will be fixed. If anyone else is experiencing issues with multi-variation listings, please send customer service a chat or give them a call and let them know including a listing number. I know it may not make any difference, but it is the only thing we can do at this point. 

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velvet@ebay 

We are getting more than a few "problems" like this one reported........could we get a pinned thread for Revision Problems to see how widespread stuff is?  I started to start one.......but Khoros will move it to the Tech board.......and the traffic there is minuscule compared to the selling board.........and sellers are the ones who will encounter the problems........

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I appreciate the idea @dhbookds and I've passed it on. I'm also reaching out about the multi-variation issues @jamsionline noted and I'll follow-up with whatever I can find out. 

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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velvet@ebay wrote:

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@dhbookds wrote:

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@jamsionline wrote:

When are they going to fix the problems with multi-variation listings? Ever since the category changes we have been unable to edit the variations in our multi-variation listings. This is not due to receiving an error message or page - the link and page to edit variations is simply gone. We cannot change prices and we cannot change inventory levels. Already we have had items that we needed to mark as out of stock but couldn't that subsequently sold. Our suppliers have also increased prices, but we are unable to adjust the prices of these items. At best, we are making a fraction of the profit we should be making on these sales. At worst, we are losing a significant amount of money. And again, our hands are tied because it isn't even as though we can put these listings out of stock because we cannot edit them! 

I have contacted customer service by phone and by chat multiple times in the last 10 days. Each time they insist that the problem will be fixed soon and yet here we are. I have been told that the volume of complaints is what will determine when this will be fixed. If anyone else is experiencing issues with multi-variation listings, please send customer service a chat or give them a call and let them know including a listing number. I know it may not make any difference, but it is the only thing we can do at this point. 

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velvet@ebay 

We are getting more than a few "problems" like this one reported........could we get a pinned thread for Revision Problems to see how widespread stuff is?  I started to start one.......but Khoros will move it to the Tech board.......and the traffic there is minuscule compared to the selling board.........and sellers are the ones who will encounter the problems........

---

I appreciate the idea @dhbookds and I've passed it on. I'm also reaching out about the multi-variation issues @jamsionline noted and I'll follow-up with whatever I can find out. 

---

velvet@ebay 

Is the team working on addressing Mixed lots and how they are affected by item specifics with all the recent changes? It makes creating a mixed lot  listing next to impossible.

-Lotz

[tresurbees]

I guess the only thing we can do is go to 'real life'. Here in the Philly area, there's a good number of auction houses to consign to.  Even though I'll probably have to end many of my listings, I don't regret the time I took with them, because I learned things and I enjoy that. To me, the fun / reward is in the learning. The one artwork I sold recently on eBay was purchased by a museum, and that's rewarding too. For lesser priced things, like 300 bucks and under, the dealers at local country auctions will pay that. The better stuff w/ provenance, etc., will do so much better at real life catalog auction sales as opposed to here. Maybe this, the end of eBay, will work out better for everyone. Upping our game and broadening our horizons is how to see this in a positive light. The problem is, the grieving process after having been used to eBay-land for 20+ years. RIP eBay.  

[xvoodoomanx]

Question for Postcard Sellers:

Are you still listing through all this mess and, if so, how are you handling the fact that Ebay Standard Envelope is no longer an available delivery option when listing?

[pennpicker]

All hope is not lost!

Pleasantly surprised to see "Date of Creation" selections added today to item specifics for the Collectibles>Decorative Collectibles>Frames subcategory. Listed one to celebrate.

Hopefully the Art categories will be graced with the same so I can resume listing there as well. TY to whoever was listening.

[xvoodoomanx]

Can anyone identify this postcard publisher logo?

 Thank you....

[dhbookds]

Are you unable to print a Standard env label? in which postcard category?

I see the option to list using it when I do a dummy postcard listing

[xvoodoomanx]

I forgit to mention: I am using the eBay App on my Android to list items

After this update, when I  list a postcard using the eBay App, eBay Standard Envelope is not an available Delivery Option.

I can try listing on my laptop. Perhaps it's just not available in the App? 

[dhbookds]

perhaps it isn't available on the App.........don't use it, so can't tell.........  Was it available there before the changes?

[vsfay]

Loved your comments and so true. eBay has left our catergory in the dust.  We have no place to go and eBay has let us down. No buyers after 24+ years of being with them on a regular bases. My sales have gone from approx. $1500. a week to just about 0??? I really hope they get their head together. I have tons of stock to sell on eBay but thinking I should look for someplace else. vsfay

[xvoodoomanx]

Yes. It was available on the App prior to the changes.

Same issue happened with Trading Cards this past Spring. It came back, eventually....but eBay is sooooo sloowww fixing problems.

[xvoodoomanx]

So sorry to hear that! I had finally starting making progress before these changes and then MUCH slower sales afterward.