Variation listings - what the hey?

[myjunqueyourtreasure]

Suddenly I can't edit any variation listing which uses 'character' as an attribute????

Getting an error message that "character" is not a valid IS. Erm it's NOT an IS it's a variation attribute.

eta: Seems to be Lego listings it's affecting???

[myjunqueyourtreasure]

Ok, I found an announcement regarding new IS requirements for Toys, Legominifigures but all it states is BRAND, nothing about the variation attributes for minifigures.

Oh, and btw that's not even effective unto October 8th. have they messed this up again?

[myjunqueyourtreasure]

brian@ebay @Anonymous tyler@ebay 

Anyone? Help?

[myjunqueyourtreasure]

when I try to edit the qty it says this "Character is not allowed as a variation specific."
Why NOT?

Each MV listing is for minifigures in a particular series, what other attribute would you suggest I use?

[gracieallen01]

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@myjunqueyourtreasure wrote:
when I try to edit the qty it says this "Character is not allowed as a variation specific."
Why NOT?

Each MV listing is for minifigures in a particular series, what other attribute would you suggest I use?

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Aren't you suppose to call the catalogue team for, respectfully speaking, expert help?

[spreadlovelikefire]

I was getting the error with clothing as well. It says "variation attribute is not valid" and then says use words like Size, Color, etc. I was using Color and it would say that. I figured out a workaround. If you put a period in front of the word then it allowed me to put the word in

[myjunqueyourtreasure]

Well these listings are already live. To even put a period in front would mean wiping out all the currently live variations and starting over. Which I don't want to do and lose my sales history.

It's just stupid. I mean what else would you call a character in a series BUT a character?

[abfabvintage]

@myjunqueyourtreasure 

Hi, this may be off topic for your question, but where did you find this "announcement" about changes to the IS? I brought this up on last week's chat as I know some of my seller friends got personal emails alerting them to the changes. I was told by a blue maybe it was in my spam folder? But they would look into it (nothing from a week ago) lolol. If you can direct me to where you found it would be appreciated...onward and upward.

[pburn]

The 2019 Early Seller Update--the first link below--refers to changes in the item specifics and has a links to a discussion and chart of item specifics in the second link below.

https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/seller-updates/2019-early/index.html

https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/listing-and-marketing/listing-with-structured-data.html

[myjunqueyourtreasure]

Yep and the only change to Lego IS according to that is BRAND....nothing about wiping out being able to use character as a variation attribute.

abfab, took me a while to find it again as well.

[sharingtheland]

abfab, let me look.  I got "the word" in an ebay message, told self to read it because of the categories, then didn't read it. 

Of course, good luck on me finding it.   I just replied to a message received from a buyer this evening and then remembered I forgot to say something.  Went back to re-reply and - poof - entire message is missing.  No, I did not delete it.  

I am so fed up with all of this.  9:45 pm and this is the first chance I've had all day to sit down and look at ebay and then find I have to do a $75 refund for a widget that arrived broken.  Have I mentioned I'm on my own?  that my Shipping Department is on sick leave?  Can I still blame him, somehow?

[sharingtheland]

Need help identifying your missing item specifics?

• New item specifics for Toys: Download details • New item specifics for Fashion: Download details • New item specifics for Home & Garden: Download details

[pburn]

Does that the link to the same information from the second link Iposted in Message #9 above?

(Sorry your "employee" is still out on sick leave . . . )

[sharingtheland]

I don't know if the information is the same, pburn; I haven't looked at any of it yet.

[Anonymous]

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@pburn wrote:
Does that the link to the same information from the second link Iposted in Message #9 above?

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No it doesn't. The links posted by sharingtheland came from an e-mail eBay sent alerting sellers to item specifics that will soon be required in certain categories that were previously optional. I don't believe it's related to the OP's concern.

To abfabvintage - I read last week's chat and @Anonymous can advise if he found something additional when he looked into it for you, though I suspect his original answer covers your question. You currently have 29 active listings so you may fall into the category of seeing the notification directly in the listing form or seller hub after the change occurs. With only 29 listings it will be very easy to select all and bulk edit - within the bulk editor it will tell you if you have any missing required specifics.

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Weekly-Chat-with-eBay-Staff/Community-Chat-August-21-1-00-pm-PT-General-Topics/m-p/30155071#M20337

"It very well could simply be that these notices are being sent out in batches, and your email has not been delivered yet. ... Additionally, there are times where a notice like this would be sent out early to members who may face a significant time investment to update their listings, while other sellers would either receive a notice later or see the notification directly in Seller Hub/the listing form once changes are made."

Perhaps eBay will include the new item specific requirements in next week's seller update but they gave advance notice to those with large a volume of listings so they can start preparing.

@myjunqueyourtreasure, are you still experiencing the same error you encountered yesterday with the Character field?