What's up with this stupid constant item specifics updates?

[mypaintstyle]

I have close to 900 items and have to constantly update most of them EVERY MONTH, because eBay comes up with a new "specific" again and again. Who has this time to waste? These new programmers are just clueless!

Or is it just me ?

[evelyb30]

eBay programming and specifics bring the phrase "bag of hammers"  to mind.   When they "redid" the jewelry items, sellers had to redo every single listing, only to be thrown under a bus anyway.  The situation has not improved with time. 

[2010byandsel100]

How about UPC?

a few months ago, you HAD to have a UPC

now, you NEVER get a match to the database

[redlinear]

I think your TITLE nailed it.

[postcardcountry]

If X number of users search for an item specific, it will move up from 'additional' to 'recommended' and then, if enough people search on it, the item specific will move from 'recommended' to 'required'.  I don't think it's controlled by a human, I think it's all part of the Artificial Intelligence.  

Of course the value of the item specific is not considered.  Or the relevancy.  It all depends on how many users search on it.

No, it doesn't make sense in some cases.  I don't think AI has any concept of sense.  

[redlinear]

@postcardcountry 
That makes sense

[shar_27]

The idea of Item specifics is just pure backpedaling.
Just lengthening the title is all that's needed.

And there is no A.I in eBay search. eBay is far from that.
Item specifics is just a farce to shoot for the moon. eBay now is just faking it 'til they make it.

[studiodeflores]

I think part of the reason for adding the additional item specifics is to ensure that search algorithms have discrete pre-defined data to use for inclusion in search results.  And this would not just be for inclusion in ebay searches, but for external search tools such as Google shopping.  It would be difficult for an application to supply items to an external search tool such as Google if the items have mostly free text descriptions.  Also, the data can be used for other purposes that rely on specific data, such as reports. 

[gwens*4saleitems*]

In addition to this enlightening answer: 

If, when you created the original listing, you 'missed' an item specific, EVERY time said item relists that I.S. will come up as being missed. Furthermore, if you 'missed' an I.S. (in the original listing) if /when you make any changes to said item that I.S. will come up as missing.  EVERY SINGLE TIME, until it is delisted.

[mypaintstyle]

Well, this is not true, that an item that comes up for an automatic re-list goes back to the original form. As I have things listed from couple of years ago, and were modified many times and they do show the new revisions correctly every month. 

The problem is that they come up with brand new item specifics every month or so. Like for example this month was "pendant shape" that comes up on every necklace , even if it does not have a pendant ( like beaded ones ).

Isn't it just unreasonable to expect from the sellers to continuously update hundreds or thousands of listings every month, or else our items would not be shown ?

[toomuchstuffagain35]

This comes under the heading of "It's always something".

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

---

@toomuchstuffagain35 wrote:

This comes under the heading of "It's always something".

---

@toomuchstuffagain35 

Were you referring to this routine...Approx 3 minute mark?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hYGtXIqDa0

Sooo very true, when relating to anything eBay!

-Lotz

[shar_27]

Rather than trying to encompass all the standards around the world, why not focus more on attracting more traffic to eBay?
The latter is more helpful in making eBay more profitable than the former.

Item specifics should be simply replaced by longer titles.
Why should eBay worry about sellers missing some item details? if sellers do not put them in the title, that means in their field, they are not important.

-

[2010byandsel100]

When SNL was actually funny...

(sorry, I digress) 

[m60driver]

Just remember you only need to fill in the required specifics and not the recommended specifics.