item specifics

[kokoek9]

Hi, Can somebody explain item specifics for hight, width and length of books

length is ok with the number but width has numers in inches that should be the thicknes of the book not the width I don't understand these thanks

Mike

[brightlightbookseller]

Books don't really have a set "width", "height", depends on how you're holding it/looking at it.  We've been tending to just use length and width for the size of the book and not worry about the thickness unless it's unusual, in which case we put it under height, but I don't think all our listers have been doing the same thing yet (need to correct that).  I agree it's confusing, but the good news is it's not going to affect people finding your item, and if you put one of those sizes in a different place than they expect, they'll still be able to figure it out most likely.

[1786davycrockett]

@kokoek9 

The good news is -- the vast majority of book buyers don't base their purchases on height, width and length of books.  (Page length, maybe -- but not the PHYSICAL length of the book!)

And many booksellers (myself included) don't even enter those dimensions under "item specifics," but just leave them blank -- they are not essential (similar to most of the spaces on the eBay "item specifics" page).

You will need to enter the height, width and length at the time that you are preparing your shipping label, however.  The easiest formula is "longest / mid-longest / shortest" (for example, "10 x 8 x 6").

No need to make the job of listing books any more seller-unfriendly than eBay has already made it. 

[brightlightbookseller]

Mostly agree, although certainly there are some unusual size books that need the dimensions specified.

[kokoek9]

Ok thanks, why do most of my  show more item specifics need, this in active listing in the sellers hub

[1786davycrockett]

@kokoek9 

While eBay may say that you "need" to add more item specifics to your listings, that is misleading.

You only NEED to enter the "required" item specifics to your listings -- author, book title, language and ISBN number (and I only enter "Does Not Apply" in this spot, since eBay's ISBN book catalog is so ignorantly maintained and unworkable).

There other "item specifics" listed under the "required" boxes, and these are denoted as "optional," and therefore not required (including height, width, length, and weight -- all of which I leave blank -- as well as numerous other optional  "item specifics," most of which are of no use to either seller or buyer -- particularly "Literary Movement," which is only of interest to students and teachers of Classic Literature, which therefore does not pertain to 99.999999999 % of the book items offered on eBay!)

No need to fill in every blank that eBay puts in front of you -- most of it is a waste of both you and your buyers' time.

[1786davycrockett]

@brightlightbookseller 

For oversize "coffee table" style books, I provide that information in the "Description" area, where it is more likely to be seen and noticed, rather than in the wall of random item specifics provided by eBay in the listing.

[reallynicestamps]

It's mostly for packaging.

Your picture will show if the format is portrait or landscape.

And the normal way of writing dimensions for packaging is longest x middle x shortest.

It is difficult to cover every possibility in a form.

[kokoek9]

thanks that is good to know