postcards real photo why in Non-Topographical Postcards

[lloydsteventaylor]

most of my real photo cards relate to a specific place why did they put them in non-topographical?? doesnt make sense to me and what does topographical mean anyway relating to postcards??

[dhbookds]

this is the definition I found:

People who collect cards of a particular area are known as topographical collectors. ‘Topographical’ or ‘Topo’ postcards are ones that show an actual view

[savecoldwater]

Where did you find that definition.  Topography is a map with elevations and water features shown.  I am aware of words topical and geographical.  If someone has started using topographical, it is a misuse of the English language as far as I know.  How many times have you been at a postcard and seen the word topographical?  What you do see is topics, states, countries.  Ebay could use those, or topical, or geographical.  I laugh at topographical.  It simply means maps, showing elevations, i.e. USGS topography maps.

[dhbookds]

@savecoldwater 

Look up postcards in Wikipedia, at the bottom definitions........  It's also used on a number of postcard websites........

[savecoldwater]

Topographic means a map showing elevations.  Turns out, some people in the U.K. use the term topographic postcards, but this term is NOT used in the U.S. for state views.   The term would be geographical if anything.

[savecoldwater]

Thanks.  Not meaning to argue here.  I may be learning something here.  However, I still believe the topographic term is more from the U.K., or a local colloquial use.  It's not common in U.S. postcard shows or business, and not recognized by most.  It might be usable, although "topical" and "state views"/"country views" are better.   The other issue is that ebay apparently is try to categorize everyone's existing listing somehow???  I admit, a developing issue and maybe I need to read more first.

[john_wade]

I've always used the phrases "View Cards" and "Non View Cards". Makes much more sense and easier to understand. No one knows what "Topographical" means except as applied to maps that show physical features. EBAY HINT: Postcards are not maps unless they show a map on the card front which is rare. 

[katzrul15]

Noticed the other day, e-Bid lists their postcards that way. 

Certainly not a reason for e-Bay to do it, but their topographical seem to be "places", like castles, landmarks, etc. 

A google search took me there and the postcard was under collectibles/postcards/topographical.

Agree that topography should imply something else, but appears is used differently for postcards, at least on other sites.

The good news?  I sure wasn't searching for a topographific postcard.   My search in google was the actual castle.  So "yay" for that!

[savecoldwater]

Yes, wikipedia and English (United Kingdom) collecting terms solves the mystery.  They do use that term in England, apparently.   It's THEIR language, maybe someone from the U.K. can explain their use of topography, which is different from, uh, the dictionary.  But in any case, wikipedia's postcard page is heavy on England info and history.  ebay UK is welcome to use their terminology.  Needs to change here though.  I love England, however, not this.

[dhbookds]

Not arguing either.........but Etsy seems to use it for the definition as stated......at least sellers include topographical in titles. 

https://www.etsy.com/market/topographic_postcard

I guess basic question is .......is the name more commonly used in the rest of the world, since ebay is international  and I presume their categories are the same (could be wrong on that)..........

note..........I originally looked it up because I connected your (US) definition of the word and couldn't figure out why the division either........but it's obvious that people do use a definition beyond what we both were thinking........ 

[redmodelt]

Not everyone buying post cards is a collector, some buy because it may contain a subject that they have an interest in, such as trains or antique cars. So some terms used have absolutely no meaning to them, so would not even be searching using either of those two terms. No matter what category the PC is listed under, as long as they can find it by subject matter, and said subject is listed in the title, buyers should be able to find it. Using "post card ford model t" I found 317 listings.

If you looked at your sales, who is buying most of the cards you sell, collectors or someone that found a card that interest them?

[somanypostcards]

Prior to this update, Collectibles -> Postcards had over 9 million listings divided into 28 subcategories.  eBay took 3 of these subcategories (US States/Cities/Towns with 52 subcategories of mostly states, International Cities & Towns with 25 subcategories of mostly foreign countries, and Other) and moved them to Postcards & Supplies -> Postcards -> Topographical.  They took 1 subcategory, Supplies & References with about a 1000 listings and broke it into 2 subcategories, Postcards & Supplies -> Postcard Supplies & Accs and Postcards & Supplies -> Price Guides & Publications.  eBay took the other 24 subcategories (such as Art, Comic, Expositions, Holidays, Greetings, Military, People, RPPCs, Sports, Transportation, etc.) and moved them ALL into Postcards & Supplies -> Postcards -> Non-Topographical.

Topographical and Non-Topographical are mutually exclusive.  This is why eBay's choice of these 2 subcategories is wrong, even if the UK uses topographical to mean geographical.  Now most postcards of the Statue of Liberty in New York City are "Topographical" but RPPCs of the Statue of Liberty are "Non-Topographical."  I have submitted a Postcard Category recommendation to the Structured Data support team ( sdsupport@ebay.com  ) to change these to Topical Postcards and View Postcards, which are NOT mutually exclusive.

[lloydsteventaylor]

Agree ...view and topic are the way it's been done for a long long time in the USA. Keep it that way. The change eBay made is causing confusion for no reason.

[bingmac1956]

Well - speaking for a large segment of devoted postcard collectors...by putting rppc's (real photo postcards) under non-topographical, it has erased years of an easy-to-identify-sell-and-purchase category.

[chhalove]

Wow...that is the first explanation that makes sense for an eBay postcard seller.  So many PC sellers have their categories confused...including me...haha...but not now.