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Home> Category and Item Specifics Updates
Category and Item Specifics Updates

Overview
Fee update
Enhanced seller features
Improved shopping experience
Helpful tips
Recent Seller Updates
Review the category, catalog and item specific updates coming April and May
(Applicable to eBay US, UK & Germany)
Category and item specifics updates will be effective in April and May. Click on the links in the chart below for details on how your categories might be affected.
HIGHLIGHTS
  • The coming category updates bring a more intuitive structure, eliminate redundancies, and improve the shopping experience on eBay.
  • Category updates can result in listings moving from one top level category to another top level category. Listings that get moved to a new category will take on the fee structure of the new top level category.
  • Item Specifics are being updated in the following areas:
    • Cameras & Photo – April 2011 (US Pacific Time)
    • Cell Phones & PDAs - April 2011 (US Pacific Time)
    • Clothing Shoes & Accessories - April 2011 (US Pacific Time)
    • Video Games - April 2011 (US Pacific Time)
    • Tickets - May 2011 (US Pacific Time)
  Starting April 4, 2011 (US Pacific Time) Starting May 2, 2011 (US Pacific Time)
Category updates for May are included below. More details and additional updates will be available in April
Item Specific Changes Cameras & Photo
Updates to Camcorders; Digital Cameras; Memory Cards; Lenses

Cell Phones & PDAs
Updates to PDAs

Clothing, Shoes & Accessories
New values, tailoring of recommended item specifics

Video Games
Updates to Video Games
Updates to be posted in April

Tickets

Updates to Year values; Hiding/Removing Event Type and Event Subtype item specifics
Catalog Changes Catalog updates in Cameras & Photo , Cell Phones & PDAs , and Video Games may require sellers of some products to reselect a more specific product during relist.
IProviding unique product identifiers such as UPC, EAN, and ISBN enables buyers to search on these fields and titles. This also enhances discoverability of your listing in outside search engines and mobile applications.

Category Changes Cameras & Photo

•  Category restructuringincluding changes to categories below Camcorder Accessories and Camera Accessories and removal of Film Camera sub-type categories.

Cell Phones & PDAs
  • Category adjustments including creation of more granular categories for accessories
Clothing, Shoes & Accessories
  • Men's Clothing; Women's Clothing: removing Size Type categories: Juniors, Petites, Plus Sizes, Plus Size Petites, Big & Tall.
  • Women's Clothing> Hosiery & Socks> Socks: removing Style categories
  • Category adjustments in Men's Clothing, Men's Shoes, Women's Clothing, Women's Handbags & Purses, and Women's Shoes.
  • Cell Phone Cases; Eyeglass & Contact Lens Cases; iPod/MP3 Player Cases; and Makeup, Cosmetic Cases will be moved from Clothing Shoes & Accessories. In each case, the moved categories will take on the fee structure of the new top level category.
  • Elevation of Dancewear categories from Women's Clothing
Collectibles
  • Arcade, Jukebox & Pinball> Arcade: Category adjustments.
eBay Motors
  • Vehicle Make and Model updates.
  • Parts & Accessories: Category adjustments to Lighting & Lamps (in Cars & Trucks and Vintage Cars & Trucks) including creation of Lightbulbs
Video Games
  • Category adjustments including creation of accessories sub-categories.
Health & Beauty
  • Dietary Supplements, Nutrition: Category adjustments
Home & Garden
  • Lamps, Lighting & Ceiling Fans: Adding parts categories.
  • Tools> Power Tools> Batteries & Chargers: Removing voltage categories.
Sporting Goods
  • Golf> Bags: Removing Bag type categories.
  • Exercise & Fitness> Gym, Workout & Yoga> Cardiovascular Equipment> Exercise Bikes: Removing Exercise Bike type categories.
  • Team Sports> Baseball & Softball> Bats; Baseballs; Gloves & Mitts: Removing sub-type categories
  • Team Sports> Bowling> Balls: Removing weight categories
Tickets
  • Category adjustments including creation of Concerts, Amusement Parks, Sports and Theater Tickets categories.
Travel
  • Luggage Accessories: Category adjustments.


TAKE ACTION
  • Start using new & recommended item specifics as soon as the new values are available in March.
  • Carefully review the categories where there are item specific removals and update any listings you have in those categories to avoid blocked listings in bulk relist or bulk edit flows.
  • Review how these changes will impact your existing listings and edit listings if needed to ensure proper categorisation and item specifics. Use the bulk editing tool or Selling Manager /Selling Manager Pro to help update active listings. Other tools available to sellers are
    • Turbolister
    • Blackthorne
    • File Exchange
    • Bulk Edit and Revise tool updates coming in April to support item specifics

    Tips and tools to edit listings

BEST PRACTICES
  • Use Item Specifics/Custom Item Specifics where available to help buyers find your items fast.
  • Adopt Product Catalogs/Pre-filled Item Information where available
  • Continue to fully describe your item in the body of your listing and make sure this description is consistent with the item specifics value you choose.
  • Provide plenty of photos that complement the description.
  • While an added benefit of listing with the catalog is the automatic exposure of unique product identifiers like UPC, EAP, and ISBN—include these whenever possible even if you can't list your item with the catalog. Including it will allow buyers to search on this field and title, and enhance discoverability with outside search engines and mobile applications.