Hello Canadian eBayers,
I thought the format from last week worked really well, let's try it again this week. Please start posting at your convenience, I'll be with you on & off until sometime in the afternoon.
@mjwl2006 wrote:
Thank you.
Returning to my first question about the Product Catalogue, can you tell me whether sellers are penalized by lower rank in search results despite having correct Product Identifiers on items because they haven't been linked those items to the incorrect Product Catalogue specifics and categories where those matches exist?
Given that Best Match looks at way more things than just whether the item listed could have been matched with a product in the catalogue, I would answer no to your question, and add that there are tons of other ways to improve a listing to favour better placement in search. For example, filling out as many Item Specifics as possible should have the same impact as listing from the catalogue, as you'll essentially be providing the same value to buyers, but manually instead of via the catalogue.
Other important things to look at when trying to get better placement in Best match are writing good titles and descriptions, listing in the right category, use high quality photos, price your items competitively and of course, be the best seller you can and provide a good experience to your buyers consistently.
@pierrelebel wrote:
Thank you pocomo for the information.
My problem is not to get an image to meet eBay's standards (that's easy enough) but the fact eBay is so inconsistent in allowing an scanned image for a listing, allowing it for relisting for a while and then... pooof!
Do you always list from the site, Pierre? Always the same listing tools?
Yes I have been using the same scanner and software for years and always upload the images to my site.
99% of the time it works great. Only once in a while the problem comes up on a "relist" or "sell similar", never on the original listing.
I do not use any listing tool (no TL for me).
And to answer an earlier question, yes the scanner is set up at 300dpi.
@pierrelebel wrote:
Yes I have been using the same scanner and software for years and always upload the images to my site.
99% of the time it works great. Only once in a while the problem comes up on a "relist" or "sell similar", never on the original listing.
I do not use any listing tool (no TL for me).
I meant, do you always use SYI?
What about your listings, are they GTC?
Yes I use SYI - but mostly use "sell similar" changing portion of the description, image and price.
I sell both fixed price 30 days and GTC (never had a problem with that) and ten day auction - both on eBay.cafr and eBay.com
That image problem has come up with both sites!
One solution that has worked most of the time was to simply "delete" the image and reinsert the same link!
@pierrelebel wrote:
One solution that has worked most of the time was to simply "delete" the image and reinsert the same link!
I ran your account through the online tool that pocomo provided earlier and it says you have 32 listings currently live with non compliant pictures. I'll flag this to the appropriate team as these images, if they were non compliant at the time of listing, should not have been allowed to go through.
Great catch, Pierre. Thanks for the report. May I ask that you don't update at least some of them before the team had a chance to see them?
"May I ask that you don't update"
I am a lazy old man. Why do work when no work is needed! 
@mjwl2006 wrote:
Pardon me for butting in, gentlemen, on the subject of meeting the requirements for photographs but I am moved to ask about ebay's policy on showing people using the products for sale with items like toys and/or household goods. I'm not talking about inadvertent nude reflections either (although those certainly can be entertaining) but actual legitimate use of people or a person in the photograph to demonstrate how an item is utilized or for scale/size. Clothes perhaps? Accessories?
Manufacturers do this all the time, can we? The one time I tried with a toy to show scale next to a child, my photo was rejected on the grounds it 'didn't meet policy' but no explanation of what policy I violated could be found. I can only assume it was due to software recognizing a human face in a frame where it expected not expecting to find one? Would that be the case? Is this practise allowed in some categories but not others?
I utilize photographs to the fullest potential with all my listings but there are absolutely times when showing it in the hands of a user would not 'sell' it per se but would provide useful information about its practical use and appearance. Plus, I like to do my own product reviews.
I wondered. Thank you.
I think that the primary picture on the listing should be the item itself, alone. After that if your other pictures add value to the listing, it should be fine, as long as the pictures meet the eBay requirements (no border or added text, big enough size, etc.) and that the item is still the main focus in the picture (for example, some sellers like to show the model more than the clothes they are trying to sell).
This concludes our weekly chat for today. It was a good one! Thanks to everyone who participated. See you next week!
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