MISSING ITEM SPECIFICS.

[peng039663]

On my overview page, which is where l like to go, Ebay has shown everything that l am selling asking me to complete ‘missing item specifics’. Now it stands to reason, if l knew what they were l would have added them myself. Maybe Ebay should add them if they know what they are and have time to do all the research..

Does anyone here know how to delete these entries from the overview page? is there a setting somewhere to remove this?

[femmefan1946]

This was brought up in the August 5 Chat and you could look there to see what others have been reporting.

Tyler tells us he has opened a ticket to look into it.

Unless this means your listings are not uploading, I would ignore it as another programming annoyance.

Item Specifics are supposed to make it easier for buyers to find exactly what they are looking for.

You could, as each listing comes to Day 29 of its listing, take a look at it and see if there are any Item Specifics that you can easily add.  I know in books, I'm asked for ISBNs on titles published before 1960 when no such thing existed, and something about California which I refuse to understand.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

@femmefan1946 @peng039663 

From the fine folks at eBay Technical Support. Edited as required.

-Lotz

We would like to inform you that we, as Catalog Support, are not able to make any changes on Seller's listings, their titles or any of the details, which are included by the sellers, only detach them from an eBay catalog product. We need specific listing IDs in order to check if there is a Catalog Product involved.

Furthermore, we would like to inform you that after the most recent Seller Update eBay will be making some Item Specifics required on September 9, 2020.

For more information on this please refer to the link below:

https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/listing-and-marketing/item-specifics.html#item-specific-require...

For any non-Catalog Structured Data related issues, we advise you to contact eBay Customer Support.

Please refer to the following link:

https://www.ebay.com/help/home

If any further assistance is needed, please let us know.

Sincerely,

eBay Structured Data Support Team
Email: SDSupport@eBay.com

To ensure the fastest response possible, within the current request, please use the “Reply to all” option. For opening a new Structured Data related request, please contact us on SDSupport@eBay.com

(AWF) has just updated this issue

Structured Data Support / SDS-34584
Item specifics requirements.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

Processed approximately 60 items requiring Item Specifics so far.

Observations:

• Item Specifics Form is a bit glitchy - Opens/closes before saving/Option to disregards does not always display
• With form unable to view listing to see if specifics are hidden in main details
• Many of mine were for California Prop 65 Warnings
• Many Add soon-to-be required item specifics
• Many with duplicate color(colour if you speak Canadian) descriptors
• Many asking for Warranty options - eBay sellers are vast majority resellers 
• Many requesting for compatible with what item - Major research to confirm with 100% reliability (not always available off the box - when box is available)
• Custom Bundle checked off no - Asking for bundle 
• When it is a bundle - Very messy to update easily
• Power source for non powered items
• Routinely Character Family
• Incorrect measurement options
• Suggestions that seem entirely random and unrelated
• A few that were updated 2/3 weeks ago in a smaller batch
• Have spotted a few listings with fields noted that will be required eventually
• And the biggy...Many where this requested applicable information was added when listing was created and is now missing
• Checking listing revisions from the listing only tells you something was revised/date...No details.
• .............
• For sellers selling clothing - Size options/color options/eBay automagically modified listings have been a major project

Those are a few off the top of my head. So anyone looking for a pattern.....NO!!! Best to be tackled in small batches. To quote Yogi Berra....Possibly "Deja vu all over again". We shall see!!!

-Lotz

[peng039663]

But as l mentioned, l don’t know what these item specifics are. The details are not on the item label. Also, most item specifics asked for are not even applicable to the item. For example; l am selling a video cassette of Cinderela, and ebay’s item specifics want the actor’s name!!!   Right now, typically, l have 10 item specifics to add per item that l have listed.  l always believe plenty of photos are best. No one here on ebay buys anything that they don’t know what it is.  Many thanks, for reply and insights.

[femmefan1946]

a video cassette of Cinderela, and ebay’s item specifics want the actor’s name!!!

Wellllll--- The animated characters do have voice actors although back in the day they were not usually named.

If you don't fill in the Item Specifics, will the listing upload?

Can you fill in the IS with Not Applicable? Is NA available in a drop down menu?

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

@femmefan1946 

Some fields are mandatory. Some are recommended. Some will become mandatory in early September. The trick I discovered is if Don't show these recommendations again checkbox is available using the form, click first and then update fields you can confirm with no hesitation.  It's at the bottom of the form...Most of the time. Close and open can make it suddenly reappear. Use n/a when it will let you add and research when you can't. Process of elimination. I've had listings that show the % wheel as 100 that were asking for unknown specifics that gave me major grief to finalize. (Those are in the eBay category, Try later when stress level is lower.)

-Lotz

[msmaggie060]

@@lotzofuniquegoodies wrote:

@femmefan1946 

Some fields are mandatory. Some are recommended. Some will become mandatory in early September. The trick I discovered is if Don't show these recommendations again checkbox is available using the form, click first and then update fields you can confirm with no hesitation.  It's at the bottom of the form...Most of the time. Close and open can make it suddenly reappear. Use n/a when it will let you add and research when you can't. Process of elimination. I've had listings that show the % wheel as 100 that were asking for unknown specifics that gave me major grief to finalize. (Those are in the eBay category, Try later when stress level is lower.)

-Lotz

---

Hi Lotz, what form are you referring to that says ‘Don’t show these recommendations again”? When I go in to my items to revise, I have never seen that.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

@msmaggie060 

I've added the following link to my Sellers Hub page. 

https://www.ebay.ca/mys/overview

Items requiring updates are below any current sales using this view. The bonus with  this form is that you can go to next after completing one and it gives you access to all that may require some kind of change. This is the tab to check off. Hidden below.

-Lotz

PS. My concern with using n/a for some of these "suggested" updates is down the road eBay could override this choice and make mandatory. Totally wait and see. 

[kawartha-ephemera]

---

@lotzofuniquegoodies wrote:

@msmaggie060 

I've added the following link to my Sellers Hub page. 

https://www.ebay.ca/mys/overview

Items requiring updates are below any current sales using this view. The bonus with  this form is that you can go to next after completing one and it gives you access to all that may require some kind of change. This is the tab to check off. Hidden below.

-Lotz

PS. My concern with using n/a for some of these "suggested" updates is down the road eBay could override this choice and make mandatory. Totally wait and see. 

---

Sounds like a messy situation. I'm so glad I don't list in those sorts of categories.

So far, in Collectibles I've yet to experience these "recommendations", they have added a few new specifics but they don't trigger any of these warnings you speak of.

I sometimes use the bulk editor to fix item specifics 50, 100, 200 at a time. In the editor you can group listings by category, in that mode listings are shown in spreadsheet format with each IS being a column heading, the rows below show the listing title and have a drop-down menu for each of the specifics, if a value already exists it is displayed, the other possible values are available if needed. This is a quick way to work through a lengthy list, especially if repeatedly entering the same value over and over again.

Alternatively, the item specifics can be displayed individually in much the same way, the difference being listings are shown in groups of 1 ... edit as needed, then save ... the next listing appears .... repeat.

The bulk editor will also display listing descriptions individually in either standard or html format. Editing works the same as above ... edit as needed, then save ... the next listing appears ... repeat.  Much, much faster than opening each listing individually from the active or unsold list. 

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

@kawartha-ephemera 

Extremely messy and very finicky as to what makes a listing  a challenge to resolve to hunky dory. Vast majority of my listings requiring updates were in either electronics, cell phone accessories and misc. hardware. Had 3 in ball caps that were only looking for a checkbox as being designer to be awarded eBay's seal of approval. If there was a number somewhere in the title in many cases it got dumped as a measurement in a random box. Something else to be on the lookout for. Knock on wood, only a few in books. Collectibles may be difficult to do too much major revamping. I guess, count your blessings.  🙂

As most of us are resellers a little baffled by warranties even being suggested. Maybe soon we will all be required to do house calls for everything we sell. If you sell clothing..Complimentary resizing. Automotive..Free installation. DVD's..Free cleanings. The list is endless.

-Lotz

PS. In this most recent batch there was a dozen that magically re-appeared from the past weekend that were totally resolved. Maybe when eBay decides to blow up categories they give us a little advanced warning or at least let us know when they are done tinkering.

[kawartha-ephemera]

Yikes!  What a shamozzle.

I think someone should rethink that whole idea of suggesting IS values based on words found in the listing's title ... it's annoying and needlessly adds confusion to the process. 

Warranties. I think I've seen listings offering 3rd party warranties, sort of assumed they were being peddled by ebay but I might be off base there. 

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

@kawartha-ephemera 

Nothing really suggested by a 3rd party. Only duration or none. Warranty option display below.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

Final observations updating Item Specifics:

• If you relist/sell similar an item previously updated it can return back to list requiring updates
• If you modify a listing it can return back to list requiring updates
• If you try to update from within a listing there is no access to do not see this again checkbox
• If you have multiple colours or colour variations in your title it can modify your listing inaccurately. Same goes for numbers being applied to measurement fields. (1 listing had 1/3" in title...Information transferred to item specifics added by ebay to  newly created fields was 13" in 2 places. Confirmed by not saving and reopening listing manually)
• If form is giving you major grief or listings are not deleting from your list....Refresh, Refresh, Refresh or alternative, try later.

I'm thinking  a root canal might be less painful!!! Hope anyone else requiring these updates it goes more smoothly!!!

-Lotz

[kawartha-ephemera]

If you have multiple colours or colour variations in your title it can modify your listing inaccurately. Same goes for numbers being applied to measurement fields. (1 listing had 1/3" in title...Information transferred to item specifics added by ebay to  newly created fields was 13" in 2 places.

Have just finished preparing a few new listings, the listing form has changed since last week.

Previously, the form would take cues from the words found in the title pre-filling suggested item specifics BUT the user had the option whether or not to accept them. Today, the form just goes ahead and uses whatever value it thinks it found in the title. So, if the "found it for you" value is wrong it stays unless the user catches the foul-up. 

So, I definitely see where you're coming from on this. I've moved up a level, now at moderate risk, sounds like high risk, pants on fire for you.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

@kawartha-ephemera 

Thanks for the point out on the listing form. Appreciated. I have some new assorted listings to test that on. Will see how it goes. I just don't appreciate it when they make these changes and then it's up to us to figure out what damage it's done to our listings or causes going forward. I can only imagine how much grief this would cause to someone with 1000's of listings in a wide mix of categories. Sadly this is a recurring theme with eBay "improvements".

-Lotz