eBay

momcqueen · ‎02-25-2018

https://www.ecommercebytes.com/C/blog/blog.pl?/pl/2018/2/1519592274.html

This is required reading. The changes coming to Search have massive implications for sellers and use of the heavily-flawed Product Catalogue.

momcqueen · ‎02-25-2018

More on Grouped items about which I’m so concerned. Most of my products have international UPCs that do not match the American counterparts despite being the same product. Meaning every non-American seller will be thrown under the bus because their product won’t match with that market.

https://www.ecommercebytes.com/2018/02/25/ebay-grouped-listings-will-become-default-shopping-experie...

momcqueen · ‎02-25-2018

Also, expect three Seller Updates in 2018 like we saw in 2017; Spring and Summer and Fall.

momcqueen · ‎02-26-2018

Here is the problem illustrated https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=disney+cars+frank&_prodsch=1&_dmd=1

The Product-Based 'Group similar Listens' Results in Search ignores my item completely.

Ungroup and it's eight on the list.

This is an item that is 100 per cent completely filled out with all Item Specifics correctly.

momcqueen · ‎02-27-2018

https://www.ecommercebytes.com/2018/02/26/kyozou-offers-tips-deal-ebay-changes-search/

Kyozou Offers Tips to Deal with eBay Changes to Search

cumos55 · ‎02-27-2018

The new search is already available in the book category... on eBay.com

The option is only available in select situations.

It shows all of the listings for the same book..... based on ISBN... in one group.... on one page

Someone doing a search does not have to stumble through a long list of a search report to find all of the listings of the same book.

What each seller puts in a listing and the reputation of a seller will become very important.

This can be a benefit to the buyer... However, for sellers there may be a problem when buyers see all of all listings of the same book... Sellers cannot "hide" a listing with a select group of words in the title......

Will have to do more views... the grouping is not always perfect in relation to ISBN

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This grouping of listings was first seen when a search was done by category .... top left corner of a page.... It is called .. Shop by Category.... not a specific search, but an overview of the listings available for each book ...

My search was Books > Nonfiction > History > Canada.... on eBay.com

This gave me an indication of how my inventory showed in relation to that of other sellers.... How many single listings were mine, one book and only one book, my listing, shown for a search, and then how my price was in relation to that of other sellers, and then how many listings were available for each of my books.... sometimes a very high number of listings, the result of a lot of duplicates by one seller

One thing that will be easy to do is identify duplicate listings of a seller... and then report the duplicates.... Some books sellers do love to list duplicates...

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My listing of a book will be quickly found. My listing gallery view is an actual photograph, while almost everyone else uses stock photos, except for those listings that do not follow picture policy.. Each of my photographs is presented in the same format, and the listing is most obvious on each page for each book shown

Picture policy states that the only situation where a stock photo can be used is for a brand new book..... Book sellers tend NOT to follow this rule. This ignorance of picture policy rule, and then duplicate policy, is what can put a listing low down on the view on a page.

momcqueen · ‎02-27-2018

"What each seller puts in a listing and the reputation of a seller will become very important."

I don't disagree with your sentiments but in my searches through the Grouped listings I see one thing and one thing alone being stressed and it's not seller reputation or item description: it's price.

momcqueen · ‎02-27-2018

Spring Seller Update 2018 released today:

Inventory Optimization

Product-based listing with the eBay catalog, new fee structure for multi-category listings, & category and item specifics updates.

Start using the eBay catalog when you list.
Starting April 10, 2018, new category changes will go into effect.
List your items in one “best fit” category.

http://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/seller-updates/2018-spring/inventory-optimization.html

It remains to be seen what our Canadian version for ebay.ca will include.

femmefan1946 · ‎02-27-2018

My listing gallery view is an actual photograph, while almost everyone else uses stock photos, except for those listings that do not follow picture policy..

I'm a little puzzled by this.

I find that if the catalogue does have my particular book, the stock photo is not available if the book is used.

cumos55 · ‎02-27-2018

Book sellers have learned how to "play" the system

They find ways to make it happen. Many times they will not include a photo...or the photo is a store logo... or the photo says Image not available....or equivalent.... and then there are the fake photos

Fake photos will look like a book cover, but have the words.... This is not the actual cover of this book...... along the lower edge of the image ..... and then the photo might be a colored rectangle with the title of the book and the author's name on the Fake cover.....

and then.... I have found a seller that states at the end of each listing....

The book you get may not be the one described in this listing.

There is a seller of books on eBay where about 90 % of his listings have a gallery photo with the wording ... Image not available....

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eBay is the only site on the internet that requires each seller to provide a photo of the book being sold, and then information that gives a buyer an indication of the content of the book.

When I list a book... the following is included....

----- a photo taken by a camera of the actual book being sold This photo has been adjusted using appropriate software. This become the gallery photo.

----- Information about the content of the book from the dust jacket, whether the flaps or back cover..... and then sometimes from the Preface, or from the Forward... and then even from the internet.

----- The Table of Contents presented as text, or as a photo...... These photos are scans that have been adjusted in size

A description of the condition of the book... specific to the book being sold, is then presented...

My terms of sale follow in a short, carefully worded section.

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The use of Auctiva has helped me speed up the process and make my listings very clear with respect to content of the book being sold.

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Using stock photos

----- Getting them directly from the catalogue.... or even... download the photo and then a seller mighty "pretend" it is their own photo. Some sellers will "borrow" a photo from another seller.

Many sellers that started selling on eBay over the last three to four years... do not follow picture policy... do not use the book catalogue in an appropriate manner .... and then some will have many listings of the same book, that vary in condition, with the .....same stock photo .... which by definition then becomes a violation of duplicate policy.

These book sellers also use a unique system that allows then to upload listings to eBay hundeds of thousands and then millions of listings of books.

momcqueen · ‎02-27-2018

The Canadian version: https://community.ebay.ca/t5/Announcements/2018-Spring-Seller-Update/ba-p/395425 with associated thread https://community.ebay.ca/t5/Seller-Updates/2018-Seller-Update-Feedback-Thread/m-p/395426#M3328

momcqueen · ‎02-27-2018

Related thread:

https://community.ebay.ca/t5/Seller-Central/So-Many-Listings-with-No-Views/m-p/395231#M89311

amcdc79 · ‎02-28-2018

Your listings are a true labour of love, they are the way book(all?) listings should be. I am very impressed, and sad that many new sellers do not follow ebay guidelines when listing their products.

I see the same things in the video game category, stock photos for used cartridge or disc only games. Those of us who properly grade, should be getting top dollar for our items. We are being undercut by sellers who will get the sale because of their price, but will ultimately disappoint the buyer.

Then there is the "elephant in the room" the far eastern sellers, who can make anything in the world cheaper than anyone, with cheaper shipping to go along with it. The new search plays right into their hands, time to take the gloves off, good luck to you all.

momcqueen · ‎02-28-2018

Insight from the Weekly Chat:

https://community.ebay.ca/t5/Weekly-Chat-Session/February-28th-2018-Weekly-Session/m-p/395681#M6416

Hi @momcqueen - with Grouped Listings being announced late last year, I can see why this would be troubling.

I've done some looking and digging and can definitely find your item in regular search, but the grouped listings don't seem to have it anywhere.

When these items were listed was it done with the catalog? All the information I can find states that if the item doesn't utilize the catalog it won't be 'grouped'.

I'm wondering if it may be worth a try to list/relist an item using the catalog to see if it then shows up in grouped search. Keep me posted!

Insight from the Seller Update Discussion:
https://community.ebay.ca/t5/Seller-Updates/2018-Seller-Update-Feedback-Thread/m-p/395674#M3415

Looking at how the results are working, this is basically an intermediate test for product based shopping.

What group similar listings appears to be doing:
If search results keywords result in x number of listings containing the same relevant product identifiers (UPC/MPN) then enable group similar listings filter
If group similar listings filter is "on" enable product based shopping product page when listing are clicked on
Product based shopping product page will show "best" (ie lowest) option for the buyer along with other listings that match those exact grouping product identifiers

Thanks to hlmacdon and tyler@ebay as well as happy_pidgeon for giving me some tactics to try to gain entry to eBay.com and Grouped Listings.

Anonymous · ‎03-30-2018

Well I actually just came into the forums to complain about this very thing. I was putting a used iPad 2 up for sale, (it's my own, I have two of them so decided to sell one) and I still have the original box. So...I actually did use the stupid catalogue then changed the information where it needed to be changed and used my own pictures. I was also able to use the original product number with the box and of course I took pictures of the box, etc.

But noooo I log in today and they're telling me I have to use the dang catalogue, which is exactly what I had done. What, was I supposed to leave the wrong information in there? This is ridiculous, why do they have to come up with asinine ideas like this? I think this is the most annoyed I have been since I started with eBay, this new "listing tool" has to go. I am pretty sure most of the seasoned sellers won't like it, correct me if I'm wrong. I've only been here since last summer but I hate when the powers that be decide to pull this kind of nonsense.

Anonymous · ‎03-30-2018

Just to add one quick thing: the new system wouldn't stop posting a note for me to edit my listing until I finally allowed it to "prefill" with ebay catalogue information, in this case misinformation. That meant they expected me to let it be listed as "silver", I managed to change it to black, and also it took out relevant information about the specs. Can we all just holler at eBay until they drop or at least fix this crazy idea? This is just all kinds of heck no.

argh.

femmefan1946 · ‎03-31-2018

In the Books category, using the catalogue seems to make the title more visible, but the prefilled information can be removed with a click in a box under the title.

The Books section also will not use stock photos for a Used item, which is sensible.

Does this hold true for other categories?

cumos55 · ‎03-31-2018

My inventory is books....When a book is listed, the listing will contain information about the content of the book.

That information could come from the internet, from the dust jacket or elsewhere in the book.

Much of my information is included as a software edited scan.... a photograph.

My gallery photo is a camera taken photograph of the actual book. All of the other photos are software edited scans of information or photographs in the book. If the book is too large for the scanner, an actual photo, using a camera is prepared for the listing.

I have used book catalogue information, but have edited it as appropriate in my Microsoft Word program.... and then placed it in my listing.... as

From the internet -----

Under the ... Group Similar Listings .... option on eBay.com, My information shows... without any book catalogue information added.... to my listing.

This is for books, and may not apply to other categories where the catalogue information is required in a listing

rose-dee · ‎03-31-2018

I'm beginning to feel it's just about time for me to 'exit stage left', especially considering this:

"We've heard from sellers of unique products who are concerned about what eBay's plans means for them. eBay hasn't specifically addressed how its new product-based shopping experience would impact vintage and one-of-a-kind goods ..."

OK, so... is it that they have no idea, or they don't want to tell us yet, or they don't give a hoot. I'm guessing it's the latter.

I'll renew my store this time around, but I expect 2018 will be a "last efforts" year for me. I really can't see a long-term future for sellers of unique, vintage, or OOAK goods. It ain't that kind of eBay anymore.