In today’s eBay Seller Update Autumn 2021 Item Specifics and category changes were announced, to be introduced by early 2022. The new item specifics won’t be required until early 2022, but you’ll be able to add them to your listings starting from the 12th of October. You’ll see some changes to category structures and item specifics names when eBay release new item specifics.
What are the benefits of item specifics?
eBay say that adding item specifics is an important way to make sure buyers can find your listings. These descriptive keywords tell a buyer about your item, and help make sure your listings show up in buyers’ search results both on eBay and on external search engines. When you add more item specifics, your listings have a better chance of matching what buyers are searching for.
It’s also worth a reminder that since changes to the eBay Mobile Filter, use of Item Specifics has risen some 10% so buyers really do use them to find your items… or if you haven’t completed them to eliminate your items from search results.
New soon-to-be-required item specifics will be available on the 12th of October
eBay are adding new item specifics in the below categories. The new item specifics will be required in early 2022, and will be available for you to add as you edit or create new listings starting from the 12th of October.
- Collectibles & Art
- Jewellery
- Musical Instruments
- Parts & Accessories
- Sporting Goods
You’ll see these item specifics tagged as Required Soon, to let you know that you’ll soon be required to add them to affected listings. You’ll also see more updates as these item specifics become available, including the date they’ll be required. eBay strongly recommend adding new Required Soon item specifics to your listings as soon as they’re available.
Changes to categories and item specifics names
As eBay introduce new item specifics in certain categories, you’ll also see updates to the structures and item specifics names in those categories. These updates are based on input eBay sought from industry experts to make listings in these categories easier for buyers to find.
In the week following the 12th of October release of new item specifics, you may see changes to the structure and item specifics names in the categories listed above. eBay will automatically adjust your affected listings to reflect these changes.
Tools to help you find and update missing item specifics
There are a number of tools and features to help you find and update missing item specifics:
- Download/Upload file
Available in the Seller Hub Active Listings page, this tool allows you to download an Excel file of your listings, identify and update missing item specifics in bulk, and re-upload the file to apply the changes.
- Task reminders in Seller Hub and My eBay
If you have listings missing Required, Required Soon, or Recommended item specifics, you’ll see corresponding tasks in Seller Hub, or corresponding modules in My eBay Selling Overview.
- Quick filters
If you have listings missing Required, Required Soon, or Recommended item specifics, you’ll see quick filters on your Seller Hub Active Listings page. These quick filters show you all listings missing those particular item specifics.
- Required Soon feature
When you create a new listing or revise an existing one, you’ll see indicators above item specifics that will be required soon. These will include the date the item specifics will become required.
- Edit item specifics in bulk
When you add item specifics on the Seller Hub Active Listings page, you can select multiple listings and click the “Add item specifics” button. This will load all of your selected listings into a pop-up window where you can add any missing item specifics.
With the raft of tools that eBay now have, it may be that they will stop funding OptiSeller to make it free for your use. However you can still use the Optiseller’s Aspect Finder+ tool at no cost through to the end of September.
