what is ebay doing with vintage jewellery ??!!!

[gem-boy-g]

I went to list some vintage and antique jewellery on turbo lister and all the additional catergories have gone i.e. the only heading is vintage/antique, no breaking it down into rings bracelets etc. It's the same when listing direct on ebay. How is anyone supposed to find what they're looking for. Oh that's right we're only supposed to sell new stuff at a fixed price with free postage now. 😐

[davewil1964]

Put your own item specifics in. That's what us book people do.

[davewil1964]

In fact, if you go into 'Item Specifics' and select 'Get Suggestions' you will probably find they are all available from the dropdowns.

[the3coopers]

Ebay has FOR MANY YEARS been changing to Item Specifics instead of Categories. This has numerous advantages, the primary one being that you can list in more than one "category".

For example (and this is an example, so these Specifics may not exist), say you are selling a 9ct Gold and Diamond Engagement Ring, size N. You could set Item Specifics for (something like):

Item Type: Ring

Item subtype: Engagement Ring

Stone: Diamond

Gold: 9ct

Size: N

That way, if somebody searches for Rings, Size N... your item shows up

If they search for 9ct Gold Engagement... then your item shows up.

If they search for Diamond Ring,., then your item shows up

etc, etc

Categories place your item into only one, single "box". If the buyer don't look in the box that you chose, your item is invisible. But Item Speciifcs allow you to reach a much wider audience.

[digital*ghost]

Ebay has FOR MANY YEARS been changing to Item Specifics instead of Categories. This has numerous advantages, the primary one being that you can list in more than one "category".

For example (and this is an example, so these Specifics may not exist), say you are selling a 9ct Gold and Diamond Engagement Ring, size N. You could set Item Specifics for (something like):

Item Type: Ring

Item subtype: Engagement Ring

Stone: Diamond

Gold: 9ct

Size: N

That way, if somebody searches for Rings, Size N... your item shows up

If they search for 9ct Gold Engagement... then your item shows up.

If they search for Diamond Ring,., then your item shows up

etc, etc

Categories place your item into only one, single "box". If the buyer don't look in the box that you chose, your item is invisible. But Item Speciifcs allow you to reach a much wider audience.

In my experience, that's only true when using eBay's default item specific fields.

As another example, if I list a red dress, and (for some unknown reason) don't put any of those words in the title, but select red under the (default) colour in the dress category, it will still come up under a keyword search for 'red dress'. If I make my own item specific - even if using one of eBay's suggestestions - and put Length: Knee Length, it will not come up in a keyword search for 'knee length red dress', nor will it be a filterable option in the lefthand menu.

[digital*ghost]

BTW - length is actually a default item specific in the dress category, so I probably could have used a better example. :8}

[the3coopers]

Yeah, I didn't mean Custom specifics.

I meant that Ebay want you to use their default (satandard) Item Specifics, but not just because those are linked into the search.  More importantly, they show in the filtering area on the left pane of any search.

So the buyer might search for "gold ring", then see 100,000 results... then use those preset filters on the left (which are generated from the Item Specifics) to narrow down the choices.

If you fill in an Item Specific, then your item will be "filterable" using those criteria. If you don't fill it in, then your item won't show. This is why sellers MUST fill in all the item specifics... they are there for an extremely good rreason.

The bottom line is that Item Specifics ARE the Categories, and as time goes on there are less and less categories, and the whole site will become more reliant on the Item Specifics fields.

[gem-boy-g]

thanks for all your help and ideas, there are no suggested specifics in the one drop down so I'll make up a few of my own and see what happens, hopefully I'm still on the free 30

[the3coopers]

If you are using Turbo Lister, you need to UPDATE IT.

1. First, go to Tools > Options, and open Advanced Options

2. Tick "Automatically download updates when I start the program"

3. Tick Download Item Specifics updates for selected categories

4. Click on "Select Categories" and click "Select All"

5. Click APPLY (at the bottom) but leave the Options box open.

6. Now change to Advanced Options > Turbo Lister Options amd tick "Automatically add default item specifics when available"

7. Click OK at the bottom (closes the options box)

8. Next, go to Tools > Check for Program Updates. Let it update everything.

9 THEN go back to your listing and open it to edit it. Then in the Details area, click on EDIT next to Item Specifics. Click on "Get Suggestions" and see what comes up.

All that stuff will make 100% sure that you're getting the most up to date versions. Having TL update when you open it ensures that all your new listings are created with the current Categories and Item Specifics too.

[gem-boy-g]

thanks for your help 3coopers, your method gave me a few more options and I added some of my own. Will see how it goes 😄