Inventory optimization
Category changes, expanded item specifics guidance, new item specifics listing requirements in certain categories, and vehicles package pricing update.
What you need to know
- Category changes
- New item specifics recommendations and requirements
Category changes overview
Category changes to create a more intuitive shopping experience
Starting this fall, category changes including additions, removals, and renames will go into effect. Category updates will create more intuitive buying, selling, and search experiences and bring eBay into closer alignment with industry-standard classifications. The updates will also help international buyers find your items.
If you listed an item in one of the below categories and your listing is impacted by these changes, eBay will automatically move your listing to the most relevant category.
Changes effective October 15, 2019
- Business & Industrial
- Cameras & Photo
- Cell Phones & Accessories
- Clothing, Shoes & Accessories
- Computer/Tablets & Networking
- Consumer Electronics
- Home & Garden
- Toys & Hobbies
- Video Games & Consoles
Changes effective January 28, 2020
- Home & Garden
- Kids & Teens at Home
- Bath
- Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living
- Wholesale Lots
- Home Improvement
- Pet Supplies
- Baby
- Crafts
View impacted categories for more information. As a result of the changes to the category structure, if your listing is moved to a different category, you may experience a change in the fees (either an increase or decrease). Learn more.
List your items in “best fit” categories
Review your listings to make sure that they are located in “best fit” categories. If they are not in the “best fit” categories, use these eBay tools to revise your items:
- Listings tab in Seller Hub
- Bulk edit functionality in My eBay
- Selling Manager/Selling Manager Pro
- File Exchange
If you are using an off-eBay listing tool, be sure to use the new category tree to select the best category for your item so that revisions or relists done through the application result in the item moving to the desired location.
Category changes FAQ
Why is eBay making these changes?
Updates to categories will create more intuitive buying, selling, and search experiences and bring eBay into closer alignment with industry-standard classifications.
Item specifics overview
Updates to Item specifics that will help buyers find your listings
We’re continuing to make it easier for buyers to find your listings quickly and easily by providing you with targeted guidance about item specifics that matter most to buyers. Item specifics describe the item you are selling, such as brand, make, model, size, color, and style. If you do not include item specifics when you list, your listings may not appear in natural and filtered search results.
We’re adding hundreds of new item specifics across several categories. Item specifics are surfaced in order of importance (e.g., frequency of use by buyers in search). Some item specifics are already required when you create a new listing or revise an existing listing in the Home & Garden category. Starting October 15, 2019, additional item specifics will be required. If you do not fill out the required item specifics, your listings will not successfully publish. Affected categories include Toys, Fashion, Home & Garden, Collectibles, and Media & Gift Cards. In early 2020, we’ll introduce new requirements in Electronics, Home & Garden, & Fashion.
We strongly encourage you to include recommended item specifics ahead of the requirement. Complete and accurate item specifics can increase the visibility of your listings in eBay search results, Google search, and Google Shopping, and help your buyers find exactly what they are looking for.
In addition, we’ve enhanced our listing tools to help you derive the most benefit from using item specifics. Now when you create a new listing, you will see recommendations for trending item specifics and search terms frequently used by buyers. Starting in October, we’ll add indicators that will make it easier for you to identify listings that could benefit from additional item specifics. We will also provide single and bulk capabilities on the Active listings page in Seller Hub to help you add them.
Example of Required and Recommended item specifics in the listing flow. See how many more searches your item appears in as you add item specifics.
Learn more about key item specifics in other categories.
Item specifics updates FAQs
Why are you only focusing on the Toys, Fashion, Home & Garden, Collectibles, Media & Gift Cards categories at this time?
Buyers shopping in these particular categories rely heavily on item specifics to find the inventory they’re seeking. We continue to analyze buyer traffic across the site and evaluate the item specifics buyers provide in all categories.
Why will the required and recommended item specifics help my Toys, Fashion, Home & Garden, Collectibles, Media & Gift Cards items sell?
We evaluated item specifics that buyers frequently use to find and purchase items in the Toys, Fashion, Home & Garden, Collectibles, Media & Gift Cards categories. Based on our evaluation, we now recommend or require item specifics that matter most to buyers when you list in those categories.
How will I learn about new item specifics requirements in the future?
In Seller Hub, you can find out what item specifics are required and recommended when you list or revise your items. In addition to the required item specifics, we encourage you to fill out as many recommended item specifics as you can by selecting Add your own item specific. We’re also working with third-party tool providers to audit how much visibility they are giving to item specifics, including required item specifics, in their tools.
What if I don’t use the new and recommended item specifics in my listings?
If you do not provide recommended or required item specifics, your listings may not be displayed in filtered results when a buyer uses filtering features and left-hand navigation. In addition, failure to provide relevant item specifics may lower placement in the search results page. We prioritize item specifics that are most often used by buyers and present the most-filtered values to help you sell your items.
How can I find out which item specifics changes will impact my listings?
By the end of September, you will see selling reminders on your My eBay All Selling page or the new Listing Improvement section of the Seller Hub summary page. You can easily edit those listings in bulk.
Can I get ahead of listings and know which ones need to be updated?
We are rolling out item specific requirements by categories. Look for the prompts in Seller Hub and in your listing flows when you renew your listings. To view the most current list of item specific requirements by category visit our Seller Center Pages.
How do I edit my listing when the item specifics in my category change?
To edit a single listing:
1. Select the listing you want to revise in My eBay.
2. Click the “Edit” button.
3. From the “Actions” menu, select “Edit listings.”
To edit multiple listings:
1. Click the “Edit” button.
2. From the “Edit” drop-down menu at the top of the page, select “Item specifics.”
3. From the drop-down menu at the top of the next screen, select “Edit listings in bulk.”
4. Make the changes you want in the grid, then click the “Save and Close” button.