Important Update for Developers in Technology Categories for US and CA

eBay will soon enable catalogs for a number of categories in US and CA. We want to make sure that this has minimal impact to your application and your sellers, so we will be running some small tests first.

Test 1 - June 29

The first test will be June 29, when we enable catalogs in the Video Cards category. The changes will be live the morning of June 30.

Video Cards catalog:
Computers & Networking > PC Components > For Desktops > Graphics, Video & TV Cards > Graphics, Video Cards (3762)

Update 30 June, 2009: The Video Cards changes are now live. If you notice any issues with your application in this category, please contact us

Test 2 - July 8

The second test will be July 8, when we enable catalogs in CPUs, Motherboards, Hubs&Switches, and Keyboards.

CPUs Catalog:
Mapped Categories:
Computer & Networking > PC Components > For Desktops > CPUs (3671) > AMD (15918) > 11 leaf categories
Computer & Networking > PC Components > For Desktops > CPUs (3671) > Cyrix  (3675)
Computer & Networking > PC Components > For Desktops > CPUs (3671) > Intel (14291) > 16 leaf categories
Computer & Networking > PC Components > For Laptops & Notebooks > CPUs (86711) > AMD (86712)
Computer & Networking > PC Components > For Laptops & Notebooks > CPUs (86711) > Intel (99251)

Motherboards Catalog:
Mapped Categories:
Computer & Networking > PC Components > For Desktops > Motherboards (4613) > For AMD (101195) > 16 leaf categories
Computer & Networking > PC Components > For Desktops > Motherboards (4613) > For Intel (101198) > 23 leaf categories
Computer & Networking > PC Components > For Laptops & Notebooks > Motherboards (60265)

Keyboards Catalog:
Mapped Categories:
Computer & Networking > Keyboards, Mice & Input > Keyboards (33963) > 10 leaf categories

Networking Hubs & Switches Catalog:
Mapped Categories:
Computer & Networking > Networking & Communications > Networking Hubs (11178) > 4 leaf categories
Computer & Networking > Networking & Communications > Network Switches (51268)

Possible Issues

We have thoroughly tested this change, and do not expect any breaking changes to your application. However, we can't anticipate all of the ways in which the API is used, so are giving you advance warning so you can keep an eye out for issues.

If you do notice any issues with your application in these categories, please contact us.

Why Catalogs are Important

Catalogs provide additional technical and descriptive information about your item, without the seller having to enter it manually. That info makes the item easier to find in search, and can answer many buyer questions about the item without the buyer having to contact the seller. Catalogs can even provide a stock photo. We think catalogs are a very good thing.

We appreciate your working with us as we move to bring more catalogs to eBay.

June 24, 2009 in Categories and Item Specifics, Critical Notes from Tech Support, International | Permalink

Reminder: Breaking Changes to Golf Club Item Specifics

As previously mentioned, we will be making some important changes to Golf Clubs Item Specifics. Two of the changes may break listings in the Golf Club category:

  • Existing Model values will be deleted, and Model will become a free text field
  • The Condition value "Vintage" is being deleted

These Item Specifics changes will start rolling late on March 2 and should complete the morning of March 3.

For more details, and for additional, non-breaking Item Specifics changes in Golf Clubs, see the previous post.

February 25, 2009 in Categories and Item Specifics | Permalink

Important Update to Golf Club Item Specifics

On March 2nd, we plan to implement significant changes in Golf Clubs. We're removing the Club Type>Brand>Model dependency structure currently in place, and offering sellers more attributes and updated attribute values.

There are a number of issues we're trying to solve with this update:

  1. Simplify the structure and remove restrictions on the Brand list by making it no longer dependent upon Club Type selection
  2. Replace an outdated and limited Model list by allowing sellers to enter any model. (certain Brand selections do not offer any Model values at all)
  3. Certain Club Type values are inaccurate: "Fairway Wood, Hybrid" is actually two separate types

Developer Impact

In order to remove the dependency structure described above, we will be removing or reassigning a considerable number Brand and Model value IDs on March 2nd. For example, instead of 30+ value IDs for the brand Ben Hogan, we will be reducing Ben Hogan to a single value in a new Brand list.

All Model values will be deleted. Model will become a free text field. eBay will not be replacing a seller's model selection into the text field, although developers may choose to provide this service.

Some renames will result in a listing being inaccurately described. A seller who selected the "Fairway Woods, Hybrid" value to describe their Hybrid will see the value is now named "Fairway Woods" The new value "Hybrid" should be selected instead.

The Condition value "Vintage" is being deleted. eBay will not map listings with "Vintage" to the Used value.

Summary of attribute changes:

  • Brand attribute will no longer be dependent upon Club Type
  • Model attribute will no longer be dependent upon Brand
  • Model becomes a free text field
  • Adding Loft
  • Adding Flex

Summary of attribute value changes:

  • Updating Brand values
  • Separating Woods and Hybrids into two values
  • Adding Club Type values for  'Woods Sets', 'Wedge Sets', 'Chippers' and 'Mixed Clubs'
  • Adding Gender value 'Unisex'
  • Adding Shaft Materials
  • Removing Condition value 'Vintage'. Sellers of vintage clubs are encouraged to move their item to the separate Vintage Club category.

Once again, all dependencies are being removed. Most Brand value IDs and all Model value IDs will be deleted so it is important that sellers are able to access the new schema. Developers should note that in most cases, sellers who are relisting items will have to revise their listings.

Developers may also want to use this opportunity to encourage their sellers to adopt Item Specifics in Golf Clubs, if they have not already done so, and to take advantage of the new values. Item specifics are the primary means for buyers to narrow their search for clubs.

A detailed list of new attributes, new values, and their corresponding IDs is available for download, in order to accommodate these changes before the March 2nd release date.

February 11, 2009 in Categories and Item Specifics | Permalink

Early February Category Changes

The category structure will be updated in early February based on feedback received from the eBay Community and from experts in the affected fields.
If you sell in these areas, please be sure to take a look at the new category structure on Seller Central.

Changes this month are primarily generated from community suggestions.

Categories with updates are:

We appreciate your input on how we can make categories better for everyone. Please submit categories suggestions here.

Thanks again to all our members who contributed to these changes!

January 29, 2009 in Categories and Item Specifics | Permalink

Early February Item Specifics changes

We plan to update eBay Item Specifics year values in the following categories in early February:

  • Sporting Goods: BMX, Mountain and Road Bikes
  • Travel: Airline, Cruises and Vacation Packages
  • Sports Mem.: Cards
  • Gift Certificates
  • Business & Industrial: Click here for category list.

January 29, 2009 in Categories and Item Specifics | Permalink

Early January 2009 Item Specifics Changes

We plan the following changes to the eBay Item Specifics for Video Game Systems in early January:

  • Adding "Refurbished" to Condition.
  • Removing Xbox 360 Elite as a separate value from Xbox 360.

January 2, 2009 in Categories and Item Specifics | Permalink

Early January 2009 Category Changes

The category structure will be updated in early January based on feedback received from the eBay Community and from experts in the affected fields.
If you sell in these areas, please be sure to take a look at the new category structure on Seller Central.

Changes this month are primarily generated from community suggestions.

Categories with updates are:

We appreciate your input on how we can make categories better for everyone. Please submit categories suggestions here.

Thanks again to all our members who contributed to these changes!

January 2, 2009 in Categories and Item Specifics | Permalink

Custom Item Specifics and Catalogs Improve Seller Sales

Over the next few months eBay will be increasing search exposure of item specifics. In more and more places, buyers will be able to click on item specifics in the left hand navigation area to narrow their results to items with that specific feature or attribute. In addition, eBay will be expanding the list of eligible values for left navigation to include popular Custom Item Specifics. This will be the first buy-side exposure of Custom Item Specifics (previously limited to Title and Description Search). Additionally we are increasing the exposure of Catalog Product information in the buying experience through the Matching Product Module in search results.

Why is this important to you? Sellers who aren't able to adopt Custom Item Specifics or Catalog Products will be at a competitive disadvantage in Search. Developers who support Custom Item Specifics and Catalog Products in their selling tools will have an important competitive differentiator—better sell-through performance for items listed using their tools.

Third party developers can use the existing eBay Web Services to incorporate Custom Item Specifics and Catalog Products into their selling tools. If your sellers have not yet started using Custom Item Specifics and Catalog Products, encourage them to do so for exposure they'll get in navigation and search.

For more information on how to incorporate Custom Item Specifies and Catalog Products into your selling tool please see the relevant documentation: http://developer.ebay.com/DevZone/XML/docs/WebHelp/wwhelp/wwhimpl/js/html/wwhelp.htm?context=eBay_XML_API&topic=ItemSpecifics

October 6, 2008 in Categories and Item Specifics, Product News | Permalink

Early October 2008 Category Changes

The category structure will be updated in early October based on feedback received from the eBay Community and from experts in the affected fields. If you sell in these areas, please be sure to take a look at the new category structure on Seller Central here.

Changes this month are primarily generated from community suggestions.

Categories with updates are:

We appreciate your input on how we can make categories better for everyone. Please submit category suggestions here.

Thanks again to all our members who contributed to these changes!

September 26, 2008 in Categories and Item Specifics | Permalink

Coming Late Sep 2008: Pre-Filled Item Information Available in More Categories

Over the next few weeks, we will be introducing Pre-Filled Item Information in multiple categories, including several under Business & Industrial, Clothing, Shoes & Accessories, Coins, Dolls & Bears, Health & Beauty, Home & Garden, Sporting Goods, and Toys and Hobbies.

Pre-Filled Item Information enables sellers to easily add standard product information such as brand, model, color, and in some cases, a stock photo, to their listings. Buyers find this additional product information very helpful as they shop on eBay. Below is the list of categories where Pre-Filled Item Information will be introduced:

Business & Industrial

  • Welders

Clothing, Shoes & Accessories

  • Men's Sunglasses
  • Women's Sunglasses

Coins & Paper Money

  • US Dollars

Dolls & Bears

  • Barbie Dolls
  • Dolls – By Brand, Company, Character

Health & Beauty

  • Women's Fragrances
  • Men's Fragrances
  • Straightening Irons

Home & Garden

  • Cordless Drills
  • Riding Mowers
  • Chainsaws
  • Grinders
  • Dog Flea & Tick Remedies
  • Dog Collars & Tags

Sporting Goods

  • Bicycles
  • Western Saddles
  • Snowboards

Sports Mem, Cards & Fan Shop

  • Baseball Fan Apparel

Toys & Hobbies

  • Cars, Trucks Diecast
  • Radio Control Parts & Accessories
  • Radio Control Vehicles
  • Disney Toys

Cell Phones & PDAs

  • Bluetooth Accessories

Note: Sellers who use a 3rd party listing service, should contact them to verify that they will offer the Pre-filled Item Information capabilities in the categories listed above.

Please visit our Pre-filled Item Information page to learn more about this feature.

September 12, 2008 in Categories and Item Specifics | Permalink