Improve search ranking with Item Specifics

Improve search ranking with Item Specifics

Buyers look for items by using their keywords. It is therefore very important for your products to show up in search results as per the “refined options” chosen by buyers.  

“Item Specifics” are descriptive keywords that tell buyers about your item. They may include brand, size, length, width, height, type, color or style and many more, and vary depending on what you’re selling.

By adding detailed and accurate Item Specifics, you are increasing the chances of making a successful sale. When you are very precise in adding the Item Specifics, it helps eBay to know what you are selling and thereby display the appropriate results to the buyers. You have to show the buyers the right thing – which will get your buyer’s attention. Make sure that the added Item Specifics are within the category chosen by you for the product. 

Buyers look for items by using their keywords. It is therefore very important for your products to show up in search results as per the “refined options” chosen by buyers.  

“Item Specifics” are descriptive keywords that tell buyers about your item. They may include brand, size, length, width, height, type, color or style and many more, and vary depending on what you’re selling.

By adding detailed and accurate Item Specifics, you are increasing the chances of making a successful sale. When you are very precise in adding the Item Specifics, it helps eBay to know what you are selling and thereby display the appropriate results to the buyers. You have to show the buyers the right thing – which will get your buyer’s attention. Make sure that the added Item Specifics are within the category chosen by you for the product. 

The “Sell Your Item Form” gives you the option to add the detailed Item Specifics during the listing process itself.

Do know that eBay automatically populates the Item Specifics for you based on the item title provided by you?

And the best part – each section under the Item Specifics tells you what the next aspect that needs to be added is, to improve the search results.

eBay emphasizes the importance of adding detailed item specifics to listings as  they help to increase item visibility. Remember – The more data you give us about what you’re selling, the better we can match your item to buyers that are looking for it, either through query search, left-hand navigation filters or category merchandising pages.

The “Sell Your Item Form” gives you the option to add the detailed Item Specifics during the listing process itself. Do know that eBay automatically populates the Item Specifics for you based on the item title provided by you? And the best part – each section under the Item Specifics tells you what the next aspect that needs to be added is, to improve the search results.

eBay emphasizes the importance of adding detailed item specifics to listings as  they help to increase item visibility. Remember – The more data you give us about what you’re selling, the better we can match your item to buyers that are looking for it, either through query search, left-hand navigation filters or category merchandising pages.

Required vs Recommended Item Specifics

“Required” Item Specifics are considered essential information for buyers shopping for these products. You won’t be able to create or revise listings without entering these details.

“Recommended” Item Specifics are based on frequently searched terms. Including recommended Item Specifics will help buyers to find your listings more easily and understand exactly what you’re selling.

Required vs Recommended Item Specifics

“Required” Item Specifics are considered essential information for buyers shopping for these products. You won’t be able to create or revise listings without entering these details.

“Recommended” Item Specifics are based on frequently searched terms. Including recommended Item Specifics will help buyers to find your listings more easily and understand exactly what you’re selling.

There are a number of resources that make it easier to find and add the missing item specifics to your listing.

Optiseller Aspect Finder +

You can now use Optiseller free of charge*, courtesy of eBay, until at least September 30th, 2021. This tool helps you identify and update missing Required and Required Soon item specifics Use of the Optiseller Aspect Finder is subject to Optiseller’s terms and conditions.

Required soon feature

The “Required soon” feature is available in the listing flow when you revise or list an item with item specifics that will soon be required. This quick filter on the active listings’ page lets you identify listings needing action to ensure item specifics have been added prior to the required date.

Item specifics rankings

Appearing in the listing flow, these rankings provide you with the required guidance on the Item Specifics that buyers are looking for. These will not just help you identify but also prioritize the Items Specifics that may not be required by buyers. The ranking details are derived using buyer demand data in the past 30 days. The chief Item Specifics within each section i.e.  Required, Recommended, Additional will be listed on the top. This information helps you expand your items visibility when buyers refine their search using eBay’s filters.  

Download/Upload file

This tool is available in the Seller Hub Active Listings page and allows you to download an Excel file of your listings that are missing required, required soon, or recommended Item Specifics. You can then easily make the changes in the Excel and upload the file so that the changes can be applied.

Edit Item Specifics in bulk

In addition to the file option mentioned above, you can also add item specifics to listings in bulk directly on the Seller Hub Active Listings page. Select the listings you want to edit by using the checkboxes in the left-hand column, then select Sell it faster (button above the table) > Add Item Specifics. This will load all of your selected listings into a pop-up window where you can cycle through each listing one at a time and add any missing item specifics.

Reminders in Seller Hub and My eBay

Your eBay account is also another place to look if you have any listings that are missing required, soon to be required, or recommended Item Specifics. If you are using Seller Hub, you will see corresponding tasks. In the case that you are using My eBay, under Selling Overview, you will see corresponding modules.

Quick Filter Search for required Item Specifics

This is easily available in the Active Listings pages. These filters are available to help you easily find listings that are missing required Item Specifics. If any of your listings are missing Item Specifics, the filters will enable you to see item specifics that are required, soon to be required, or recommended. Otherwise, you won’t see the filters.

Optiseller Aspect Finder +

You can now use Optiseller free of charge*, courtesy of eBay, until at least September 30th, 2021. This tool helps you identify and update missing Required and Required Soon item specifics Use of the Optiseller Aspect Finder is subject to Optiseller’s terms and conditions.

Required soon feature

The “Required soon” feature is available in the listing flow when you revise or list an item with item specifics that will soon be required. This quick filter on the active listings’ page lets you identify listings needing action to ensure item specifics have been added prior to the required date.

Item specifics rankings

Appearing in the listing flow, these rankings provide you with the required guidance on the Item Specifics that buyers are looking for. These will not just help you identify but also prioritize the Items Specifics that may not be required by buyers. The ranking details are derived using buyer demand data in the past 30 days. The chief Item Specifics within each section i.e.  Required, Recommended, Additional will be listed on the top. This information helps you expand your items visibility when buyers refine their search using eBay’s filters.  

Download/Upload file

This tool is available in the Seller Hub Active Listings page and allows you to download an Excel file of your listings that are missing required, required soon, or recommended Item Specifics. You can then easily make the changes in the Excel and upload the file so that the changes can be applied.

Edit Item Specifics in bulk

In addition to the file option mentioned above, you can also add item specifics to listings in bulk directly on the Seller Hub Active Listings page. Select the listings you want to edit by using the checkboxes in the left-hand column, then select Sell it faster (button above the table) > Add Item Specifics. This will load all of your selected listings into a pop-up window where you can cycle through each listing one at a time and add any missing item specifics.

Reminders in Seller Hub and My eBay

Your eBay account is also another place to look if you have any listings that are missing required, soon to be required, or recommended Item Specifics. If you are using Seller Hub, you will see corresponding tasks. In the case that you are using My eBay, under Selling Overview, you will see corresponding modules.

Quick Filter Search for required Item Specifics

This is easily available in the Active Listings pages. These filters are available to help you easily find listings that are missing required Item Specifics. If any of your listings are missing Item Specifics, the filters will enable you to see item specifics that are required, soon to be required, or recommended. Otherwise, you won’t see the filters.

What are the benefits of adding Item Specifics to my listing?

1. Buyers use Item Specifics to filter their search results, making it easier for them to find exactly what they’re looking for. Your item will only appear in those filtered search results if you have added the matching Item Specific information to your listing.

2. Complete and accurate item specifics can increase the visibility of your listing in eBay search results, Google search and Google Shopping, and help your buyers find exactly what they are looking for.

3. Item Specifics have a direct impact on your listing’s visibility within a buyer’s search results.

4. They sit at the top of your item description in a standardized format, giving buyers a clear overview of what they’re looking at.

5. Item specifics are very important on mobile search results as most the buyers look for products through their mobile and narrow down their search results via the items specifics

What are the benefits of adding Item Specifics to my listing?

1. Buyers use Item Specifics to filter their search results, making it easier for them to find exactly what they’re looking for. Your item will only appear in those filtered search results if you have added the matching Item Specific information to your listing.

2. Complete and accurate item specifics can increase the visibility of your listing in eBay search results, Google search and Google Shopping, and help your buyers find exactly what they are looking for.

3. Item Specifics have a direct impact on your listing’s visibility within a buyer’s search results.

4. They sit at the top of your item description in a standardized format, giving buyers a clear overview of what they’re looking at.

5. Item specifics are very important on mobile search results as most the buyers look for products through their mobile and narrow down their search results via the items specifics

Listing Quality Report

Improving the quality of your listings is one of the main ways to improve your seller performance, to boost views, impressions and sales

The Listing Quality Report is an eBay tool that provides you with analysis of your 10 categories with the most live listings. It has been designed with input from the seller community. This downloadable Excel document contains key information about your listing and category performance on eBay.

To find your report go to Seller Hub > Performance tab.

The key benefits

1. Get actionable recommendations to help boost search impressions, views and sales.

2. See how you rank against your eBay competitors and sharpen your competitive edge.

3. Google Shopping insights: eBay will tell you if and why your listings were rejected from Google Shopping ads.

What’s in the report?

1. Summary Tab: an overview of recommendations at category level.

2. Category tabs: listing-level detail of each category and benchmark data to support the recommended actions.

3. Google Shopping tab: an overview of which listings have been rejected by Google Shopping ads.

Listing Quality Report

Improving the quality of your listings is one of the main ways to improve your seller performance, to boost views, impressions and sales

The Listing Quality Report is an eBay tool that provides you with analysis of your 10 categories with the most live listings. It has been designed with input from the seller community. This downloadable Excel document contains key information about your listing and category performance on eBay.

To find your report go to Seller Hub > Performance tab.

The key benefits

1. Get actionable recommendations to help boost search impressions, views and sales.

2. See how you rank against your eBay competitors and sharpen your competitive edge.

3. Google Shopping insights: eBay will tell you if and why your listings were rejected from Google Shopping ads.

What’s in the report?

1. Summary Tab: an overview of recommendations at category level.

2. Category tabs: listing-level detail of each category and benchmark data to support the recommended actions.

3. Google Shopping tab: an overview of which listings have been rejected by Google Shopping ads.

What can I use a Listing Quality Report for?

Deal with a new category

  • The report can be useful with the first listing on eBay or when you start listing items in a new category. It will quickly allow you to see what other sellers include in their listings and show you what’s working and what’s not in a particular category.

Increase the efficiency of listings

  • Use the report to combat a drop in performance in a particular category. Applying recommended actions at listing level could help bring up your listing in your overall category performance. You can also see which listings are performing the most and scale up best practices.

What can I use a Listing Quality Report for?

Deal with a new category

  • The report can be useful with the first listing on eBay or when you start listing items in a new category. It will quickly allow you to see what other sellers include in their listings and show you what’s working and what’s not in a particular category.

Increase the efficiency of listings

  • Use the report to combat a drop in performance in a particular category. Applying recommended actions at listing level could help bring up your listing in your overall category performance. You can also see which listings are performing the most and scale up best practices.

What is included in the Listing Quality Report?

Listing Quality Report includes Summary Tab, Category tabs and Google Shopping tab.

Category tabs

The category tab includes the funnel chart for the analysis of impressions and clicks. Cells represent the stages of the funnel as buyers progress through their shopping journey:

  • Impressions: The first stage of the funnel represents buyers searching for an item. Every time a listing is shown, eBay refers to it as an impression.
  • Clicks: The next stage of the funnel represents buyers clicking on the item to view it.
  • Conversion: The final stage in the funnel is where sales are completed.
  •  

The report shows how to improve your listing on every stage of the funnel based on the experience of the sellers whose listings perform the highest in your category.

Summary Tab

It shows your 10 categories with the biggest number of live listings. Here you can also find your sales rank for each category and see which positions you among your competitors based on your total sales for listings within this category over the last 31 days. Clicking on Show recommendations per listing will take you to the dedicated tab for that category.

Google Shopping tab

Every day eBay sends selected and eligible items from sellers to Google to be displayed as part of the Google product listing. But some listings are rejected by Google because they do not meet their criteria. In this tab you will find an overview of why each listing was rejected and how you can fix the problem.

What is included in the Listing Quality Report?

Listing Quality Report includes Summary Tab, Category tabs and Google Shopping tab.

Category tabs

The category tab includes the funnel chart for the analysis of impressions and clicks. Cells represent the stages of the funnel as buyers progress through their shopping journey:

  • Impressions: The first stage of the funnel represents buyers searching for an item. Every time a listing is shown, eBay refers to it as an impression.
  • Clicks: The next stage of the funnel represents buyers clicking on the item to view it.
  • Conversion: The final stage in the funnel is where sales are completed.
  •  

The report shows how to improve your listing on every stage of the funnel based on the experience of the sellers whose listings perform the highest in your category.

Summary Tab

It shows your 10 categories with the biggest number of live listings. Here you can also find your sales rank for each category and see which positions you among your competitors based on your total sales for listings within this category over the last 31 days. Clicking on Show recommendations per listing will take you to the dedicated tab for that category.

Google Shopping tab

Every day eBay sends selected and eligible items from sellers to Google to be displayed as part of the Google product listing. But some listings are rejected by Google because they do not meet their criteria. In this tab you will find an overview of why each listing was rejected and how you can fix the problem.