Details regarding Item Specifics and these category changes will also be discussed in the Books & Entertainment Webinar on March 25th. Sign up today - space is limited.

What is Item Specifics?

Item Specifics makes it easy for buyers and sellers to connect by allowing sellers to provide the basic facts about an item for buyers to use when browsing and searching. When you fill in the Item Specifics fields, buyers browsing for your item will get a handy menu--called a Product Finder--to help them find items by their attributes.

For frequently asked questions about Item Specifics, click here:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/item_specifics_faqs.html

What is a Product Finder?

The Product Finder is a tool to help buyers perform specific searches and browse within an area of eBay. Each Product Finder provides a set of controls that can be used individually or in combination to narrow your search. These controls can also be easily changed to explore other types of items or to return a larger number of items if desired.

To see an example, click here:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/item_specifics_pf.html

What is Pre-Filled Item Information?

Pre-filled Item Information automatically fills in your listing with Item Specifics information when you enter a unique product identifier (such as ISBN, UPC, or Title). It can provide basic pre-written facts (for example, movie descriptions, film credits) about your item and even provide a stock picture in many cases.

Pre-filled Item Information allows you to save time writing your description and adding pictures while creating listings that are clear and appealing to buyers. The ability to list with pre-filled item information appears when you list an item in most book, movie, music, and video game categories.

To take a tour, click here:

http://pages.ebay.com/Pre-filledItemInformation/Preview/index.html

Below are questions sellers have asked when Item Specifics becomes available in an area of the eBay websites, and our answers to those questions:

What is changing?

When Item Specifics become available in an area on the eBay website, sometimes there is overlap between some Item Specifics and some of the categories. For example, there may be a category within music CDs called "alternative rock" as well as an item specific for CDs called Genre, with one choice being "alternative rock." For a short time after Item Specifics are introduced, sellers must fill in some information twice. After the majority of sellers begin using Item Specifics, the categories that duplicate Item Specifics are removed so that sellers do not need to fill in information about an item more than once.

In the Books & Magazines categories, sellers who list books & magazine items will need to use only the following categories to list once this change takes place:

Books > Antiquarian & Collectible (id# 29223)
Books > Audiobooks (id# 14878)
Books > Catalogs (id# 616)
Books > Children's Books (id# 279)
Books > Education & Textbooks (id# 2228)
Books > Fiction & Literature Books (id# 377)
Books > Magazine Back Issues (id# 280)
Books > Nonfiction Books (id# 378)

The magazine subscriptions, wholesale, and book accessories categories will retain their current structure. These categories are live today as the "Other" subcategory under each higher level category, so you can get an early start on changing your listing process.

When does this change take place?

After the successful release of Item Specifics to an area of the eBay website, categories that duplicate Item Specifics are removed once buyers and sellers have had sufficient time to begin using Item Specifics. Once we are ready to remove the duplicate categories, we will announce the changes through all available outlets.

Why does eBay need to remove some categories?

We remove categories that overlap with Item Specifics so that sellers do not need to input the same information twice. The seller can then list in a single category and then provide multiple Item Specifics for their listing-often removing the need to list in two categories. Removing duplicate categories also helps buyers to have a consistent way to narrow down their search or browse for items on eBay using a Product Finder.

Item Specifics also allows buyers to browse and refine their searches in a more flexible manner than the category structure allows. As eBay has grown, buyers have asked us to help them filter results in more ways than the current category structure allows.

Will I need to sell differently?

Once the category changes take effect, the category (or category number) you normally list in may change. We also strongly suggest you use Item Specifics (or the pre-filled item information feature available in some categories) to help buyers find your items when they use a Product Finder.

How will buyers browse or search for my items?

Here's what will stay the same:

• Buyers that use keyword searches to find your items will continue to find them in the same manner as before.
• Buyers that use "matching categories" to narrow their search by product type (Children's Books, Audiobooks, or Magazine Back Issues) will continue to find them in the same manner as before.
• Buyers that use the Product Finders to browse for items or to narrow down their keyword searches will continue to find items in the same manner as before.

• Buyers that had previously used a category that was removed will be able to find those selections in the Product Finder. If you have listed your item with Item Specifics, those buyers will continue to find your items using the Product Finder if they are browsing or refining their searches.
• Buyers that browsed for items using categories that were removed will be able to easily browse for those items using the Product Finder. To do this, a buyer can simply make a selection from one or more of the the product finder drop-down menus and press the "find" button.

Will you be adding more Item Specifics over time?

We do not expect to significantly increase the number of Item Specifics available, as Item Specifics are intended to represent the most valuable attributes of an item that most buyers would want to use to help them find your items.

We regularly monitor which Item Specifics are being used by buyers and sellers and would expect to make changes to the pull-down list of item specific values as the marketplace continues to grow and evolve.

Do I need to fill in all the Item Specifics for my item?

The more Item Specifics you fill out, the more results you will be included in when buyers use the Product Finder. However, if an item specific is not applicable for your item you can leave it blank or choose "other."

My listing tool or PSP doesn't support Item Specifics and/or Pre-Filled Item Information. What should I do?