Item specifics updates and reminders

We recently announced new item specifics requirements that went into effect on 22 February 2021, as well as changes to variation details for listings with multiple variations. We’re also adding new item specifics in some categories in early May 2021.

Complete and accurate ​item specifics​ (both required and recommended) are essential to improving your listings’ rankings in search results on eBay and external search engines. The more data you provide, the better we can match your items to what buyers are looking for. Learn more about recent and upcoming item specifics requirements, and about the tools and features available to help you keep your item specifics up to date.

We’re adding new item specifics in the below categories. The new item specifics are not required now, but will be available in your listing flows as Required Soon item specifics starting in early May. 

• Clothing, Shoes, & Accessories
• Collectibles
• Media
• Musical Instruments
• Parts & Accessories
• Sporting Goods

You’ll see more updates as these item specifics become available, including the date they will be required. However, we strongly recommend adding new Required Soon item specifics to your listings as soon as you see them in your listing flows.

Recently, we announced new item specifics requirements that went into effect on 22 February 2021. If you haven’t already done so, you will need to add missing Required item specifics to the relevant listings as soon as possible. Learn more about the recent item specifics requirements.

• Optiseller Aspect Finder+.  You can now use Optiseller free of charge*, courtesy of eBay, until at least 30 June, 2021. This tool helps you identify and update missing Required and Required Soon item specifics. *Terms and conditions apply.
• Download/Upload file. This tool is available in the Seller Hub Active Listings page. It allows you to download an Excel file of your listings, identify and update missing item specifics in bulk, and re-upload the file to apply the changes. 
• Edit item specifics in bulk. When you add item specifics from the Seller Hub Active Listings page, you can select multiple listings and click the “Add item specifics” button. 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.
• Quick filters. If you have listings missing Required, Required Soon, or Recommended item specifics, you’ll see quick filters on your Seller Hub Active Listings page. These quick filters show you all listings missing those particular item specifics. 
• Required Soon feature. When you create a new listing or revise an existing one, you’ll see indicators in your listing flow above item specifics that will be required soon. These will include the date the item specifics will become required. 
• Task reminders in Seller Hub and My eBay. If you have listings missing Required, Required Soon, or Recommended item specifics, you’ll see corresponding tasks in Seller Hub, or corresponding modules in My eBay Selling Overview. 
• Item specifics rankings. These rankings appear in the listing flow and provide guidance on which non-required item specifics your buyers are searching for.

As part of our item specifics updates, we periodically revise the available variation details for listings with multiple variations. These updates clarify what variations work best as a single listing and what items are more likely to get noticed as separate listings. They also help your listings with multiple variations show up in the right searches.

As a result, you may receive an error message while updating listings with variation details that are no longer valid. Learn more about listings with multiple variations and how these changes may affect your listings.

When you see that new item specifics requirements appear in a category you sell in, start adding them to your existing listings to improve search visibility. You’ll be prompted to add new required item specifics when you create new listings in those categories as well.