TABLE OF CONTENTS


Overview

eBay requires Item Specifics for listings in many eBay Categories. You won’t be able to create new listings, relist or make revisions to existing listings without the required information in these categories.

See the Item Specifics article in the eBay Seller Centre


There are several ways within the Omnivore App to apply Item Specifics.  We advise reading the entire FAQ to decide which method is best for you.


How to tell if you are impacted

  • eBay LINK/Omnivore will show you which listings are impacted. Go to 'Products - eBay Australia' then the tab 'Item Specifics'. You will see a list of products that require Item Specifics for Search and Filter.

There are 2 uses of Item Specifics on eBay:

  1. Search and Filter: When a buyer searches on eBay they can filter their search based on different product attributes. These are typically things like material, style, size, colour, etc and are different depending on the type of product e.g. if searching for a jumper they may filter by Material. When you add Item Specifics to your products your product will then appear when a buyer filters down.
    In the example below, the buyer may filter by the attribute "Material" equals Merino Wool. If your product has the attribute Material and the value Merino Wool, your product will appear in search results.

  2. Product Listing Page: The second use of Item Specifics on eBay is on the Product Listing page. You can add custom product attributes in the Item Specific box on the product listing page. These can be anything you like and can be different depending on your products, e.g. here are Custom Item Specifics for a pendant:


Search & Find eBay Required Data


Now that you know the 'Name' and 'Value' you can add them to your product data on your website.


Add Item Specifics using eBayLink/Omnivore


This is the recommended way to ensure that you meet eBay data requirements. It will ensure the correct eBay Item Specifics are added to your products to receive the benefits in search results on eBay.

  1. In Omnivore/eBay LINK, in the left nav go to 'Products - eBay Australia' then the tab 'Item Specifics'. You will see a list of products that require Item Specifics.
  2. We detect via the eBay APIs the Name(s) and Values of the Item Specifics that eBay requires for each product.
  3. For each 'required' Name and/or Value choose the eBay Item Specific that corresponds best to your product. In this example, for the Games Set if you select 'Multi-Coloured' then when people filter by 'Multi-Coloured' on eBay this product will appear. Choose the best eBay value for your product.
  4. If there is nothing in the drop down list you can type in your own Free Text.
  6. Once you have chosen from the drop-downs, or entered your own text, we will automatically save your selection and you can move on to the next product.
  7. You can also filter your products by Category by clicking 'Find All' - that way you can see all products in the same category on eBay that will likely require the same data.
  8. Once complete, go to the Dashboard and click 'Upload to eBay'.
  9. If you want to delete the Item Specific you chose then find that product, scroll down to the eBay Australia Product View section and under Custom Attributes click 'remove'.



Add Item Specifics via CSV in Omnivore

To add eBay Item Specifics via a CSV file go to Products - On eBay Australia and click on the 'Item Specifics' tab.


Click on 'Export attributes to CSV'


This will generate a CSV file for you of all of your products and any attributes already entered.  You can edit this file to add any new attributes and to add/change values of existing attributes.


After making changes to your CSV file make sure you remove the first two columns which will have the headings 'DELETE FROM IMPORT'.  Also ensure that your productSku formatting is correct.


To upload your new CSV file click on the 'Import attributes from CSV' button on the Item Specifics screen.


Select the file you are wanting to upload and then click the upload button.


Add Custom Item Specifics using your store attributes


You will need to add the product attributes to your eCommerce store then Omnivore/eBay LINK will import them and you can map them to eBay for them to appear on the Product Listing Page. 


Step 1: Add the product attribute data to products in your eCommerce platform:

  1. Shopify - use Shopify Tags in Shopify
  2. WooCommerce - set up with data mapping from WooCommerce
  3. BigCommerce - use the Custom Fields in BigCommerce
  4. Magento - set up with data mapping from Magento


Step 2: Map your Product Attribute Data to the relevant Item Specifics in eBay Link/Omnivore

  1. Find a product in Omnivore/eBay LINK. Go to 'Products - On eBay Australia' and find a product you want to add custom attributes to. Click the Product Title to view the full product details page.
  2. Scroll down to the section 'eBay Australia Product View' - 'Product Attributes'
  3. On the left you will see your own Product Attributes from your eCommerce platform. You can then link the attributes to the relevant eBay Item Specific for example here Type = Type, Firmness = Firmness, material = Material on eBay. Choose from the drop-down then click the green + button. Do not worry if you do not have a dropdown option for your Item Specific, this just means that the specific you have will be sent to eBay without needing to be linked.
  4. Once you have finished mapping the attributes, you can click 'Upload to eBay' to update the product.


NOTE: 

  • You only need to map a Product Attribute from your eCommerce platform to an eBay Item Specific once, our system will then automatically populate it for all other products.
  • If there are additional product attributes that you do not want on eBay you can click the red 'x' button to block.
  • eBay will not use any Product attributes that are used to create variations for a Multi-variant product as Item Specifics. These variation specifics will be listed in the Product Attributes list but they will not show as item specifics on eBay.
  • You can also use the Product Attributes from your eCommerce store for the Search and Filter Item Specifics on eBay however if your data does not match eBay you won't get the full benefit of search results. e.g you may have the Value 'Merino Cashmere Blend' in your eCommerce store but eBay requires Merino OR Cashmere.

Step 3: Add additional product data attributes to your products (if it's not there already) 

  • how you do this depends on your eCommerce platform:
    1. Shopify - use Shopify Tags in Shopify
    2. WooCommerce - set up with data mapping from WooCommerce
    3. BigCommerce - use the Custom Fields in BigCommerce
    4. Magento - set up with data mapping from Magento


Step 4: How to Map your Product Attribute Data to the relevant Item Specifics in eBay Link/Omnivore

  1. Find a product in Omnivore/eBay LINK that is listed on eBay that is impacted. Go to the Dashboard, under 'Products Not Listed - Listing Errors' you will see errors such as: validation error = The item specific Type is missing. Add Type to this listing. 
  2. Click the error and then click into the full product details page.
  3. Scroll down to the section 'eBay Australia Product View' - 'Product Attributes'
  4. On the left, you will see your own Product Attributes from your eCommerce platform. You can then link the attributes to the relevant eBay Item Specific for example here Type = Type, Firmness = Firmness, material = Material on eBay. Choose from the drop-down then click the green + button. Do not worry if you do not have a dropdown option for your Item Specific, this just means that the specific you have will be sent to eBay without needing to be linked.
  5. Once you have finished mapping the attributes, you can click 'Upload to eBay' to update the product.


NOTE: 

  • You only need to map a Product Attribute from your eCommerce platform to an eBay Item Specific once, our system will then automatically populate it for all other products.
  • If there are additional product attributes that you do not want on eBay you can click the red 'x' button to block.
  • eBay will not use any Product attributes that are used to create variations for a Multi-variant product as Item Specifics. These variation specifics will be listed in the Product Attributes list but they will not show as item specifics on eBay.


If you don't have the required product attribute values that eBay requires, you will need to add them to your eCommerce platform.


Add using Bulk Mapping at the Category Level

  1. In Omnivore/eBay LINK, in the left nav go to 'Products - eBay Australia' then the tab 'Item Specifics'. You will see a list of products that require Item Specifics.  You can untick the filter boxes to extend the search.
  2. Click the Categories button next to Products, Products will be highlighted by default.
  3. Now you are viewing the Item Specifics Category Page you will be able to map item specifics to marketplace attributes for a marketplace category.
  4. Click Bulk Map next to the Category you wish to assign.
  5. Use either the Retailer product attribute name OR set a default value columns, the 2nd column allows free text.
  6. You can use a free text string that is ' See Item Description ' so that all listings in that category have that value.
  7. Please see screen captures below as a guide


Note:  using this method only allows you to add free text at the category level including the See Item Description string.