eBay sellers selling branded new and manufacturer-refurbished items in certain categories must now comply with a new rule the company is set to begin enforcing today.
eBay announced, as part of its Spring Seller Update, that sellers who list such items in the specified categories would be required to include the item’s brand, manufacturer part number (MPN), and a global trade item number (GTIN). eBay said in an announcement on Monday:
As previously announced, product identifiers are now required in order to complete listings of branded new items and manufacturer-refurbished items in qualifying categories, effective June 29, 2015.
Starting today, eBay is enforcing the product identifier requirement on a category-by-category basis by preventing the completion of new listings or manual relistings whenever product identifiers aren’t included.
Categories in which sellers must comply include: Baby, Books, Business & Industrial (Test, Lab, and Office Equipment), Camera & Photos, Cell Phones & Accessories, Clothing, Shoes & Accessories (Shoes Only), Computers/Tablets & Networking, Consumer Electronics, DVDs & Movies, eBay Motors, Health & Beauty, Home & Garden (Tools and Appliances only), Music, Musical Instruments & Gear, Pet Supplies, Sporting Goods, Toys & Hobbies, and Video Games & Consoles.
Product identifiers will now be required on new listings. eBay will prevent listing completion if the information is not included. The policy will be added on a category-by-category basis. The company says to add the information to your listings to make sure you’re ready.
For sellers, it’s worth noting that including the required information can help users find the items they’re actually looking for, which in turn means more sales of these products.
The company recently provided sellers with tips for getting more views with the identifiers:
– Be sure to include your item’s unique product identifiers any time you list branded items in new condition—particularly in the categories listed here.
– Use eBay’s bulk listing and editing tool to update your existing listings with the required product identifiers now to take advantage of increased search visibility.
– To save time—and to make sure your listing is as accurate as possible—match your item with a product from the eBay catalog every time you list. When you do, the unique product identifiers for your item are included automatically in your listing.
– Review eBay’s best practices for maximizing your position in Best Match search results. And remember, creating great collections can also help attract more buyers to your listings.
The company provides a helpful FAQ section about product identifiers here, which will hopefully answer any questions you may have about implementing this.
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