Optimizing your eBay store and listings is more of a science than an art. However, don’t worry. Optiseller and GreyScout have broken down the Selling on eBay process to optimize your eBay channel and set you up for eCommerce success. In this article, we will look at all the different aspects of optimization that you will need to consider in 2024. Let’s dive right in.
Categories: Primary & Secondary
You must ensure you have listed your items in the correct eBay category. Although this sounds straightforward, the sheer number of eBay categories means that even the most seasoned eBay sellers sometimes need help with categorization.
So think: What category is best for your product? When you start your listing, eBay will offer suggestions, but consider whether they suit your item. You want a category that adequately describes what you’re selling and one with strong buyer demand. Consider listing your product in two categories to increase your visibility on eBay.
Optiseller’s Category Suggester tool allows you to search on listing keywords to get a view of the top 10 suggested categories by confidence level and a summary view of categories with similar listings, including the closest match listings.
Title Length: Use all 80 characters
You would be amazed how many sellers don’t spend any time optimizing their listing titles. On eBay, sellers have up to 80 characters to capture buyer attention, so make the most of them. Optiseller suggests that the optimal title length is between 70 and 80 characters.
Make sure the titles are descriptive, as well as attractive and compelling. You must include keywords buyers use to find products like those you sell. Be smart with your keywords, and don’t use acronyms or abbreviations that people won’t immediately understand. Use item specifics in the title to rank higher in the search.
Optiseller’s Product Suggester will allow users to view commonly used values and gather information on enriching a listing by searching for products based on keywords.
Item Specifics: Required & Buyer Demand
Item Specifics provide essential attributes of the product you are selling, such as brand, size, type, colour, style, and other relevant data. Item Specifics are crucial to visibility and sales on eBay. They will ensure buyers easily find your listings and allow them to purchase with confidence.
Listings with optimized item specifics are immediately more visible on eBay because they help users narrow their choices using search results filters. This is especially true for some verticals. For example, eBay states buyers looking for fashion items are 65% more likely to use filters (and, therefore, item-specifics) to narrow their search results. You will also boost your rank in Best Match by being more compliant.
Aspect Finder+ by Optiseller scans your listings to identify missing item specifics, recommend changes and help you seamlessly meet eBay Standards.
Images: Use up to 24 variation images
Having straightforward, quality images can improve the performance of your listings. Ensure that your photos are good and grab the buyer’s attention. Good photography can have a powerful impact, enhancing the desirability of your product and getting the customer excited about the purchase.
You should also ensure that your listing includes enough product images. You have 24 photos on an eBay listing, so utilize them to the maximum effect. Ensure that the images display your product in the best possible light, and include variation photos to keep things interesting.
The Optiseller Store Performance Dashboard is your marketplace manager. It provides KPIs on various subjects, including total listings, SKUs, quantity sold, and listings without GTINs (Global Trade Item Number).
Promoted listings
To stay ahead of the competition, you should also take advantage of eBay seller hub promotions, such as Order Discounts, Multi-Buys, and Sale Events. Another eBay-specific feature you should check out is the possibility of running Promoted Listings.
Promoted Listings are an excellent way to put your products in front of potential customers. They have the advantage that, unlike other marketplaces like Amazon, they use a ‘pay when you sell’ model. As a result, you are not paying for views; instead, what matters is conversions.
Protect Your Brand On eBay
Optimizing your eBay listings is half the battle won. As we all know, success comes at a cost. As explained extensively in previous GreyScout blogs, counterfeiting is a growing threat to e-commerce marketplaces, and eBay is no exception. Marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, Etsy, and Alibaba, eBay also enables high volumes of third-party sellers, creating a thriving environment for counterfeits, unauthorized 3P sellers, and a wide range of other intellectual property (IP) rights violations.
eBay Vero- eBay’s Verified Rights Owner Program (VeRO)
eBay VeRO is a system designed to protect the IP rights of owners and creators. The program provides a mechanism for copyright owners to report online rights violations. VeRO gives copyright owners the power to report suspected infringements on eBay quickly. eBay then takes prompt action to remove infringing listings. The program is free and open to all eBay members. To start participating in the VeRO program, a brand must register with eBay as a verified rights owner.
Brand Protection Solutions
Tools such as VeRO, however, should be used in conjunction with online brand protection software monitoring tools such as GreyScout to monitor, verify and enforce against unauthorized 3P sellers operating on marketplaces like eBay, where channel control on the grey market and unauthorized 3P sellers is limited.
Bottom Line
There has never been a better time to sell on eBay, but to succeed, you need to put data at the centre of your business. Optimizing your listings for eBay SEO needs to be a priority. But be bold and flip the script: instead of considering optimization a burden, see it as a way to gain a competitive advantage.
You need to focus on the right areas and be clear about where your company is performing well and where there is room for improvement.
Try automating part or all of the process to optimize your listings more efficiently and effectively. A recommended approach is to have partners such as Optiseller to help you navigate the eBay journey and set you up for success, along with GreyScout to protect your brand once you are ready.
