| One of the features of eBay is that with so | | | | categories, you will be fine. |
| many members, 193 million at 31st March 2006, | | | | |
| there will always be buyers interested in | | | | Incidentally, one tip is to list your item in |
| what you have to sell no matter what the item | | | | the lowest level of category possible. This |
| is. | | | | is because items listed in a sub-category are |
| | | | also included in every category above. For |
| It will be very difficult not to find an eBay | | | | example, if you're listing a wedding dress |
| category which perfectly reflects your item. | | | | which is size 14, place it in |
| | | | Clothes-Wedding-Wedding Dresses-Size 14. |
| Sadly, I once counted the number of | | | | |
| categories on eBay. To give you some idea of | | | | If someone searches for a size 14 wedding |
| the numbers, there are around 2,000 computing | | | | dress, your item will appear in the search |
| categories and 1,350 clothing categories. The | | | | return list along with the other size 14 |
| point is, there will almost always be | | | | wedding dresses. This is the best place to |
| category which is exactly appropriate for | | | | be, as there is the least competition. If |
| your item. | | | | someone searches on wedding dress without |
| | | | specifying a size, your item will appear in |
| Is it important to find the right category | | | | the search return list along with other |
| when you're listing an item? | | | | wedding dresses of any size. So your dress |
| | | | will be up against more competition on this |
| When you consider that around 30% of buyers | | | | search. |
| select a category to browse through when | | | | |
| looking to buy or bid on something of | | | | There will be occasions when you might want |
| interest, getting in the right category is | | | | to place your item into more than one |
| worth the effort. Also, if you're listed in | | | | category, which you can do for an additional |
| the wrong category, or in an inappropriate | | | | fee. But please make sure this is really |
| category, you're going to miss these | | | | worthwhile. If your item is a genuine fit |
| browsers. | | | | into one category, this is the one to go for. |
| | | | If it is a marginal fit for a second |
| Plus, don't forget listing items in the wrong | | | | category, it may be a waste of your fee in |
| category is against the rules. eBay will | | | | using the second category. |
| remove auctions that are wrongly categorised | | | | |
| and reserve the right to cancel the | | | | It's definitely worth taking time to |
| membership of persistent offenders. | | | | determine the best category for your item. |
| | | | |
| The good news is that there's no reason why | | | | Let's say you're in the UK, and you have a |
| you should ever wind up with your item in the | | | | set of golf clubs to auction. You see there |
| wrong category.eBay's category suggestion | | | | are 8,000 sets of golf cubs currently for |
| tools which you see when you list an item are | | | | sale on eBay. But your clubs are left handed. |
| particularly useful. With the category search | | | | Do you think you'll have better success |
| facility, all you need to do is type in a few | | | | placing your golf clubs in the left handed |
| keywords related to your item, and eBay comes | | | | golf clubs category? |
| back with suggested categories together with | | | | |
| a percentage of the number of items which | | | | It's an absolute certainty! |
| match your keywords. If you use one of these | | | | |