Changes Coming to EBay with Fall Seller Release 2016
EBay is set to release its Fall Seller update today, according to this article in EcommerceBytes. Changes affecting sellers are to include the wider use of product identifiers, such as Amazon standard identification numbers (ASIN) and Google product identifiers.
Reported Changes that will impact buyers include:
- Newly-created listings will require at least one type of product identifier by February 2017, for most categories. So buyers will have more data to search on when looking for items. However, some categories and item types will continue to be exempt, such as in Coins & Paper Money, Stamps, and Toys & Hobbies.
- Shipping and Returns: it will be easier for sellers to offer replacements and exchanges for sellers who wish to return an item, according to the article. This, of course, could be less costly for the seller than issuing a refund. But refunds will remain an option.
- Active content in listings: eBay will be phasing out those flashy bells and whistles that may just annoy some buyers; it will begin disallowing Active Content in June 2017. "That includes JavaScript, Flash, plug-ins, and form actions in listings," according to the piece.
- Categories: there will be new categories and revisions to existing categories come October 2016.
I will be reporting more on the changes as they are published. What do you think of the changes as they've been reported so far? Will they make a difference to you as a buyer? Post a comment here!