Power Sellers Unite

Katinka · Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 50

I read in another thread that Google will require attributes re: used/new on all listings. On eCrater, I always check the "new" or "Used" box when listing. Also, most of my new items have "new" in their titles. Will either or both methods I currently use suffice, or do I have to get into attributes and designate "new" or "used" for each item? That would quite a chore, as I have over 1,000 items. Thank you, Katinka

Moonwishes · Joined: 05 Mar 2009 Posts: 67

Having the NEW box checked is sufficient as that is automatically sent as part of the data they send to Google.

hotnana · Joined: 02 Feb 2008 Posts: 875

Condition is already taken care of by eCrater...you can add ISBN, UPC, brand, color, size for better marketing.

zeldafitzg · Joined: 14 Sep 2006 Posts: 609

Has the use of attributes changed within the last month or so on eCrater? :roll:

I hear about a Sept 09 change, but I really don't understand the change. :oops:

I have never input attributes per se-----Should I be doing this on eCrater? :?:

I'm a bit frustrated. With my Elegant Ladies Plus, I stocked for Christmas and also reduced prices for Christmas sale, and I need some exposure! Perhaps not using eCrater attributes is the problem?

I just have always depended on the eCrater feed to Google, but from what I hear things are changing. Perhaps I'm wrong about this. Most discussions about SEO and eCrater attributes lose me pretty quickly, I'm afraid. :oops:

Please will someone give me a basic answer about what I should be doing? 8) I can stock a store and give great customer service, but when it comes to this attributes thing and marketing my store on eCrater, I am a blank slate. :shock:

I very much appreciate any advice on this. :?

Warmest Regards,

Donna :type:

Moonwishes · Joined: 05 Mar 2009 Posts: 67

Absolutely you need to be using Google attributes. There are many discussions on ecrater about them and you need to read them with an open mind telling yourself, you will figure this out. As far as I know google attributes are only used in ecrater but it certainly helps with people finding your items. Once you get the attributes figured out, it is easy to do for each listing.

You have to be very proactive in marketing your ecrater store. Just waiting for the google uploads isn't going to do it all for you. Go out and find where your type of buyers congregate on the web and let them know you are there. If you are selling to an older population, remember many older women still have not ventured into the computer age.

hotnana · Joined: 02 Feb 2008 Posts: 875

zeldafitzg Have you checked your Google Feed updates in your dashboard? I noticed on items in your Emporium that have pricing in the second line of the description and references to your shipping as well, also the same in your Elegant store. Google is kicking out many sellers for any shipping information that is included in the description field.

The attributes I use with my type items is usually brand and perhaps color or material, and of course ISBN on books and DVDs.

zeldafitzg · Joined: 14 Sep 2006 Posts: 609

Thank you both for this information. I will get busy checking and adding. :wink:

Always so much to learn. :roll: But then I don't like to be bored.

Warmest Regards,

Donna :type:

zeldafitzg · Joined: 14 Sep 2006 Posts: 609

Whenever I've tried to input attributes in eCrater, it gives an error message. I must be using the wrong format. :roll:

Can someone give me an example of the correct format for attributes for this item? And which attributes I should use?

http://elegantladiesplus.ecrater.com/product.php?pid=5030623

I appreciate the help!

Donna :type:

DaLizardsLair · Joined: 15 Feb 2009 Posts: 4780

katinka,

Actually the "condition" atribute has three values...

New, Used or Refurbished

DaLizardsLair · Joined: 15 Feb 2009 Posts: 4780

Moonwishes,

I believe that BISI also makes use of Google Attributes.

hotnana · Joined: 02 Feb 2008 Posts: 875

Donna the condition is already part of your listing, so nothing to do there. You might want to use material, color and brand. You don't need to select a category either as eCrater does that as well. Look in the tab Promote your store in your dashboard...there is a list of attributes which might help you out.

zeldafitzg · Joined: 14 Sep 2006 Posts: 609

Okay, thanks to you guys I'm learning! :psulove:

I put in attributes, and at least I must have the format correct, as I least I didn't get the error messages. :)

The item is this http://www.elegantladiesplus.ecrater.com/product.php?pid=5098699

For this item, I put in the following:

brand :arrow: Winlar
style :arrow: casual
color :arrow: safari print, animal print, zebra, cheetah, leopard
material :arrow: satin, polyester, charmeuse
product_type :arrow: caftan, kaftan, loungewear, sleepwear, robe
size :arrow: one size fits most, plus size, one size fits all
department :arrow: ladies, women's, women, plus size
length :arrow: 54 inches, ankle, long

Does this look right? Should I put multiple answers with commas like that? (The system wouldn't repeat attributes on a separate line for me.)

Does this attributes thing function like putting in key words? :oops:

I tried "copy" on the product, and it didn't copy the attributes. Rats! That would be helpful, and then you could just go in and edit for the particular color, etc. My work around would be to do a screen print and then I could copy faster for a similar product. Looks like inputting the first letter of an attribute name does give you a pull-down selection of what you had input before.

I appreciate any feedback. One thing I found out is that the attribute name had to be in lower case letters.

Thanks for the mini-tutorial. I hope other "attribute beginners" can benefit also.

Warmest Regards and Many Thanks, :psulove:

Donna :type:

hotnana · Joined: 02 Feb 2008 Posts: 875

Donna you brought up a great question...I too have wondered about using more than one color or size say perhaps on a pattern which is 10-12-14. I just haven't been putting anything in the size and keeping that in the title. I think I will PM Big Tall and see what she says about it.

I will send you a message when I find out. Also you can look at the description after you have saved it and see how the system has put in the coding...just another way to double check your work! LOL

DaLizardsLair · Joined: 15 Feb 2009 Posts: 4780

Donna,

There is a specific format you have to follow when making use of Google Attributes.

[!attr-name:value!]

And my understanding is that each attribute should have ONE value.

Whether you do them side by side or one after another in a stack is up to you. The stack method creates more empty space at the bottom of your ad.

I would do a forum search of ecrater's forum to find the complete set of attributes and how they are used. That is where I found out about them.

purple_reading_giraffe · Joined: 04 Feb 2008 Posts: 5485 Location: Indiana, USA

DLL - you seem to be talking about adding the attributes as part of the description field as if they were HTML codes. Donna seems to be talking about using an eCrater interface. I don't believe that the way Donna has done it affects the listing description at all - at least if you open the item and View Source no attr appears on the page, nor the keywords she mentions that do not also appear visibly in the description.

@Donna - those keywords, the first from each attribute you gave, do not find the item in Google products ... yet. I was hoping to see if the attributes you entered turned up as clickable links on the left (like Brand) and maybe we could tell if Google had read them successfully. satin caftan turned up several, but the only 'attribute' that showed up was Category > Clothing > Sleepwear ; then when I clicked Clothing, Sleepwear disappeared and Dresses showed up. You may want to add a Category attribute? Yours wasn't within Dresses.

safari print satin caftan did find your item, along with 2 others. Your picture is much more attractive, IMO. I would suggest sacrificing One Size Fits Most for other title keywords like ladies Winlar patchwork. Of course, I don't know as well as you might what your buyers search most for, but One Size seems reasonable to assume for a caftan.

Also, when landing at eCrater, only the first several lines of your description appear without one clicking "show full description". You may want to rearrange things to take better advantage of this (I think it's new) feature. The simple list does have a clean look, but is rather short on details, and a buyer might just click back without seeing the "show" link.

If you can see the referring links that lead to your items, I think the Google ones will show you the keywords used in the search - at least when I looked at the page info, this was the referring URL:
http://www.google.com/products?q=safari+print+satin+caftan&hl=en&show=li&aq=f
Knowing how the successful ones arrived may help you to target your listings even more successfully.

Do keep this mini lesson updated for those that will follow in your footsteps. ;)