Picking a product category on eBay may seem quite straightforward, and while it sometimes is, other times, it takes a little more time to find the right one for you.

Why is it Important to Pick the Right Product Category?

1. Because many people use the category system to find items, when they’re not looking for something specific. If your item is listed in the wrong category - or you get lazy and just throw it under the category ‘Everything Else’ - then these people aren’t going to find your auction.

2. Also, listing items in the wrong categories is against eBay’s rules, and eBay rules state that any auctions that are wrongly categorised will be removed. Although they don’t often actually do this, it isn’t worth the risk - especially since breaking any rule on eBay can result on a penalty on your account, such as losing your PowerSeller status if you have earned it.

What Can You Do?

eBay will suggest categories for you when you sell your item if you type in a few words to describe the item on the category selection page and click ’search’. You can make the best of this feature by typing in exactly what your item is, with brand name and model number (if any), so that eBay can find the best category for you.

If that doesn’t work for you, then perform a manual search for items like yours, and pay attention to which category most of them seem to be in (you can see this near the top of each item’s description page). Try different words and see which ones come back with the most results. You can also browse through all the available categories from eBay’s front page.

Remember that the more specific the category is, the better - use as many subcategories as are appropriate. Don’t just list your HP laptop in the ‘Computers’ category, for example - list it in ‘Computers > Laptops > HP’. Don’t worry: your item will still appear in the ‘Computers’ category, as well as ‘Computers > Laptops’, because items listed in subcategories are always listed in every category above.

Take some time to look through all the categories and get familiar with the way eBay as a whole is laid out. If this is a business you are serious about, you don’t want to be in the position a few months down the line where you still think of eBay’s category system like it’s some kind of scary jungle.

What if More Than One Category Fits?

Don’t worry, eBay has got you covered. For a small extra fee, you can list your item in an extra category, to increase the number of potential buyers who will see it. This isn’t always worth it, though - some items only really fit properly in one category, and listing them in extra categories is just a waste of time and money.

Once you know where to list your item, the next step is to write your auction’s title. The title is the most important thing about your auction - the difference between a good title and a bad title can be the difference between $10 and $100. Stay tuned for the next eBay post on the dos and don’ts.