03-07-2006, 12:14 AM
Quote:***eBay Stores Enhancements: Category Expansion and Custom Listing Frame***
March 06, 2006 | 02:13PM PST/PT
Hi everyone, I'm Ryan Dieckmann, Manager of eBay Stores, and I want to provide you with an update to two exciting developments for eBay Stores.
Up to 300 Custom Stores Categories
In Bill Cobb's letter in January, he mentioned that this year we would be expanding our Stores category navigation to enable sellers to create up to 300 custom categories with up to three levels of categories and sub-categories. We're planning to make this available within the next few weeks.
As an eBay Store owner, how you set up your categories is totally up to you. For example, you could use your 300 categories to create all top-level categories, or you could create two or three levels of categories (e.g. 30 top-level categories with 5 subcategories each). This category expansion will allow you to create an extensive category structure that is tailored tfor the items you sell and how buyers browse for your products.
New Custom Listing Frame That Highlights Your Category Structure
Currently, the Custom Listing Header gives Stores sellers the ability to automatically display a special version of their eBay Store header at the top of all their item descriptions. Very soon, Store sellers will also be able to include most of their Store category navigation (essentially, the links on the left-hand side of your Store) as well.
The combined options for displaying your Store header and category navigation in item descriptions will be called the Custom Listing Frame. Sellers will be able to "frame" their listing description with content and branding from their Store. The Custom Listing Frame will be a simple, effective way for sellers to help buyers discover the full range of items available.
Sellers will be able to add this new navigation to their existing Custom Listing Header display in just a few clicks through Manage My Store.
We're excited about these new features, and we hope you are, too. I'll be back with more information as we get closer to launch.