Create eBay Listing Templates in PSS

You will attach hundreds, if not thousands of individual eBay listings to a single template.  After you have completed your PSS eBay Settings please go to:

PSS Home Page > eBay > View All Listing Templates

Select Create New Template.

Each listing template will control the following aspects of a single listing:

Description
 Discount Pricing Details
Listing Duration
 Shipping Details and Package Options
eBay Motors Categorization
 Domestic Shipping Service Options
eBay Webstore Categorization
 International Shipping Service Options
Custom Item Specifics
 Return & Refund Policies
Payment Details
 Warranty Options

How should I set up my Listing Templates?

The two most important factors that templates control are Categorization, and Shipping.

First and foremost, you will want to organize your templates in a way that will allow you to effectively list all products within your desired categories.  It would be wise to have a minimum of one (1) template for each category that you wish to list in.  There will be scenarios where different parts from the same category have drastically different shipping costs; thus you may need more than one template for each category to implement a higher shipping cost.

Shipping Cost is also a key piece to template organization.  Flat rate shipping, Calculated Shipping, International specifications, Shipping surcharges, Weights & Dimensions; all of these have variables that can be unique for a range of products.  Big box exhaust systems or motorcycle rims are going to need to be on a totally different listing template compared to gaskets and wheel bearings.

Take the time early in the game to logically build out templates so you can be set up for success in the future.  Dealers are continuously reporting that they got burned on shipping because their templates were not configured properly.  

Including things like shipping cost/method, category, and/or brand in the template name can really help when you go to create listings.  Remember, you can always edit template names down the road.  

Description

What you put in this field will populate the description area of each eBay listing that is assigned to the template.

The description area should be used to provide both product and company information.  You can include images, descriptions and other relevant information using the PSS supplied Tags.  
At the very minimum we recommend that you use the {%Description%} Tag.  This will pull in the description from the PSS catalog data and populate it into the description field of the eBay listing.

You can use as many tags as you wish and structure them how you see fit.  
Taking it a step further, a custom-designed template can help differentiate your listing by providing a professional image of your company.  These designs will help make your listings seem more professional and give you the opportunity to "sell" your company and explain why customers will be better off purchasing from you.  You can also briefly highlight your return/exchange program, your commitment to customer service etc.  
When breaking down your templates by Brand you can include pertinent brand information as well.  This could be size charts, brand images/logos or manufacturer warranty information.
Custom HTML Templates: We often get asked for recommendations.  There are a lot of options out there that do great work.  The only company that we have chosen to provide as a recommendation is  OC Designs Online

Listing Duration

All PSS listings are created with a duration of Good 'til Cancel (GTC)

eBay Categorization

We can say with confidence that the correct categorization of products upon creation will drastically improve a listings chances of showing up in a buyers search results.  Successful sellers have one or more templates for each category that they list in.  Average or below-average sellers will have 3-4 templates and list the majority of their products into "Other" or Motorcycle Parts/Accessories "Other".

It is true that for certain hard part items that contain an  "EPID" (eBay Product ID), eBay will correctly re-categorize that product.  We recommend that you do not rely on eBay for this.  Take a proactive approach to properly categorize your listings and you will surely benefit down the road.

Should you wish to review it in its most current state, here is the  Category Structure for eBay Motors

Make sure that you are double-clicking and drilling down into the most granular category. If you do not then you will find the category buttons in Red instead of Blue. You can't just click into "Exhaust Systems" because it is a top-level category. You need to double-click "Exhaust Systems" then double-click "Silencers, Mufflers, Baffles".

eBay Webstore Categorization

This relates to the category tree that you have created for your eBay store in eBay Seller Hub.   PSS pulls in the category structure from your store on a real-time basis so that you may assign products to the appropriate categories.  

Custom Item Specifics

PSS will push out "Minimum Item Specifics" for each product.  This information is included in our catalog data subscription.  MPN, Size, etc.  We also provide you the option to push your own "Custom" specifics.  You may put anything you wish in these fields as long as eBay allows it.

Payment Details

These options relate to how you want your listings to accept payment.

Auto Pay

By checking this box you will require that the buyer of the item makes an Immediate Payment.  We highly recommend enabling this option.

Best Offer Enabled

A seller can enable the Best Offer feature for a fixed-price or classified ad listing as long as the category supports the Best Offer feature. A listing enabled with the Best Offer feature allows a buyer to bargain with the seller and make a lower-priced offer than the fixed price. The seller can then decide whether to accept the buyer's Best Offer price or propose a counteroffer higher than the Best Offer price but lower than the fixed price. 

NOTE: Sellers are responsible for managing offers through eBay directly.

Discount Pricing Details (Minimum Advertised Price Exposure)

This relates to various ways in which eBay may allow you to advertise discounted pricing.  The default setting in PSS is "Disabled".  In this instance, the discounted price will simply be listed as a standard price.  There are three other options to display discount pricing depending on what you are approved for with eBay.

None
Specifies that the discount price is not shown via either Pre-Checkout nor During Checkout but on the listing as a Strike-Through price.
During Checkout
Specifies that the discounted price must be shown on the eBay checkout flow page.
Pre-Checkout
Specifies that the buyer must click a link (or a button) to navigate to a separate page (or window) that displays the discount price. eBay displays the discounted item price in a pop-up window.

Shipping Details

The primary purpose of this section is to distinguish between Flat or Calculated Shipping Methods; and if need be, apply weight/dimension information.

Shipping Type

Calculated - Your listing's shipping price for both domestic and international will automatically calculate based on the Shipping Service selected, and Weight/Dimensions.

Flat - Your listing's shipping price for both domestic and international will get a flat charge as specified by you in the Shipping Service Cost field.

Flat Domestic, Calculated International - Domestic will get a flat charge as specified by you in the Shipping Service Cost field.  International will automatically calculate based on the Shipping Service selected, and Weight/Dimensions.

Calculated Domestic, Flat International - International will get a flat charge as specified by you in the Shipping Service Cost field.  Domestic will automatically calculate based on the Shipping Service selected, and Weight/Dimensions.

Global Shipping

The eBay Global Shipping Program, you send your item to an eBay shipping center in the US, once it reaches them, they handle all other aspects of the international delivery.  Despite what negative comments may be out there, PSS has actually heard good things about this program.  Learn more about it at  eBay Global Shipping Program

Domestic Rate Table

This should be set to "None" unless you are trying to utilize the domestic rate tables that you have already configured in "My eBay" Seller Dashboard.  Having this set to "Default" could cause listings to error out.

Shipping Package Options

You will only see this section if one of your selections in the Shipping Details section is "Calculated".  Once you select a calculated option the required variables to calculate shipping will appear.

Shipping Irregular

Reference the Irregular Shipment designations for the shipping provider that you have selected.  USPS, UPS, FedEx each have different rules and definitions for this.

Weight Major

Pounds

Weight Minor

Ounces

Package Depth, Length, Width

Dimensions in inches

Domestic Shipping Service Options

A seller can choose to offer up to four domestic shipping services for a customer to choose from upon checkout. The order that is set here will be the order that is displayed to the customer upon checkout.

1st, 2nd, 3rd Shipping Service

Select the method of shipping for listings attached to this template.  There are various USPS, FedEx, UPS options to chose from.

Shipping Service Cost

Only applicable for Flat Rate Shipping types

Shipping Service Additional Cost

The cost of shipping each additional item if the same buyer purchases multiple quantities of the same line item. Generally, the seller will give the buyer a shipping discount if that buyer purchases multiple quantities of the item, so this value should usually be less than the value set for ShippingServiceCost. The value of this field can even be set to 0 if the seller wants to encourage buyers to buy multiple quantities of the item, or it could be that the seller can fit multiple quantities of the line item in a single shipping package, so the seller is just passing these shipping savings onto the buyer.

Shipping Surcharge

An additional fee to charge US buyers who have the item shipped via FedEx to Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico. Can only be assigned a value for the eBay US site and for items in the Parts and Accessories category of the eBay Motors site. Only returned if set. If some line items in an order have a surcharge, a surcharge is added only for those line items. Flat rate shipping only.  

DO NOT USE UPS/FEDEX GROUND FOR SURCHARGE.  Listings will error out since you cannot technically drive to Hawaii or Puerto Rico.

International Shipping Service Options

A seller can choose to offer up to four international shipping services for a customer to choose from upon checkout. The order that is set here will be the order that is displayed to the customer upon checkout.

1st, 2nd, 3rd International Shipping Service

Select the method of shipping for listings attached to this template.  There are various USPS, FedEx, UPS options to chose from.

Shipping Service Cost

Only applicable for Flat Rate Shipping types

Shipping Service Additional Cost

The cost of shipping each additional item if the same buyer purchases multiple quantities of the same line item. Generally, the seller will give the buyer a shipping discount if that buyer purchases multiple quantities of the item, so this value should usually be less than the value set for ShippingServiceCost. The value of this field can even be set to 0 if the seller wants to encourage buyers to buy multiple quantities of the item, or it could be that the seller can fit multiple quantities of the line item in a single shipping package, so the seller is just passing these shipping savings onto the buyer. 

Return & Refund Policies

As of Summer 2018, eBay has implemented a  Simplified Returns Policy

Returns Accepted Option

Accepted or Not Accepted.  

Returns Within Option

Number of Days that Return must be submitted

Refund Option

Money back, Exchange, Replace

Shipping Cost Paid By Option

Party responsible for return shipping cost

Note: Please check with eBay for the latest return policies and make sure that your listings are compliant.  

Warranty Options

There are multiple options to select from in this drop down.  eBay search filters for buyers does include a filter for warranty.  For certain products, you may strongly want to consider warranty designations on listings.

The Save Button!

Good place as any to remind you; PSS does not automatically save.  We recommend clicking save as you work through and edit various fields so that you do not lose any work.