Selecting eBay Auction Category And Keywords

This is the first in a series of articles about using keywords on eBay. Before researching keywords, we search usually search for the eBay category.

eBay Category Research

Finding the best eBay category is extremely important. Most eBay searchers quickly learn to limit their searching to specific categories. Some search within categories, others just look at everything in the category.

If you put your item in the wrong category, your auction will not be seen by the majority of eBay users. This can cause your item to sell for less than it's real value.

Want proof?

I regularly buy items on eBay that have been listed in the wrong categories and with the wrong keywords just to resell them on eBay. I even have a few students who buy everything they sell on eBay on eBay.

But the point of this article is not to explain eBay arbitrage -- It's to teach you how to research eBay categories and keywords.

The fastest way to find the best category is to search for similar items on eBay. For example if you search for "Lionel Train" on eBay you'll get thousands of results. The majority of these results are in the Toys And Hobbies > Model RR, Trains category.

Categories are shown in the left column of the eBay search results page, and are listed in order of popularity. If you click on Model RR, Trains category, it will show all subcategories. Then you only have to pick the right scale to get your item in front of the maximum number of eBay searchers. (Scale refers to size.)

Finding Keywords Within eBay Categories

Once you find the right category, eBay will tell you the five most commonly searched keywords within the category. These are listed just below the Search box beside RELATED SEARCHES.

These five keywords are in order with the most common on the left. You can find up to five more common searches by looking within the eBay Pulse section. Here's a list of eBay categories.

Most categories will show at least two additional phrases and up to five more.

Many eBay users come into the category, and then do a search to find specific items. As we've said, these five to ten phrases are the most commonly searched. By using any relevant terms in your auction title, you'll increase the number of people who see your listing.

In part 2 we'll look at eBay keyword rules

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