When listing products on eBay via Omnivore and eBayLINK you may encounter error messages from eBay Australia.


The table below lists the most common errors/warning message and what you can do to resolve them to ensure any affected product(s) are listed successfully on eBay.



ERROR MESSAGE

SUGGESTED SOLUTION

category doesn't accept variations
The reason for getting this validation error is because the eBay category that the products it is mapped to does not allow products with variations to be listed within it.

To resolve this, you will need to remap the product to a category that does support variations.

  • From the product page in Omnivore / eBayLINK click the Edit button. In the Categories section click Add New Mapping.
  • Find another suitable category that has the following symbol:
  • Click Save Mapping, which will bring you back to the Product page
  • Finally, click Update to commit the changes then go to your dashboard and click the Upload to eBay button.

Check back once the upload has been completed to ensure the product is listed / updated.

For a list of eBay categories that allow variations see this eBay article.

Buyers love large photos that clearly show the item, so please upload high-resolution photos that are at least 500 pixels on the longest side

Essentially the image or images supplied do not meet eBay's requirements, which are
Rules
All listings* on eBay.com.au and most other eBay sites must meet these requirements
  • Every listing must have at least one photo.

  • Photos need to be at least 500 pixels on the longest side.

  • You can't use a catalogue or stock photo if you're listing an item as 'used'.

Recommendations
To make sure buyers get a good look at the item they're thinking about purchasing
  • Optimise for mobile – make your pictures 1600 pixels on the longest side.

  • Keep your images clean – no text, borders or uncluttered backgrounds.

  • Use watermarks sparingly – make sure they don't distract a buyer's eye from your product.


Other best practice tips:
  • We recommend uploading photos as a .jpg file, but you can upload photos in any of these file formats:

    • JPEG (.jpg file extension)

    • PNG (.png file extension)

    • TIFF (.tif file extension)

    • BMP (.bmp file extension)

    • GIF (.gif file extension)

  • If your photo is in JPEG format, it should have a quality of 90 or higher on the 0-99 JPEG quality scale. We'll then optimise it for display in your listing.

  • Before you start uploading, rename your photo files with names that will help you remember what they are, and put them in a folder on your computer where you can find them quickly and easily in case you need them again.


Visit eBay's Seller Centre to learn more about using great pictures and photo quality recommendations.

Variation Specifics provided does not match with the variation specifics of the variations on the item.

There are 2 possible reasons for getting this error on a product:

  1. A product that was originally a single variant is now being sent as a multi-variant product. eBay will not allow this so the product needs to be completely ended, deleted and re-listed. 
  2. The variation data for the product from the eCommerce store is not good particularly good e.g. different attribute names in different variants.

So, it would have originally listed fine but now is not getting updated due to failing the validation rules.

Variations Specifics and Item Specifics entered for a Multi-SKU item should be different

eBay will show the above error message on your products in Omnivore / eBayLINK if you try to add an item specific that has the same name as the product variation name. Size and Colour are common examples but there can be other names as well.

Please see this article for details on the steps needed to fix this problem.
A product cannot be moved from a Variation-enabled Category to a Variation-disabled Category
This error means that a product was previously listed with variations, thus is in a Variation-enabled Category on eBay and has been moved to a category that doesn't support variations.

For any products with this error we need to delete/purge the item from eBay and then delete the category mapping for them to re-list.

You will need to submit a support request to have this done.
UPC should only contain digits
If your products show an eBay validation error like this:

"ebay validation error: UPC should only contain digits" and it is followed by scientific notation it means that an update has gone wrong somewhere, most likely while updating Product Identifiers in your store via copy/paste from Microsoft Excel which changed number field for this Product identifier e.g. UPC to this "9.111E+12".

This eBay validation error can also occur if your UPC contains non-numeric characters, e.g. 14500-459-1111, these should be removed.

You can also get this error with UPCs containing letters, e.g. when the SKU or the MPN has been placed in the UPC field. You will need to either remove the UPC or update it with the correct details.

More information about UPCs can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Product_Code

Please check this data on your store and correct it. Once done, go to the dashboard and click the Import button to refresh your data.


For more information about the Excel issue see this article. http://superuser.com/questions/413226/why-does-excel-treat-long-numeric-strings-as-scientific-notation-even-after-chan


You can check GTIN existence here
https://www.gs1.org/services/verified-by-gs1

Listings having an eBay validation error will not be updated or listed on eBay until the error is resolved.
The tags Size is/are disabled as Variant
The tags Ring Size is/are disabled as Variant
The tags Style is/are disabled as Variant
The tags Quantity is/are disabled as Variant
The tags Type is/are disabled as Variant
This error occurs because eBay restricts the use of certain words/values as the name for a variant attribute under a particular category.

For example, on eBay AU under the category "Baby » Nursery Bedding » Sleeping Bags & Sleepsacks", you are not allowed to use a value of "Size" as a variant attribute name. This is because eBay has reserved "Size" as an Item Specific for that category.

The fastest way to resolve the issue is to rename the attribute for the variant (e.g. use "Product Size" instead of "Size").
variants do not have unique attributes
This error occurs when some of the variations you are trying to list in a multi-variation listing have the same variation value. (e.g. you have more than 1 variant with size = 9).

Check that the variation values are all unique for your product variants.

For Woocommerce check you have mapped your fields in Omnivore. This FAQ will help.

To fix this you will need to check and adjust the variant data in your eCommerce Store.  Once you make that change an import from Omnivore will bring in that change.
The item can't be listed or modified. The title and/or description may contain improper words, or the listing or seller may be in violation of eBay policy.
Your listing may contain titles and/or a description that contains illegal words, or your eBay account may not be up to standard to continue listing.

Check your title/description for prohibited words. See eBay’s offensive policy.

Some eBay sites will also block titles/descriptions containing Brand/Copyright names or conflicting information e.g. mentioning Apple in a description of an Android product (This policy can vary between eBay sites).

Try deleting your description and adding limited information to test this issue. You should also contact eBay directly to ensure your account is not limited or restricted in any manner.
Missing name in the variation specifics or variation specifics set.; zeroed out
The cause for this error could be one of the following:

  • When one or more of the product variations is missing the appropriate information. For example, if one or more of the product variations is missing the colour or size information. Check all variants of the product to ensure they all have the required variation information. 
  • If you have modified the value of the variation label used by the product. For example, if the variation label was initially called "Color", but you have since changed it to be "Colour". The only way to resolve this error is to end the eBay listing, then list the product as a new eBay listing.
  • You have added or deleted product variations
The UPC field is missing. Please add UPC to the listing and try again. 


For some products, eBay requires that a UPC number be provided when listing a product.

A UPC (Universal Product Code) is a barcode symbology that is widely used in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and other countries for tracking trade items in stores. It consists of 12 numeric digits, that are uniquely assigned to each trade item.

To add UPCs to your listings, please add them to your eCommerce platform. Our system will sync and import the details and add them to your eBay listings.

If you do not have UPC values for your product(s) please leave the UPC field empty in your eCommerce platform.

You can check GTIN existence here
https://gepir.gs1.org/index.php/search-by-gtin

You're not allowed to revise ended listings.
An eBay listing for this product previously existed but has since been ended on eBay for some reason.
To resolve, you need to first end the listing in our system, then upload it to eBay as a new listing.
It looks like you've reached the amount you can list. You can list up to <$xxxxx> in total sales this month. Request to list more: https://scgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?UpgradeLimits&appId=0&refId=19  
Please see the following eBay page for further information on selling limits and how to request an increase from eBay:  http://pages.ebay.com.au/help/sell/sellinglimits.html
Because you've specified Local Pickup Only for this item, you can't require immediate payment.
Omnivore does not support payment on pickup. This is so you only receive orders that are confirmed and paid for. Please remove the Pickup Only shipping option from the listing and provide a paid for shipping service / price.
Before you can list this item we need some additional information to create a seller's account.
This eBay error can occur when your eBay account is missing an automatic payment method for eBay fees.

It can also be returned by eBay if you have an expired credit card designated as your automatic payment method on eBay.

To add/modify an automatic payment method on your eBay seller account:
  1. Login to your eBay seller account.
  2. Go to "My eBay --> Account --> Seller Account".
  3. Click the "Automatic Payment Method" link to add/modify the automatic payment method for your eBay account.
    e.g.
The item specific For sale by is missing. Add For sale by to this listing, enter a valid value, and ...
This eBay error can occur when you have mapped your product to an eBay category that has mandatory Item Specifics.

For example, if you had mapped a product to the eBay AU category "Cars, Bikes, Boats > Motorcycles > Trail Bikes", then eBay requires that you have set the Item Specific named "For sale by".

e.g.

Note: the red asterisk (*) next to the item specific "For sale by" indicates it's a required field.

Typically it may be that your product has been incorrectly mapped to the wrong eBay category.

The fastest way to resolve the issue is to re-map your product to the correct, or a more relevant eBay category.
Only single quantity items can be listed in the category selected.
On eBay, certain categories only allow sellers to list items in single quantities.

For example, the eBay category "Cars, Bikes, Boats > Motorcycles > Trail Bikes" has this restriction.

To resolve the issue, either limit the eBay quantity of the item to "1", or alternatively you can try mapping the product to a more relevant eBay category.
Seller is not eligible to list a discounted item.
This warning doesn't prevent your products from listing on eBay, but products with a sale or strike-through price, will not be displayed as "on sale" by eBay on your listings.

e.g. the following pricing fields "You save" and "Now" will not be displayed on your eBay listings, even if the item is on sale.

Marketplace Product Variant SKUs are not unique
There are 2 possible reasons for getting this error on a product:
  1. An originally single variant product is now being sent as a multi-variant product. eBay will not allow this so the product needs to be completely ended, deleted, and re-listed.
    To resolve:
    End each of the listings on eBay.
    Go to each product page in Omnivore / eBaylink that has the error and delete the product.
    Go to the Dashboard and start a fresh import from your eCommerce store.
  2. The variation data for the product from the eCommerce store is not good particularly good e.g. different attribute names in different variants.
So, it would have originally listed fine but now is not getting updated due to failing the validation rules.
validation error = VariationSpecificsSet container (Item.Variations.VariationSpecificsSet) is required to list a Multi-SKU item.  



There are 2 possible reasons for getting this error on a product:
  1. A product that was originally single variant is now being sent as a multi-variant product. eBay will not allow this so the product needs to be completely ended, deleted, and re-listed. 
  2. The variation data for the product from the eCommerce store is not good particularly good e.g. different attribute names in different variants.
So, it would have originally listed fine but now is not getting updated due to failing the validation rules.

If you have products that have this error then it is likely that your product has been set up in your eCommerce store as a product with variations/options (eBay call this Multi-SKU) so eBay is expecting a variation but you don't have them.

Check in your eCommerce store for the products to see if there are variations and remove them if they are not required.

For example, often in Shopify the variation is called 'Title'. To resolve this, in your Shopify Store go into the product section of one of the products and under 'variants' remove any variations if these products don't come with variations.

You should also double-check the product page in our system under Variations. If there is only one variation, then Variation Name should be empty i.e. no options are defined. If you do have options, then at least 2 distinct values should be provided.

Once you have made changes in your eCommerce store go to the dashboard in our system and trigger a refresh by clicking the Import From... button on the dashboard followed by the clicking the Upload to eBay button so that the updates are sent up to eBay.

Input data for tag <Item.PictureDetails.PictureURL[1]> is invalid or missing. Please check API documentation.

This is usually caused by a space in the image URL, which causes eBay to reject it i.e. https://allthatdigi.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/testimage- -Moon.jpg
Resolution: remove the space in the image name and run a full sync to update the product and marketplace.

The underscore character is also not a valid character,
picture name should also only contain the ASCII letters 'a' through 'z' (in a case-insensitive manner), the digits '0' through '9', and the hyphen ('-')”

Validation Error: A mixture of Self Hosted and EPS pictures are not allowed.; zeroed out


This error will occur if your eBay listing has two types of images, self hosted (they come from manually added listings or listings by other listing tools) and EPS images (come from Omnivore via Shopify). eBay will only accept one type, in this case that type is EPS which comes from Shopify through Omnivore.

We recommend checking the images in Omnivore against what eBay has and manually delete any old images on the eBay listing. Once you do that use the Upload to eBay Australia button on the product page in Omnivore or use Upload to eBay Australia on the Dashboard.

This should clear that error as eBay will now only detect one type of image (EPS)

At least one valid postage service must be specified.
This is usually caused by a missing business policy within eBay.

Navigate to Omnivore ->Settings-> eBay Australia->Shipping
Check for errors like this
Ensure you have a matching eBay Business Policy for the shipping method in Omnivore / eBayLINK as per
http://www.bizpolicy.ebay.com.au/businesspolicy/manage
eBay security policy only allows HTTPS resources in listings
This is commonly caused by providing an http URL for your logo.

To resolve change the URL to https: as per
Can I Change The Logo In My Product Listing Page?
Currency is unchangeable when revising or relisting an item.This error can occur if the product is a duplicate listing.  If you see this error on a product check and be sure that you do not have a manual listing on eBay that is actually a duplicate products.  

It is best to search using the SKU or the product title.

If you did have manual listings on eBay when you started using Omnivore and you did not link them all then you may have duplicates.

The only way to fix this error is to correctly end your duplicate listings on eBay.
Price is too smallItems must be priced at $0.99 or higher in order to list on eBay.

Ensure that the item, including any variants, is priced at a minimum of $0.99.

We use the sale price as imported from the eCommerce Platform, not any prices that are set or derived from a promotional price change set in Omnivore.


validation error: You've provided an invalid payment policy.

validation error: You've provided an invalid return policy

validation error: You've provided an invalid postage policy
This error can occur when 1 or more of the default eBay Business Policies are missing or named incorrectly.

Our system requires the following eBay Business Policies, named exactly as below:
  • Postage Policy = “basic”
  • Payment Policy = “PayPal”
  • Returns Policy = “ReturnPolicy”

See these articles for more information
Business Policies
Managed Payments 
Information on Returns Policy

eBay Warning Message: The return policy cannot be changed or removed if an auction-style listing has a bid or ends within 12 hours, or a fixed price listing has a pending Best Offer.

This warning means that the product is still listed on eBay, but that a revision such as a return policy is not possible because the listing has a pending offer against it.



A full list of eBay errors can also be found here: 

http://developer.ebay.com/devzone/xml/docs/reference/ebay/errors/errormessages.htm