Question
OK, I finally decided it was time to open an eBay store.
I decided to use my eBay ID as the store name.
As I started the store building process, I got the error message that I could not use my Seller ID because it ends with an exclamation point...store names MUST end with a letter or numeral, they say.
OK, so I retitle the store without the "!".
ERROR! Another user has that ID (member since Dec 2004, one transaction).
(My first question...how could they be allowed to have an ID so similar to mine? )
SO, Now I try to name my store "My ID! for you".
ERROR>>>> can't do that, because there is an exclamation point in the middle of the title.
All the time, I am emailing Power Seller support, and getting back canned, nonsensical answers.
Finally, they email back, and SUGGEST that I change my Seller ID to "My ID for you" (no exclamation point, but now it's using that other person's ID in the title. Somehow this is OK with eBay.)
SO, I try to change my seller ID to "My ID for you", and get ANOTHER ERROR message saying I can't, because I have weird disallowed characters in the title!!
NO, I have NO "weird characters" now! I took out the "!"
My only question...should I hang myself or slice my wrists??????
Actually, at this point, I am totally confused, as I'm sure you are if you've gotten this far.
Any ideas????
Answer
I thought e b a y was going to switch to having living people answer customer inquiries, instead of what they've used for years. Was that just another blast of gas?
Instead of trying to talk to them, I would just think up a whole new name for the store.
G'luck.
Answer
Linda, I clicked on the eBay link in your signature and looked at the url. Note that the exclamation point has been replaced by "Q21". In other words, the problem is that urls can't have exclamation points in them and that's the root of the problem.
I agree that the other eBay ID shouldn't have been allowed. However, it was and you have to deal with that reality. I suggest that you name your store something like "Extraordinary Treasures" and then if you wish, create a logo for your store header that simply says "Extraordinaires!".
You can change the name of your store at any time after your store is created if you come up with a better name, just by editing out the name and typing in a new one in the field where your store name is typed, while you're in "Manage Store" mode. I did that when I was running into problems with a "&" in my store name as the url showed additional characters. I changed the "&" to the word "and". The store name and url was changed immediately (I tested it by going to one of my auctions and clicking on the store icon). Actually both the old and the new store url worked for about an hour as I recall.
Answer
Originally Posted by Irene
You can change the name of your store at any time after your store is created if you come up with a better name, just by editing out the name and typing in a new one in the field where your store name is typed, while you're in "Manage Store" mode. I did that when I was running into problems with a "&" in my store name as the url showed additional characters. I changed the "&" to the word "and". The store name and url was changed immediately (I tested it by going to one of my auctions and clicking on the store icon). Actually both the old and the new store url worked for about an hour as I recall.
Bear in mind that if your listing descriptions contain store-specific links
(links to store home, or categories page(s), or custom store pages)
changing the store name will "break" those embedded links -- you'll need to revise the URL for each embedded link.
Answer
If you do rethink a store title, perhaps you could include words that will help it be picked up by search engines. The word "treasures" is (IMHO) pretty generic, not that there is anything wrong with it mind you.
But if you sold "gimracks" or "whatchibubs" (just making up some item names) I would be sure to include those words in the title. People who are searching for gimracks or whatchibubs are more likely to find you that way.
YMMV. But that is what I would spend a few minutes thinking about and doodling with before deciding.
Of course, you then have to get it past the eBay Store names register.
Whatever you do, good luck!
Larry
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if you change your ebay store name, you will lose your page rank for awhile also. I changed mine last year and had a pr of 3 on google and it took I think around 3 months to get it back up to even a 2. I decided at the first of the year to change it again and am still stuck on 0.
there are some good threads on the ebay stores board about naming your store and it's effect on your google search results. better name, higher pr- higher pr more hits from google- more hits from google who BUY and you get 75% off the ebay fee for that transaction.
Answer
Thanks for the suggestions, everyone.
I finally bit the bullet and changed the store name, to avoid changing my ID (By the way, the name suggested by the ebay customer support person would not have been allowed because spaces are not allowed! Great help, ebay!)
What fries me is ebay not letting you know that certain format choices (for seller ID) will make problems down the road...I would have been more than happy to not include the "!" in my ID, had it known it would screw up store name choices...all they had to do was TELL me!