Americanize the US eBid site

[TiasTreasures]

Goodness! - I never realised that kids clothes were so COMPLICATED in USA!!

This is set up by the clothing manufacturers, and we have to live with it.

Women's sizes are just as confusing. We can get sizes with a suffix of "P" (petite), with legs shorter than average. Also with a "W" (women's) meaning a little broader than average. I never buy clothes online or by mail order unless I can get the EXACT measurements first.

And the sizes have changed in the last few years. The new size 10 used to be size 12. Right now I have blue jeans ranging from size 8 to size 12, depending on the manufacturer and how old they are. They all fit me perfectly.

[lofty100e]

From a Nation where one of their super heroes wears his pants on top of his pants would you expect anything else but a complicated system?

Please note this is not an anti-American post, just one intended to highlight the problems.

Maybe an embedded size comparison chart would be useful. Another thing....the seller would have to specify which size system they have used or it could get very confusing

[birdwatcher2008]

I totally agree!! Eeeeeegads! If they were to subcategorize all that a buyer would get dizzy just trying to plow through it all!!

And yes....knickers are called underwear here in US!

I would be happy with the sizes gone, just list your size in the title. Right now US people can not list in the children's clothing categories because the sizes are useless to us. And please add a Junior clothing category.

[birdwatcher2008]

However, that only helps BUYERS if they are used to that - a US buyer wouldn't find anything.

(Wonders if US buyers use UK feebay, and how they get along on there?)

Exactly, we don't have usable categories for children's or Junior clothing.

I sold on feeb*y for 6 years and never once visited a site from another country.

[klj]

I agree that the sizes absolutely need to make sense to buyers everywhere.
But one thing I do find nice on eBid is the use of one set of terms - even if they are English, as once you know the UK spellings (for jewellery for example) it makes the searches so much easier. If the spelling is Americanized the international buyers all have to do dual searches again! (jewellery and jewelry)
(Although I'll concede that since I grew up in America, but live in the UK it may be that it is just easier for me to adjust.)

[gazza]

We'll take a look and make the necessary changes to the childrens clothing sizes.


Gazza

[astral276]

But one thing I do find nice on eBid is the use of one set of terms - even if they are English, as once you know the UK spellings (for jewellery for example) it makes the searches so much easier. If the spelling is Americanized the international buyers all have to do dual searches again! (jewellery and jewelry)

There is no reason why certain words could not force a search for its companion. So if someone searches for jewellery the search engine would automatically search on jewellery OR jewelry. I don't think there are that many words that would need to be catered for.

All this talk about whether the board should be in English English or American English may be a bit of a red herring. The crux of eBid is the listings. They will still appear in the version of English that the lister uses (if they use English at all).

[tic] The default language of eBid should maybe be English English as it is of British birth. And while accommodating the US we shouldn't prostrate ourselves to their way of spelling. I use many US sites and it doesn't bother me in the slightest that they don't know how to spell English words correctly.

[astral276]

Just a thought after writing the above...

Of the countries that eBid currently serves; which version of English is taught as a second language in those countries? English or American?

[birdwatcher2008]

I agree that the sizes absolutely need to make sense to buyers everywhere.
But one thing I do find nice on eBid is the use of one set of terms - even if they are English, as once you know the UK spellings (for jewellery for example) it makes the searches so much easier. If the spelling is Americanized the international buyers all have to do dual searches again! (jewellery and jewelry)
(Although I'll concede that since I grew up in America, but live in the UK it may be that it is just easier for me to adjust.)

Yes, I can live with the spelling. Not that big of a deal, I guess. Thanks.

[birdwatcher2008]

We'll take a look and make the necessary changes to the childrens clothing sizes.


Gazza

Thank You!

"I think the simplest fix would be to categorize clothing like the shoe sizes are categorized: [UK 5 (Eu 38 US 8)].
Simply add [Age 8-9 (US 7-8)] to the size categories already in existance."

Also, please add a category for Junior clothing (or Junior/Miss as 5 is Junior and 6 is Miss, and 5/6 is Junior/Miss [hope that's not too complicated]), as that is what teenagers associate with. I just don't think Junior clothing fits well under the "Womens Clothing" category. Thanks so much!