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Frequently Asked Questions About Sell Your Item (SYI) Alpha 2
What is the Sell Your Item Alpha 2 (SYI Alpha 2) program?
We are working on the next generation of the Sell Your Item form that eBay members use to list items for sale. We are striving to make the new form faster and easier to use. While the official release of the new form is many months away, we are inviting members to try an early version of it (called "SYI Alpha 2") and provide feedback.
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Are there any special requirements to use the SYI Alpha 2 form?
There are no special requirements to use the new form, and you do not need to go through a special sign-up process. However, there are some important things for you to be aware of before you try SYI Alpha 2:
  • Just like the current Sell Your Item form, the listings you create using SYI Alpha 2 are real and must follow eBay's Listing Policies. The listings will appear on the eBay Web site, and you will be charged the regular selling fees.
  • SYI Alpha 2 will work only with Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser for Windows. Other browsers and operating systems will be supported in future releases.
  • You cannot list an item in a category that requires Item Specifics. This means that SYI Alpha 2 will not work for the following categories:
    Books, Comics, & Magazines
    Cameras & Accessories
    Cars, Bikes, & Boats
    Clothing & Accessories
    Computers & IT
    DVDs & Movies
    Mobiles & Phones
    Music
    Music
  • SYI Alpha 2 will allow you to list an item in only one category (but not two categories).
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How do I access the SYI Alpha 2 form?
You can access the new Sell Your Item form at the following URL:
http://pages.ebay.com.au/syialpha/welcome.html then click the Start Selling Now button at the bottom of the page.
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Can I still use the current Sell Your Item form after I try out the SYI Alpha 2 form?
Yes. Whenever you create a listing, you can use either the current version or the alpha version of the Sell Your Item form. To access the current form, click the Sell button at the top of any page; to access SYI Alpha 2, go to http://pages.ebay.com.au/syialpha/welcome.html.
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How long will the SYI Alpha 2 program run?
The Alpha 2 program will run until at least September 2005, and at that time we will replace Alpha 2 with the next Alpha version 3. We will use the feedback that members provide during the program to further improve the new version of the Sell Your Item form.
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Can I host my item pictures at a Web address when I use SYI Alpha 2?
The ability to host pictures at another Web address (URL) is not available in SYI Alpha 2, but it will be available in a future release. You can use eBay Picture Services or insert pictures manually by entering HTML in the item description field.
To host pictures at a Web address, use the current Sell Your Item form available by clicking the Sell button at the top of any eBay page.
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Why can't I list my item in a category that requires Item Specifics in SYI Alpha 2?
The purpose of the SYI Alpha 2 program is to enable members to try the new form as early as possible so that we may get their feedback and improve the form. For this reason, some features have not been developed yet for the new form and are not available. Item Specifics will be available in a future release.
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I can't find a feature in SYI Alpha 2. Is it not available, and if so, why?
The purpose of the SYI Alpha 2 program is to enable members to try the new form as early as possible so that we may get their feedback and improve the form. For this reason, some features have not been developed yet for the new form and are not available. They will be available in future releases.
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How can I provide feedback or report bugs?
We'd love to hear what you think of SYI Alpha 2. You can give us your feedback in two ways:
  • After you successfully create a listing using SYI Alpha 2, you'll see a congratulations message on the Sell page. Click the "Tell us what you think" link that appears with this message.
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Why are you changing the Sell Your Item form?
We are always striving to make listing an item on eBay as easy as possible for new and experienced members alike. Sell Your Item 2.0, which was introduced in 2002, was an important step in that direction. It broke the process into logical sections, making the flow more organised and less intimidating for new sellers.
Since then, the top request we have received from sellers is to make the current form shorter and more efficient. We are now working on the next generation of the Sell Your Item form to meet this request.
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Can I try the SYI Alpha 2 form using the Mozilla browser or an Apple Macintosh computer?
Yes, you will be able to try the Alpha 2 version in all browsers and operating systems.
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Among the new features of SYI Alpha 1 are the following:
  • Fewer Pages. SYI Alpha 2 is a condensed version of the current Sell Your Item form. We've defaulted some common fields, suppressed non-critical fields and streamlined the process for faster completion.
  • Category Suggestions. Conduct a quick search for the item you are selling to find out in which categories other eBay sellers list items like yours.
  • Customisation. Click the "Plus" icon next to a field heading to add features and create an SYI form to fit your needs.
  • Help Guides. Simply click the "Help" symbol and a right-side Help panel guides you through the form. Roll your mouse over a field heading to get additional information.
  • Listing Preview. SYI Alpha 2 allows you to preview how your listing will appear to buyers when they are searching for items. You can select listing features, such as Subtitle, Bold, or Highlight and see how they will make your listing stand out. You can also review the total fees to be charged for that listing.
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Can I relist an item, sell a similar item, or revise a listing using the SYI Alpha 2 form?
No.  These features are not available through the SYI Alpha 2 form but will be supported in a future release. In the meantime, you can use the usual forms (available through My eBay, for example).
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If I use the SYI Alpha 2 form, will I be creating an actual listing?
Yes.  Just like the current Sell Your Item form, the listings you create using SYI Alpha 2 are real and will run like any other listing on eBay. You must follow eBay's Listing Policies, and you will be charged the regular selling fees.
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