eBay hit the reset button on its social strategy last fall when it launched new features designed to engage shoppers and help them discover products about which they are passionate. To help connect all the social dots, eBay launched new profile pages, and soon it will do away with previous versions to push people into using the latest version.
As of February 17, 2014, users will no longer be able to create or edit their About Me pages, and eBay will delete About Me pages starting June 2.
eBay had similarly tried a new profile page in 2006 called My World, which were replaced by the new profile pages in August 2013.
The profile page includes various modules, including social sharing widgets that enable users to share profiles on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest; an Items for Sale module; Reviews; Guides; and the following social features:
- Collections. Showcases the collections you’ve created and made public.
- Following. Displays the collections, members, and interests/searches you are following.
- Followers. Shows users who are following your profile.
To see a profile page in action, here’s a link to eBay’s Chief Curator and Editorial Director Michael Phillips Moskowitz, who oversees eBay’s new social features.
Whereas users can view another user’s About Me page by clicking on a Me icon next to the User ID, now users click on the User ID to view the member’s profile page.
eBay explained you can access your own profile either by going to ebay.com/usr/eBayUSERID, or by first clicking on your user name that appears in the top left-hand corner of your home page, then clicking on your user ID that appears in the first section of the drop down menu.
Your eBay profile is viewable by all other eBay members and can be linked to from your followers’ eBay profiles. “More buyers than ever will be viewing it, so make sure you take advantage of all the available features to best showcase your business and brand,” eBay advised sellers.
See eBay’s post about the changes coming to About Me pages on its announcement board and learn more about eBay profile pages here.
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