Archives for March 2017

Review: Givenchy Nightingale in Evening Blue

March 29, 2017 by Tina Lee Leave a Comment

I believe I promised a follow-up post on the Givenchy Nightingale and here it is. Here’s my latest bag and no, it’s not LV:

A few years ago when the older Nightingale design was launched, I didn’t like it at all. The design looked busy with the silver hardware on the handles and the stitching in the middle. It was too slouchy and the aesthetics are the opposite of what I liked. I didn’t want a trendy bag, I wanted a sleek, stylish purse that could stand the test of time. One that’s structured, simple, yet eye-catching.

Initially, I wanted an Antigona in small (sugar goatskin, please!). During my Japan trip, I kept trying the bag out but it was too dang expensive so I decided against it and went for the LV Speedy.

When Givenchy came out with a major Nightingale redesign, it was exactly what I wanted, a toned-down version of the original that pairs well with a casual ensemble. That was the time I warmed up to the idea of getting a Nightingale instead of the Antigona.

So here’s my newest bag:

I mentioned a blog ago that I wanted something blue this year and that’s the reason why I got this bag in this color.

Actually, I was thinking of a lighter, brighter shade of blue, something cobalt like this bag my hubs checked out at Givenchy Shang-rila:

I didn’t get this exact color because it is prone to jean stain and I didn’t want to baby my bag. I could’ve gotten this in black but in the end, I chose a midnight blue, almost black in dim lighting.

The material is calfskin, which is undoubtedly hardy and scratch-resistant. The leather is quite thick and it does weigh the bag down but I don’t mind at all.

Calfskin has a buttery pebbled texture and a smooth sheen. I wish this bag came in goatskin, though. Goat skin is even tougher and more water/scratch resistant than calfskin but unfortunately, the new ‘Gales only come in calfskin. The Givenchy SA said if I wanted goatskin, I’d have to wait for the special edition or limited releases.

Actually, I would’ve gone for buffalo leather if I could because that’s the toughest leather Givenchy has to offer but I’m unsure if the new ‘gales came in this material.

Check out these pics for the details:

Despite getting this in small size, this bag is quite huge. You can fit a lot of stuff, trust me. It even fits my bag organizer with lots of room to spare for my foldable umbrella, long wallet, sunnies, and power bank!

The bag comes with canvas covered interiors. It has two pockets and one zippered compartment.

The bag wasn’t bought in the store but I have the care card, the tags, the leather swatch, the dust bag and the paper bag:

The strap is wide and chunky so it won’t dig into your shoulders when carrying a packed bag. I’ve worn this bag three different times and let me tell you, the strap made the bag so comfortable to wear! My LV Kensington is a pain to wear as a shoulder bag so I carry it by the handles.

By the way, the strap is quite special. You don’t just hook it up. You gotta insert the hardware into the indented bag hook on the sides:

Here’s how to attach it:

The handles of the bag are thick, sturdy, and balanced. They are well-made and they don’t distort easily! The shape of the strap – which gives the Nightingale its trademark aesthetic – is truly eye-catching.

The zipper is chunky and zipping is so smooth, which I love. I don’t use the leather pulls a lot, though. I zip and unzip by holding the metal hardware. The stitching is even and strong, this is a heavy-duty bag!

The best thing about the redesign? The new Nightingale is more structured than the older versions. I know the Nightingale is supposed to be slouchy but I didn’t want the material to be too slouchy; if you get my drift.

Also, I cannot get enough of the new minimalist design. The aesthetics are so low key, they’re not screaming designer deliciousness at all. It’s a refreshing alternative to monogrammed bags, which tend to look obnoxious at certain times.

With this bag, I don’t have to be too selective in terms of where to use it. People don’t stop and stare when I wear this bag. This is a good thing if you hate unwanted attention like I do. But if you live for drama, this might not be the best bag for you.

The branding is subtle. Replacing the conspicuous metal hardware seen on the older Givenchy models is a simple “Givenchy Paris” text stamped in silver. The text size is tiny too so it’s almost invisible from afar.

The strap is no longer covered by an extra layer of zipped leather. It’s just one piece of long leather and the length is adjustable. All the frills are gone, replaced by functional yet sleek design elements.

As for the thing that I’m not too crazy about, it’s the lack of metal feet at the bottom of the bag. Some designer bags come with metal feet so the material underneath is not in direct contact with the surface the bag is placed on. I just feel that the bottom of the Nightingale is flat enough for the metal feet but well.

Also, I wish the sides of the bags are adjustable. The sides have a sewn on strap and I tried adjusting it, it won’t budge so I guess you can’t make the most out of the folded leather.

Overall, I’m quite happy with my purchase. I’ll be flying to Hong Kong this week and I cannot wait to wear my new bag. I did, however, prep the leather using Collonil Carbon Pro. It’s a waterproofing product made in Germany. I will write a separate post about this product because I used it to protect the delicate vachetta leather of my LV Speedy.

What I Got for My Birthday: My Experience Ordering from a Personal Shopper

March 26, 2017 by Tina Lee Leave a Comment

Yes, I’m a summer baby and I recently celebrated my 34th birthday 🙂 and no, there was no grand celebration at all. I just asked my mom to cook sopas or macaroni soup for me instead of the traditional noodles or pancit (for long life) plus my husband got me a cake! It’s really just a simple celebration, which is exactly what I wanted.

Now my personal gift, that’s another story. I give myself a special treat every year. Last year, I got my bag K, and this year, I want to grow my designer bag collection.

The plan was to buy the bag in Hong Kong. I will fly to HK next week with the hubs for a mini-moon. The problem is, we’re not bringing a lot of stuff with us and I didn’t want to get the bag and think about where to store the massive box and paper bag or pay additional fees for hand carrying said items.

You see, when we got our LVs in Japan, I did not ask for the box because it won’t fit my luggage. My sister is luckier because her luggage is larger so she was able to keep her box. I found out that if you hand-carry these items, you’ll get taxed at the airport and I didn’t want to spend more money than I should. And so, my first LV lacks a proper box and it’s been bothering me ever since. I know, first world problem, but if you’re careful about storing your bags like me, you know my pain.

Anyhoo, I figured that I’ll just buy in the store but since pricing differs from EU to PH, there will be a slight delay even when I saved up for months. I was hoping to wear the bag during our trip so I decided to ask an EU-based personal shopper to get the bag for me during my birthday month. Luckily, the bag is on-hand! Here’s my birthday treat:

It’s the Givenchy Nightingale in evening blue! I wanted something blue this year because it’s currently my favorite color! Isn’t she beautiful?

Personal Shopper: My Experience

Okay, so this is my first Givenchy bag and I didn’t know what to expect! I will discuss the bag in detail in another post (mostly it’s just an excuse to babble on and on about this piece)

I got the bag from a personal shopper – Madel of @MadeLoveLuxe on Instagram and the experience was pretty straightforward.

My forays into online shopping are at least 99% successful. I say 99% because I got scammed by a seller last year and I was pretty much paranoid about buying anything from another online seller. I didn’t write a post about the experience because the whole thing stresses me out and I was basically kicking myself for being so naive.

Anyway, Madel was different because 1) she’s been around for a while now, 2) her Instagram account is full of comments from actual people, real customers, and interested buyers, and 3) communication is constant and reassuring. Thankfully, she understood where I’m coming from and adjusted our arrangement to ease my mind.

Granted, Madel was not the only EU-based personal shopper I knew, I’ve asked around. A couple of sellers have the same bag in the same size/material that I liked but Madel is friendlier and more accommodating. Most personal shoppers tend to respond curtly and it’s off-putting for people like me who are all too willing to entrust thousands of pesos to a person she barely knew.

Madel is really nice. Plus, she can produce the rest of the bag’s inclusions, very important.

Now before anything, I paid in cash as opposed to preordering the item. I didn’t preorder because 1) this is the first time I’m spending this much money online and I was wary of the whole thing so I wanted something on-hand and 2) I just didn’t have the patience to wait for months.

The Meet Up

Madel was out of the country so our arrangement was slightly complicated. I kept badgering her to hand over the bag on the third weekend of March. Since she’s not here in the PH, she had to ask her relatives to meet me. Thankfully, her cousin Mariz was available for the meetup. It’s surprising because Madel’s whole family came to meet me, even her mom and little bro. They were very sweet and so warm. I actually stayed for like, 20 minutes just chatting with them, I enjoyed our brief interaction.

As for the arrangement, it was classic kaliwaan wherein I pay in cash as soon as I got the bag. Tags, care cards, and dust bag must be provided together with the bag. We met somewhere in the metro at a specific time and that was it. I asked to check the bag first before I handed the cash and once satisfied, I paid. Easy peasy.

The Bag

The bag is brand new, not preloved. It came with: tags, leather swatch, strap, dust bag and paperbag.

The receipt was not included and if I’m being honest, I was a bit disappointed. I collect the receipts, you see. But as long as the bag is authentic – which it is – then the lack of receipt isn’t a deal breaker.

I got the size “small” but there’s nothing small about this bag. The size is similar to my everyday bags and you can fit a ton of shit inside!

I checked every nook and cranny for scuffs, loose threads, weak stitches and what have you, the bag was in perfect condition. It’s surprisingly hefty too. Mariz was kind enough to teach me how to attach the strap (it’s not your ordinary strap) and that was it. Here are a couple of modeling shots, pardon the messy hotel room, I was giddy with excitement!

While nothing beats the experience of picking a designer bag from a boutique, I didn’t feel like I was missing out when I chose to get my ‘Gale from a personal shopper. I actually recommend it. Of course, just make sure you’re dealing with a trusted seller so you won’t get scammed!

I will be writing a separate review on the bag because this post is getting too long. But for those who are interested in this particular style, it’s definitely one of the most easygoing bags I’ve ever used. So functional, roomy and stylish!

Menopause Explained: Stages, Signs, and Symptoms

March 14, 2017 by Tina Lee-Almazar | Tinaciouslee Leave a Comment

Did you know that menopause is comprised of not one, but three different stages? These stages are called premenopause, perimenopause, and menopause. When talking about menopause, most people are actually referring to the second menopause stage, which occurs in your late 40s.

The fact is, each menopause stage causes different symptoms as well as body changes so to want to prepare yourself, get to know these stages. Let’s take a look at the three stages of menopause in detail:

Pre-Menopause

Your transition to menopause starts at the pre-menopause stage. This occurs when hormone levels in the body become imbalanced. The combination of elevated levels of estrogen and decreased levels of progesterone disrupts regular ovulation or the monthly release of the egg cell. At this point, you still have your regular period and you won’t experience glaring symptoms of menopause but changes are starting to affect your menstrual cycle.

Irregular period
Heavier flow
Breast tenderness
Water retention
Weight gain
Poor concentration
Sleep deprivation
Reduced sex drive

The pre-menopause stage sets in during the mid-30s to early 40s. The difference between pre-menopause and perimenopause is that the latter occurs two to three years before the final menstrual cycles begin.

Perimenopause

The perimenopause stage, which means “around the end of menstruation”, occurs when the level of hormones – including estrogen – starts to dip gradually, leading to missed periods. At this stage, you’ll start experiencing irregular menstruation along with vaginal dryness, hot flashes, mood swings, and weight gain. Some of these symptoms subside gradually as you reach the second stage of menstruation, but vaginal dryness will continue beyond perimenopause. Other symptoms include:

Lower libido
Mood changes
Night sweats
Racing heart
Headaches
Vaginal soreness
Painful sex
Insomnia

Usually, you’ll start feeling the symptoms of perimenopause when you hit 47 but there were cases wherein women in their 30s experience perimenopause symptoms. Do note, as long as you still have your period, it’s possible to get pregnant even if you’re well into the perimenopause stage. This stage lasts about 3 to 5 years before the menopause stage sets in.

Menopause Stage

This is the stage when your period stops completely. True menopause stage usually happens when you have missed your period for 12 consecutive months. Some of the most common symptoms of true menopause include:

Irregular periods
Hair thinning/Hair loss
Vaginal dryness
Hot flashes
Night sweats
Sleep problems
Mood changes
Slowed metabolism
Hair thinning
Dry skin

In the US, the average age of menopause is 51 years old. However, so many biological changes occur when you reach this stage that there’s no way to tell when true menopause occurs. Every case is different. It’s quite possible for women in their 40s and late 60s to experience menopause.

Because estrogen level drops significantly as you enter the post-menopause stage, you are susceptible to heart disease, osteoporosis, osteopenia, and stroke. That’s why taking care of your health should be your number 1 priority once you hit the post-menopause stage.

Some of the most common symptoms of post-menopause include:

Hot flashes
Night sweats
Elevated heart rate
Insomnia
Mood changes
Urinary problems
Vaginal dryness
Painful intercourse

The average post-menopause stage is 55 years old but again, there are cases wherein post-menopause sets in at an earlier or later age.

Most women believe that menopause starts when menstrual period stops but this isn’t the case at all. Menopause is a process that takes years to complete so it occurs before your period stops. The body goes through different changes as it hits post-menopause that we don’t connect some of these symptoms to menopause at all.

During the perimenopause stage, the levels of the two major female hormones – estrogen and progesterone – start spiking and dipping during this time, causing all sorts of body changes and symptoms. Between these changes, you’ll go through different emotions too. Some symptoms taper off; others will stay with you for years to come.

At the start of the perimenopause stage, you’ll experience intermittent occurrences of mood swings, hot flashes, and sleep disturbances. You can get pregnant despite the missed period but your chances of conceiving a child are significantly lower as you reach this stage.

By the time you reach the menopause stage, your ovaries are no longer producing egg cells so you won’t be able to conceive. At this point, menstrual period stops completely. As the estrogen and progesterone levels fall, your vagina tissues start thinning out too, causing vaginal dryness, itching, painful intercourse, and lower sex drive.

At this point, you’re prone to urinary incontinence too. If you’re unsure if you reached the menopausal stage, have yourself checked by a specialist. Your doctor will check your blood for follicle stimulating hormone or FSH, which spikes when the ovaries are starting to shut down.

Once you reach the post-menopause stage, the level of female hormones are depleted hence, symptoms of vaginal dryness and hot flashes may still linger. Because you’re more likely to develop bone or heart disease during the post-menopause stage, sticking to a healthy lifestyle is critical to your health and well-being.

Symptom Management

Do you wake up at the dead of the night drenched in sweat and unable to sleep? Do you experience a sudden feeling of feverish heat at random times of the day or night? If the answer is yes then you may be feeling the first few signs of menopause.

Some women don’t find the symptoms uncomfortable and these symptoms usually go away on their own. But if say, you’re having problems dealing with menopause symptoms, here are ways to help you cope:

Hot Flashes

A hot flash is one of the most common symptoms of menopause. It occurs when a surge of adrenaline rouses the brain from sleep, causing blood vessels near the skin surface starts to dilate. As the blood vessels dilate, there’s a sudden feeling of heat coupled by a red, flushed face and sweating. It’s worth noting that not all pre-menopausal or menopausal women experience hot flashes but if you’re one of the unlucky ones then it’s time to start learning what triggers a hot flash. Caffeinated drinks, stress, and spicy foods are possible hot flash triggers, so reduce your intake or avoid these foods/drinks completely.

If attacks happen frequently, try dressing in layers so when you experience a hot flash, you can simply peel off your clothes layer by layer. As soon as the attack starts, take slow, deep breaths while fanning yourself to cool off. If you’re overweight, losing weight could reduce hot flashes.

Vaginal Dryness

As estrogen production winds down, the clear fluid that lubricates the vaginal walls, start to decrease. The thick, elastic tissues of the vaginal walls start to get thinner and less elastic too, causing a condition called vaginal atrophy. All these changes lead to vaginal dryness, an extremely uncomfortable menopause symptom that affects your sex life. Vaginal dryness causes a burning, itching sensation in the nether region as well as painful intercourse.

If you’re suffering from vaginal dryness, use a water-based lubricant and vaginal moisturizer to relieve the symptoms. Avoid bubble baths and scented soaps because these beauty products will aggravate dryness. Prolonging foreplay is also effective in terms of preventing painful intercourse. Taking supplements could also ease vaginal dryness and its related symptoms.

Insomnia

The combination of body changes, emotional distress, and imbalanced hormones causes a variety of menopause symptoms and some of them can disrupt sleep. Estrogen is considered as a sleep hormone and when your estrogen level is low, you’ll end up tossing and turning in bed. Worse, sleep deprivation aggravates perimenopause symptoms, leaving you irritable, anxious, and tired the next day.

Apart from having yourself checked by a specialist, you can overcome menopause-induced insomnia by making a few lifestyle changes. Start by working out regularly. You don’t have to stick to a grueling regimen to keep fit. Performing light exercises for 30 minutes every day should be enough to achieve a healthy body. Never work out too close to bedtime if you have trouble sleeping!

Avoid taking long naps in the afternoons and drink something warm, soothing, and caffeine free before bedtime. Avoid caffeinated drinks during the afternoons and never drink alcohol close to bedtime. Finally, keep your room dark, cool, and quiet at night to lull yourself to sleep. If hot flashes are causing sleepless nights, find your trigger.

Mood Swings

Some days you’re all happy and sunshiny and the next, you’re depressed and you’re telling people off. About 20% of women experience depression while going through menopause. Studies show that about 50% of women going through menopause experience emotional distress (depression, anxiety, irritability, aggression, melancholy, sadness, etc.) or mood swings due to the fluctuations of estrogen and serotonin in the body. These hormones regulate mood and emotions and the changes will affect your temperament.

Of course, hormonal imbalance is just one of the many reasons why menopausal women experience these changes. Stress is a significant factor that causes moderate to severe mood swings.

To manage stress and feel your best, stay physically active by working out at least 30 minutes every day. If you can, try to reduce your chores and free up your schedule for a soothing massage, breathing exercises, meditation, or other relaxing activities.

Avoid greasy, unhealthy foods and eat fresh, organic whole foods o you’ll always have a steady supply of vitamins to improve mood. Finally, try to get as much sleep as you can at night so you wake up well-rested and cheerful in the morning.

Weight Gain

As you go through menopause, the body’s metabolic rate slows down and this causes steady weight gain. Gradually, your thighs and belly are less slim, you feel bloated all the time and maintaining your normal weight becomes a Herculean effort as you age. All these are normal changes caused by hormonal imbalance, genetics, unhealthy food choices, sleep deprivation, and lack of exercise.

Being selective in terms of the food you eat on the daily will do wonders for the waistline. Prepare your own meals using fresh, whole ingredients. Avoid greasy snacks and refined carbs to maintain your weight. Switch to zero to low-calorie food items whenever possible. Limit your alcohol intake and pare down your consumption of overly sweet beverages.

Working out regularly allows you to burn off excess calories from the food you eat. Walking for at least 30 minutes every day is a fantastic way to keep fit. Aerobics, yoga, Pilates, and Zumba are just a few of the fun yet light exercises you can do to maintain a leaner frame.

Conclusion

Your menopause journey includes going through a roller coaster of emotions and body changes and that’s okay. As long as you’re taking care of yourself and you’re getting all the love and support from your family, you can overcome the physical, mental, and emotional changes that menopause brings, stage after stage.

On My Radar: Micro Bags!

March 2, 2017 by Tina Lee Leave a Comment

Don’t you just love miniaturized shiznit? I know I do cuz I love all things tiny and cute! Recently, I’ve been thinking about what bags to get for my birthday. Ya know, something to gift myself because it’s been a tough 2016 for us all and I deserve nice things.

That classic shape, that structured form, that exquisite Ebene coated canvas and luxe treated leather… you know I’m still dreaming of you, my Almie 😀

The Alma BB is the mini version of Louis Vuitton’s classic Alma purse and it’s gorg! Are you my next birthday gift?

The Louis Vuitton Palm Springs mini backpack is the mini version of its newest backpack, the Palm Springs, of course. Here she is:

I love the modern shape and the classic monogram print, I think the combination is so luxurious but playful. You can also wear the Palm Springs three ways, as a traditional backpack, as a shoulder bag, and as a sling bag. So kawaii!

This tiny backpack is the one that inspired other design houses to launch their own mini backpack. I’m not much into MCM but this particular style makes my heart sing. I love the studded sides too, the overall look is just edgy but pretty!

The only thing I don’t like about it is the material. I read somewhere that the classic MCM monos are not made from leather, but a canvas material similar to LV monos and DE.

Last but not the least, the new version of the Nightingale. It comes in a mini size. I wish I could get this bag in that specific color but I know the jean stain will drive me cray so black leather would be a better choice for me. Ugh, what a thing of beauty!

I’m currently saving up for a new bag, hopefully I could any of these beautiful things in time!

4 Ways To A Steady Connection When On The Move

March 2, 2017 by Tina Lee-Almazar | Tinaciouslee Leave a Comment

Say, you need to go on a business trip and work requires stable connection 24/7, how sure are you about the dependability of your mobile broadband connection?

Now picture this: You are in a meeting with your client and things are looking great so far. You are asked to pull out important emails or documents you saved on the cloud. Without warning, the inevitable happened: your mobile internet connection goes kaput. Red-faced, you try looking for local Wi-Fi connection but no dice.

Staying connected can be quite a struggle, even more so if you are in a foreign country. Save yourself the embarrassment of failing broadband connection on times when it really counts. We’ve listed down great ways to maintain a steady, smooth connection anytime, anywhere:

Cover Your Ground

When it comes to prepping for a business trip, you need to research about the country as well as the best mobile broadband service in that specific area. You can go online, go to your local broadband carrier, ask questions, and even inquire to other network carriers to find out which ones are best suited for travel. This way, you don’t need to depend on sheer dumb luck in terms of choosing an excellent network provider abroad. You’ll utilize the best possible broadband connection before the trip.

Bring A Backup Broadband Connection

When it comes to broadband connection, diversity is not a bad thing at all. Never depend on one network alone and always, always bring a backup mobile internet access when you can. The fact is, some broadband networks have a strong signal in one area and weak coverage in other areas.

For example, your broadband mobile internet may work like a dream when used in New York but the coverage may not be as stable when you’re on a business trip in North Carolina. In order to maximize the odds of getting a great connection, use mobile broadband connection from different carriers. You’ll thank yourself later.

Switch Spots

Don’t let slow connection get you down. You can boost your mobile broadband signal by moving to different spots. This works too even if you are getting a great signal already. Your mobile device may indicate that you are getting a great signal but your device won’t tell you how busy the tower is. By moving around, you can avoid cellular network traffic and reduce connection lags.

Don’t Depend On Hotel Wi-Fi Connection

Most hotels advertise free in-room Wi-Fi and though this feature may be helpful once in a while, the connection is not the kind to work at a speed and level you need it to. If you want stable, dependable mobile broadband connection, bring your own gears with you. Insist on a room wired for Ethernet and have the staff throw in a power strip too.

It may seem tiresome, lugging around your gears with you but if you want to get work done without struggling with unstable hotel room connection, this is your best bet.

How to Attract Mobile Buyers to Your eBay Listings

March 2, 2017 by Tina Lee-Almazar | Tinaciouslee Leave a Comment

Did you know that 55% of online transactions on eBay are touched by mobile devices? According to the e-commerce giant, buyer behavior has been changing over the years. More and more people are turning to smaller mobile devices – such as smartphones and tablets – to make purchases online. In 2014 alone, eBay reached a staggering $28 billion in sales from mobile users.

That said, not all listings are optimized for mobile users. Because the industry landscape has changed so much, entrepreneurs must adjust their business strategies to stay competitive. As such, it is critical to making your listings mobile-friendly to attract more buyers. So, what can you do to create a mobile-friendly listing and stand out from your competitors? Here are our tips:

Avoid Lengthy, Complex Descriptions

Let’s face it, most vendors tend to use lengthy descriptions to drum up attention from buyers. This strategy might have worked in the past where the majority of viewers were using desktop computers or laptops to make online purchases but the switch to smaller screens calls for less fluff.

Shorter descriptions look better on smaller screens as opposed to longer texts. Plus, succinct descriptions are less likely to turn buyers off because scrolling is reduced. When writing the product descriptions, always focus on the important aspect of the product, such as specs, benefits, and so on.

To save even more space, try not to include a lot of extraneous HTML codes in the description. Some codes do not render well on a mobile device, forcing your users to pinch and scroll the product listing. All that pinching and scrolling will only turn potential customers away!

Keep it Simple

From the typography to the layout, less is definitely more when it comes to selling a product on eBay. A striking layout might be a good idea initially, but combined with the text and pictures, your listing could look too busy. When the product is not presented well, it could turn people off or draw the attention away from the stuff that matters: the clickable buy button!

It pays to keep your listing simple and straightforward. Use a font that looks readable on a white background. Because mobile devices have a smaller screen, the text must not be too small to read or too large that it requires a lot of scrolling or pinching. Stick to one or two font sizes for maximum readability.

Choose a Great Photo

Your product listing should feature photos that fit the screen to reduce pinching. If you are using hi-res images, resize the pictures to at least 500 pixels wide. If you can, upload images that are up to 1600 pixels. eBay will automatically offer the zoom feature so customers can choose the images they like and check out the finer details of the product.

As for uploading images, we do not recommend adding the pictures in the description area. Why? Most customers do not scroll beyond this area. Also, images placed on the description section don’t render well. After completing the listing, we recommend testing how the entire page looks on major browsers, particularly Chrome, Safari, and FireFox.

Don’t Forget Your Product Identifiers

eBay is now requiring all listings to feature product identifiers. These are tags that include the brand name, manufacturer part number (MPN), and global trade item number (GTIN). Brand identifiers help increase your listing’s visibility on eBay by making it easier for buyers to find. And with the stiff competition between brands on eBay, you need all the help you can to distinguish yourself from other brands.