The category (or categories) you use to list your items are key to a successful sale -- choose them carefully.  This is an area that can be really easy to manage but iften requires more thought than most new eBayers invest in it.  This area does require some serious thought before picking an option or settling on a single option choice.

In the case of some items, there is an obvious choice because a category exists that fits your item perfectly.  If you have a 'Department 56 Snowbaby," for instance, the obvious choice for category is very specific, "Collectibles > Department 56> Snowbabies"  However, in another example, a ladies jacket may fit well in "Women's Clothing and Accessories> Blazers and Jackets" but it may also qualify as "Women's Clothing and Accessories> Outerwear" in some climates. 

The question one asks must be balanced with the consideration of the additional cost for multiple categories.   Should you pick the single category that is most common for this type of item?  Should you choose the category where it appears less commonly or both? 

The trade off is this; in a category where the item is less common, the item will stand out.  However, its exposure is likely to be limited to the audience most likely to be looking for it.  Placement in the more popular category assures that you can take advantage of human intuition and training in hich they look for the item first (and maybe only) in the most common categiory (you are exposed to a wider audience looking for your item).  So, failure to list in the most common category will also assure your best audience misses your offering. 

The last question you must ask yourself is whether or not it is worth the additional investment to use both.  To some degree it will take experimentation to determine what works for you and what doesn't.  So, experiement and closely monitor the gained exposure (asnfd hopefully higher price received) from the additional expense of listing in two categories.  This will help you determine the "breakpoint," that place where it is most practical to decide to take on the extra expense to list in both categories, because the additional item exposure is worth the additional expense.

I do hope I have been instructive here.  I try to share what I learn to save you the time and experimenting it took me to figure things out.  If you don't already practice "continual learning",it is REALLY easy on eBay.  Every day, there are thousands of Guides available to tell you how to do anything you want to learn to do.  Take advantage of the FREE learning resource by checking out the available Guides (I have 38 of them myself).  I make it a practice to read and learn from at least 5 a week.  The payoff is huge and comes at NO cost whatsoever exept a short investment of your time.

If you have time, please scroll down and vote for this guide if you have found it instructive.  I also invite you to visit my sales (Pepper120851) and my online store (The Write Place) where YOU name the price!

Thanks for dropping by, Joyce