The Item ID field in a listing is provided for the purpose of inventory management. Historically shops have been able to use any type of inventory minder in this field that works best for them. The Item ID can contain numbers only, words only, or a combination of the two.

Recently we have started to notice Item ID fields that contain non-relative keywords. Shops need to know an item ID can contain keyword spam. An item ID makes up part of the recognizable content of the listing and is displayed on each item's webpage. This may allow the item ID to be indexed by an outside search engine.

The Common Requirements for a Ruby Lane shop state: "Each item placed in your Ruby Lane shop must have a full text description and a quality photo that describes only the item. No keyword spamming, or using text unrelated to the item, is allowed." The placement of an unrelated keyword on the item page can also be misleading to a shopper, since a non-related term may be assumed to be applicable to the item.

An example would be an unidentifiable costume jewelry brooch added into a shop's inventory with the Item ID: Miriam Haskell Pin, even though the item was not made by that company. The shop may title and categorize the item as unmarked and state quite clearly in their description that the piece is not signed by any maker and that they have not been able to identify who made it. Yet a buyer viewing the item page would still be able to note the Miriam Haskell name in the shops 'ID' of it at the foot of the listing. From this they may assume the shop is identifying the pin as made by the Miriam Haskell company, which would not be correct.

We recommend not using keywords or terms in an item ID unless it is known to unequivocally apply to that item. While all other components of a listing can be modified should a problem with keyword use be brought to the attention of a shop owner, the Item ID field cannot be changed. If keyword spam in an item ID is identified, the result may be that the shop owner has no recourse but to remove the listing. Using a system of numbers or numbers and letters for inventory control, which many shop owners do, would help a shop to avoid this potential problem.
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