ShipScript has been an eBay Community volunteer since 2003, specializing in HTML, CSS, Scripts, Photos, Active Content, Technical Solutions, and online Seller Tools.
The use of active content in listings, including JavaScript, Flash, plug-ins and form actions, inhibits purchases on mobile devices and can lead to abuse in the marketplace. Beginning with the Spring 2017 Seller Update, eBay will limit the use of active content in all new listings across all devices and it will not be rendered by default. By the Fall Seller Update 2017, we plan to remove or block listings with active content. We encourage you to limit your use of active content now. We will provide more information later this year about which functionality will be limited and provide the specific timing in early 2017. We also are working closely with our third-party partners in cases where they use active content on your item descriptions or stores.
Many listings use javascript to position and activate content with onclick events and mouseovers, like menus and terms tabs. Many have promotional galleries, photo galleries, and such.
I urge eBay to create and embed a tool in the listing process to remove that content instead of sending violation notices. I understand that eBay will work on a method to bring YouTube videos back into the page.
In the meantime, I have been working on a free tool that will identify this content and return a script-free version for you to use, for those who have no other method of locating and eliminating the content. You can @shipscript me if you need to use the tool.
home-gym-bodybuilding wrote
I have a custom template on both store and for listings. It uses javascript for a drop down menu that leads to shipping terms, contact, etc. So if I do nothing, in 2017, my items will still display correctly except for the javascript menu?
As far as I can tell, it looks like your template will display fine. But if you have more than one embedded photo, the thumbnail rollover won't work . You can use this tool to preview your listings:
http://www.isdntek.com/ebaytools/ActiveContent_support/ScanActiveContent.htm
@manroot79 wrote:... will hyperlinks no longer work as well once this "hinderance" is enforced?
You bring up a good point about whether links can be added to videos and audios. In the Mobile App for iPhone, clicking a link jumped out of the App and opened a browser window. However, in the latest release, links do not function. I don't know if that was a bug or purposeful. brian_burke@ebay
Yes, your Auctiva gallery will be invalid this time next year and eBay will hide it (not render it) in all new listings. About six months after that (~18 months from now), you will need to remove the code from all your existing listings. I believe Auctiva has a removal tool to help. eBay may provide an alternative promo capability and Auctiva may implement that in some measure. However, eBay has no clear path yet to that alternative. Thus, I would not start editing any listings for several months.
If you want to see how one of your listings will appear with all Active Content removed, you can use this online tool.
http://www.isdntek.com/ebaytools/ActiveContent_support/ScanActiveContent.htm
Photo Gallery: For those removing click-to-enlarge (carousel, rollover, mouseover, clicpic) photo galleries of self-hosted photos, I will have a Responsive CSS Photo Gallery maker that will create gallery code that automatically adapts to any screen size. Just drop in your old picture code and the tool will pick out your original photos that you can use to generate the new gallery. For CSS-coders, only a single width selection need be added to media queries. Should be ready in a week or so.
