Compliance Active Content removal / Setting CSS

[maxmawi]

Thanks to all of you that are very helpful to many of us.
I have to start saying that I am a dummy and I am facing very low sales lately and I believe is due to all the changes that pretty soon will affect -for good or bad- to all of us.
I found that all my listings are not in compliance with the new "active content" ban.
It was hard for me to figure out what active content means and selected one listing and started "revising" and deleting links. (I found that those links provided by eBay last year, are affecting me now:
= = =
"Check out my other items!"
"Be sure to add me to your favorites list!"
"My Stores Logo"
= = =
I used the "delete links" under revising and testing the listing in the mobile-friendliness Test tool: "i-ways digital values".
When the font size didn't pass the test I found that the 18 size was the smaller approved.
When the meta viewport didn't work I found the formula:
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">

= = =
It seems that now descriptions it have to be extremely plain.
But it is not enough. Testing my revised listing it didn't still pass the test because:
1):
✗
Content width

Content width is wider than viewport width ▾
Viewport width: 320 px, Content width: 996 px
Do not use large fixed width elements.
Content should not rely on a particular viewport width to render well.
Use CSS media queries to apply different styling for small and large screens.
- See more at: http://www.i-ways.net/mobile-friendly/en-us/result/272590297240/EBAY-US#sthash.lJTfH66O.dpuf
= = =
and 2:
✗
CSS media queries

CSS media queries were not found on this page ▾
Apply media queries based on viewport size
Media queries enable us to create a responsive experience, where specific styles are applied to small screens, large screens and anywhere in between. The media query syntax allows for the creation of rules that can be applied depending on device characteristics.

@media (query) {
/* CSS Rules used when query matches */
}
- See more at: http://www.i-ways.net/mobile-friendly/en-us/result/272590297240/EBAY-US#sthash.lJTfH66O.dpuf
= = =
I also wonder if the frames/templates provided by eBay last year to make the description more attractive will also affect my listings (?). I am referring to those with the legend: "Sale-Price slashed-Clearance-Super sale" and more as on my listing: Item ID: 272573017378.

I couldn't delete those frames/templates.
= = =
To finish I just need help with "how to set-up" or activate a CSS media queries (?).
Please understand me and have patient since I am not really very smart with all the terms and have no idea what I am talking about. I need simply help with somtething like: "copy this" paste it on - - -" if possible.
Why ebay have not created a procedure to eliminate all this burden, with something like they provided when recommended to list Free Shipping and we just click on "remove recomendations".
I have now about 900 listings and seem like I have to void all of them and start over with listings simples and ugly, but looks like this it won't be enough to sell here.
Why the inventors of the phones didn't create a way for the phones to adapt to existing established structures and we have not to change the existing system to adapt to the phones?
Thanks in advance and peace!!!!

[trish_tx]

I spoke to CS and this is the link he gave mehttp://www.isdntek.com/ebaytools/ActiveContentScanner.htm and walked me through how to check/change my listing to be correct with no active content ,he said to worry only about those in orange and red as the yellow is ok. so now after I have done the corrections I show no active content. I wrote dn directions very simple and I didnt loose and logos ect. as I feared .

[chocnmint]

Thanks for confirming that. I will in that case focus on the active content or anything flagged up in red.

[maxmawi]

Thanks for taking the time to explain the full process. This way it is gonna be an easy task

[shipscript]

@chocnmint

Media queries are used to change parts of the layout as needed for different size screens. In your case, there is no need to add media queries. Your description is plain text and will wrap to any screen size without needing to tell each size screen how to wrap your text.

[sadie4108]

Thank you Shipscript for this answer. It answers the exact question I had. I ran the scanner and all 830 of my active listings come back as Scanned OK in the White column. I guess I'm all set. Just can't figure out why my sales have dropped so much this week. I had a good weekend then only a few on Monday and as of Tuesday it fell off to nothing. I usually average around 10 or 12 sales daily but I have sold 3 items since Tuesday. I keep in touch with about 8 other sellers in my area and they are all experiencing the same thing. One friend normally sells 25-30 a day and he's lucky to get 2 or 3 a day this week. Any idea what could be happening?

[shipscript]

@sadie4108

eBay has rolled out a whole lot of new site code and there are many reports of ill-performing pages and poor search results, along with checkout difficulties.  This and vacations can apply a double blow to sales. It should settle out. 

[elfies6]

I have to believe that eBay will lose so many businesses when the rule is implemented. Sales here also have been slow. Sometimes I think eBay makes more than I do. With around 1400 items and me being handicapped (can't walk) having trouble with this issue. I'm 73 and not getting any younger. I thought my store would help me towards a handicapped van, but at this rate, I 'll only be able to buy the fuel. I also can't afford hiring anyone to complete this for me. Guess I'll just be thrown out of eBay.....

[ad2207trading]

I found out that in my lists, the listing translator app that eBay publish in their apps store is making me all the active content LINK problem.

Now I'm stuck with more than 1000 lists with an HTML code that have this tranlatoer false code link.

[auctionmoney]

The reason your sales have dropped is the same reason ALL OF our sales have dropped.  It is the same reason eBay's revenue has dropped! 

They screwed up!  They will never admit it, of course, but there it is. 

Instead of having ONE of their "tech geniuses" design a generic template that we could all use in about an hour, they thought it better to have ALL sellers waste hours and days trying to learn HTML just for the privilege of selling on eBay.   Then they assigned an absolutely clueless company to help us; and, NOT. ONE. SINGLE. PERSON. has anything but disgust for the slipshod, bewildering, asinine, confusing, non-function **bleep**-fest to be found there!!!!!!

So instead of paying one tech for 1 hour, they make millions of sellers waste 8 hours each (at a minimum) to comply with something their huge brains dreamed up!  I haven't been able to list anything for over a month because I can't figure out how to comply!  I have bought 3! "responsive" templates on eBay to try to get back to sanity and not a single one of them comply either!

eBay wants no input, advice or suggestions from us in the matter, oh no!  We are the serfs and they are the overlords.   What could we possibly know that they need to hear?!  eBay is becoming just like AT&T before they were finally broken up (I was part of the litigation!).  Utterly without concern for the people who made them rich and keep them that way!

At this point, I have no idea what do do.  I  have read the advice you have been given and I admire the knowledge and I respect the willingness to help of the great people in the eBay community.  Unfortunately, I could not understand a thing they said.  They use terms and assume a familiarity with coding that I simply do not possess.  I may have to leave eBay because I am not tech savvy enough to keep up.

All the best to those of you who are.

[Anonymous]

ebay is making my life very difficult.  I have had some items on sale for 2-3 years, now all of a sudden they are not right.  Can ebay be more sopecific what is wrong with each item that needs to corrected, Thank you