Posting more than 24 photos / the scrolling photos

OK...I'm pretty sure this is a simple answer but darn if I can find it.

How are sellers putting those scrolling photos in their adds? They are literally putting sometimes hundreds of photos in the lineup! I've looked at a few and I can't find a "branding" at the end of the photo listing saying what program was used so that makes me wonder if it is something ebay offers to those in the know or are super special.

Is it Auctiva? Is it a higher rated store than just the Basic level that I have. Do you have to know the secret handshake with the CEO? I have nor know none of the above.

I have some stuff coming up that could use a few hits past that 24 photo limit.

Thanks bunches for the help.

Mike

Firesteel Surplus

firesteel_surplus

3286 View listings

Posted 2 years ago·Last reply 2 years ago

22 comments

firesteel_surplus

OP2 years ago

3286 View listings

I got it working!

My webhosting site had gotten back to me and fixed my public html folders so it did not show the directory structure and then explained to me how to fix this myself.

It was easy peasy had I known what search terms to search for. Indexing...it was on the CPanel Menu in plain site...

Here is one sale I got it working on. Keep in mind this sale does NOT need the scrolling photos. It is just a practice run trying to figure it out. I have the photos set at 900 pixels wide right now. I might cut them down a bit further yet.

Kimberly Clark Tecnol The Lite one Surgical Mask 48100 - Box of 50! (A0814) | eBay

It might not let me paste the link. I guess it's easy enough to search for it.

Thanks for all the advice!

I should be back here helping out in the forums with advice and various smart remarks now that winter is coming back to South Dakota. I'm starting to work on ebay sales again after the summer break.

I guess the link does work. So now if you right click on the photos and select "Inspect (Q)" and do a little snooping around, you can find my photo and where I have it hosted. NOW if you take the 1.jpg off the end, it will take you to a FORBIDDEN 403 page and not a directory structure of my webpage. Awesome. Better security that way.

Mike

Firesteel Surplus

firesteel_surplus

OP2 years ago

3286 View listings

I ran into a bit of a snag. I'm not sure how big of a security issue it is. I contacted the webhosting company to see if they could give me any guidance.

Here's the rundown: I know how to get the photo into the description...or at least I'm pretty sure I can do it successfully now. But, if I submit my photos and then right click on the ebay description and do a little snooping around in the code...I can find the link back to my webhosting company for my photos.

If I take off the photo name (1.JPG) at the end of the file system ..let's say https;\\www,ourphotosarehere,com\images\1.JPG (Note: I turned all the slashes backwards and subbed commas for periods to get the link in. I think it will get scrubbed out otherwise) and then click on the rest of the file name, my file directory pops up with whatever other files are in that directory.

But...

If I browse around and find another seller's (or two...or three...)...and do the same thing...a FORBIDDEN 404 pops up.

I'd rather have that pop up than everyone and their dog or cat or goldfish seeing my directory structure.

Did I make that clear as mud?
Mike

Firesteel Surplus

my-cottage-books-and-antiques

·2 years ago

3637 View listings

I don't know if ebay provides a list anymore, since I believe they want to discourage what you are doing (but I also don't think they have prohibited what you are doing)....but you can use YouTube to host your videos. At one time *and maybe its still here) ebay had a list of approved hosting sites....I know YouTube was one. It's possible your problem is that you are using a non-approved hosting site. (It's free to open a YT account and start posting videos, and if you don't want them to be made public, there's an option to keep them from public view)

firesteel_surplus

OP2 years ago

3286 View listings

@my-cottage-books-and-antiques wrote:
I don't know if ebay provides a list anymore, since I believe they want to discourage what you are doing (but I also don't think they have prohibited what you are doing)....but you can use YouTube to host your videos. At one time *and maybe its still here) ebay had a list of approved hosting sites....I know YouTube was one. It's possible your problem is that you are using a non-approved hosting site. (It's free to open a YT account and start posting videos, and if you don't want them to be made public, there's an option to keep them from public view)

I don't want videos. I want static images. I don't think what I am doing is discouraged by ebay. What ebay is against sellers doing is posting clickable thumbnails. That is is the TOS somewhere. I did actually read up some of the fine print a bit. Maybe not ALL of it but I do remember reading something about not having clickable thumbnails on the page.

I kind of spaced this off. We got about 3" of snow or so and I was out moving snow most of the morning and part of the afternoon. I should log into my webhosting site and see if the help desk got back to me.

Thanks for the reply!
Mike

Firesteel Surplus

firesteel_surplus

OP2 years ago

3286 View listings

I think I'm going to give this a go tomorrow on my new sales that I post. I might not post 40 photos. I'll probably start off with six or so just to see what happens....see if the ebay police comes knocking at my door. Maybe get at least 4-6 sales up and go from there. I was able to find some example code.

I'll post a link to what I come up with.

Mike

Firesteel Surplus

firesteel_surplus

OP2 years ago

3286 View listings

NEVERMIND!!!!

I see the SixBit logo at the bottom now...

Ugh

Mike

Firesteel Surplus

slippinjimmy

·2 years ago

4 View listings

@firesteel_surplus wrote:
NEVERMIND!!!!

I see the SixBit logo at the bottom now...

Ugh
Mike
Firesteel Surplus

That is not an Auctiva scrolling gallery and the SixBit tag doesn't mean anything. Those images are simply inserted into the description area using HTML, they link to the sellers web space where they are hosted.

I used to do the same thing way back in the days when it cost extra to post images via eBay. kept doing it for a while longer until eBay started to require https (instead of http) if you wanted to post in that fashion.

firesteel_surplus

OP2 years ago

3286 View listings

Look at this ad:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/315040010074?hash=item4959d90f5a:g:7R0AAOSwqwNlgGAx

They have 12 photos to the left but have 28 photos in the scrolling box in the description.

Mike

kensgiftshop

·2 years ago

389 View listings

@firesteel_surplus wrote:
Look at this ad:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/315040010074?hash=item4959d90f5a:g:7R0AAOSwqwNlgGAx

They have 12 photos to the left but have 28 photos in the scrolling box in the description.
Mike

They just added the photos to the description.

No special tool needed to do it.

firesteel_surplus

OP2 years ago

3286 View listings

@kensgiftshop wrote:
@firesteel_surplus wrote:
Look at this ad:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/315040010074?hash=item4959d90f5a:g:7R0AAOSwqwNlgGAx

They have 12 photos to the left but have 28 photos in the scrolling box in the description.
Mike

They just added the photos to the description.
No special tool needed to do it.

But how? That is the part that is stumping me. I'm getting a lead on HTML. I think I can probably figure out that part or at least ask Dr. Google and maybe find a code example. I have a webhosting service so I can host my own pics. I'm just a wee bit concerned that the ebay machine is going to blacklist my pics once I post them. Just because everyone else is doing it....

Mike

kensgiftshop

·2 years ago

389 View listings

Change Secure Host to the URL of the images you want to use and change the size of the images.

my-cottage-books-and-antiques

·2 years ago

3637 View listings

@firesteel_surplus Ah, I see....you aren't talking abut more than 24 photos in the photo gallery, you are talking about the extra photos in the description box. As others have said, anyone can do that with a little html. (I'm not sure how well it will show up on the phone app). But, it is not tied to SixBit or some special seller status....it's just that the seller knows how to do it the old way....I used to do it that way too.

firesteel_surplus

OP2 years ago

3286 View listings

@my-cottage-books-and-antiques wrote:
@firesteel_surplus Ah, I see....you aren't talking abut more than 24 photos in the photo gallery, you are talking about the extra photos in the description box. As others have said, anyone can do that with a little html. (I'm not sure how well it will show up on the phone app). But, it is not tied to SixBit or some special seller status....it's just that the seller knows how to do it the old way....I used to do it that way too.

Really? It's just some HTML? I might be able to figure that out.

What do I do about pointing to my photos? I have a place where I can host them. Can I just point to the host or is ebay going to block them under some ridiculous rule?

I'm starting to get hopeful here....

Mike

the_fancy_fox

·2 years ago

2400 View listings

@firesteel_surplus wrote:
@my-cottage-books-and-antiques wrote:
@firesteel_surplus Ah, I see....you aren't talking abut more than 24 photos in the photo gallery, you are talking about the extra photos in the description box. As others have said, anyone can do that with a little html. (I'm not sure how well it will show up on the phone app). But, it is not tied to SixBit or some special seller status....it's just that the seller knows how to do it the old way....I used to do it that way too.
Really? It's just some HTML? I might be able to figure that out.

What do I do about pointing to my photos? I have a place where I can host them. Can I just point to the host or is ebay going to block them under some ridiculous rule?
I'm starting to get hopeful here....
Mike

You have to buy the security certificate from your hosting company. Mines about 75$ a year. Then you use https in the link to the pictures.

firesteel_surplus

OP2 years ago

3286 View listings

@the_fancy_fox wrote:
@firesteel_surplus wrote:
@my-cottage-books-and-antiques wrote:
@firesteel_surplus Ah, I see....you aren't talking abut more than 24 photos in the photo gallery, you are talking about the extra photos in the description box. As others have said, anyone can do that with a little html. (I'm not sure how well it will show up on the phone app). But, it is not tied to SixBit or some special seller status....it's just that the seller knows how to do it the old way....I used to do it that way too.
Really? It's just some HTML? I might be able to figure that out.

What do I do about pointing to my photos? I have a place where I can host them. Can I just point to the host or is ebay going to block them under some ridiculous rule?
I'm starting to get hopeful here....
Mike

You have to buy the security certificate from your hosting company. Mines about 75$ a year. Then you use https in the link to the pictures.

I believe my hosting company supplies the security certificates. I have the "s" on the end of the "http" for whatever that is worth.

I'll go check on that to make sure.

Mike

Firesteel Surplus

firesteel_surplus

OP2 years ago

3286 View listings

@firesteel_surplus wrote:
@the_fancy_fox wrote:
@firesteel_surplus wrote:
@my-cottage-books-and-antiques wrote:
@firesteel_surplus Ah, I see....you aren't talking abut more than 24 photos in the photo gallery, you are talking about the extra photos in the description box. As others have said, anyone can do that with a little html. (I'm not sure how well it will show up on the phone app). But, it is not tied to SixBit or some special seller status....it's just that the seller knows how to do it the old way....I used to do it that way too.
Really? It's just some HTML? I might be able to figure that out.

What do I do about pointing to my photos? I have a place where I can host them. Can I just point to the host or is ebay going to block them under some ridiculous rule?
I'm starting to get hopeful here....
Mike

You have to buy the security certificate from your hosting company. Mines about 75$ a year. Then you use https in the link to the pictures.

I have the security certificates. I have a business package that I bought and it includes the certificates in my yearly subscription. I don't have a dedicated IP address though (if that makes any difference). That is another $72 a year.

Mike

Firesteel Surplus

the_fancy_fox

·2 years ago

2400 View listings

@firesteel_surplus wrote:
Look at this ad:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/315040010074?hash=item4959d90f5a:g:7R0AAOSwqwNlgGAx

They have 12 photos to the left but have 28 photos in the scrolling box in the description.
Mike

Do you mean as your scroll down thereâ€™s more pictures or they automatically go by as you watch like a video?

What I saw in that listing is just pictures in the description box. I do that as well. Itâ€™s just HTML. A type of coding. I have templates set up to make it easier.

I use Sixbit but you can drop Html in the ebay lister as well.

firesteel_surplus

OP2 years ago

3286 View listings

@the_fancy_fox wrote:
@firesteel_surplus wrote:
Look at this ad:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/315040010074?hash=item4959d90f5a:g:7R0AAOSwqwNlgGAx

They have 12 photos to the left but have 28 photos in the scrolling box in the description.
Mike

Do you mean as your scroll down thereâ€™s more pictures or they automatically go by as you watch like a video?

What I saw in that listing is just pictures in the description box. I do that as well. Itâ€™s just HTML. A type of coding. I have templates set up to make it easier.

I use Sixbit but you can drop Html in the ebay lister as well.

The part above in red...that is exactly what I was trying to do. I can make things really difficult. I know "It's just HTML" but when a person hasn't played around with it for a number of years and then it doesn't worth the way *I* think it should work and I have to get my webhosting company involved...then things gets complicated.

But I think I have it working. The one sale I have in the link is just four photos for a practice run. I am only going to using this when I need more than 24 photos for some stamp collections I'm going to be selling and possibly some multi-disk LP sets. I might need more than 24 pics for them.

Thanks!
Mike

Firesteel Surplus

ten_o_nine

·2 years ago

7439 View listings

@firesteel_surplus

Stay away from Auctiva as they will clutter your site, those scrolling ads mean nothing and are annoying to look at or remove from listings. When I search for a toothbrush, I am not going to buy a TV that just scrolled by. Targeted ads may work but no scrolling with useless products as far as I am concerned.

firesteel_surplus

OP2 years ago

3286 View listings

@ten_o_nine wrote:
@firesteel_surplus
Stay away from Auctiva as they will clutter your site, those scrolling ads mean nothing and are annoying to look at or remove from listings. When I search for a toothbrush, I am not going to buy a TV that just scrolled by. Targeted ads may work but no scrolling with useless products as far as I am concerned.

I tend to agree with you. I get tired aimlessly scrolling through hundreds and hundreds of photos. I have some stamp collections that I am putting up for sale...quite a few actually....and I could use a bit more than 24 photos. I wouldn't go overboard and post 100, but 36 or 48 would help in a few cases. And from our texts...I hope we are talking about the same thing. I just want a few more pics to post. That is all I want.

Wish ebay would give us an option to purchase photo packages.

I've been gone all summer and fall from selling so if ebay HAS offered photo packages in my absence...I am ignorant of the change at the moment.

Mike

Firesteel Surplus

my-cottage-books-and-antiques

·2 years ago

3637 View listings

@firesteel_surplus Variation Listings can have a LOT of photos, but I'm not sure if that's what you are talking about?

How to add variations on eBay listings

Most categories are set up for eBay listing variations. You can create and manage your variations through the advanced listing tool or Seller Hub. Each tool will walk you through the process.

When listing, do the following:

Describe the features of the item that are standard across all of the items
Specify your variations and the options for each variation
Each listing can have 5 variation details and up to 50 values for each of those details
For example, if youâ€™re selling shoes, your 5 variation types could be color, size, width, material, and style. Each of those details can have up to 50 values: 50 different colors, 50 different sizes, and so forth
You can have up to 250 variations in a single listing for no additional fee
Review the variations to make sure your inventory matches exactly with the quantity selected for each variation; you can delete variations for which you are missing inventory
Add pictures (up to 24 for each variation)
Add quantities and price, which can be different for each variation of your item
Please note that if youâ€™re selling in Parts & Accessories, your compatibility information must apply to all your variations.

my-cottage-books-and-antiques

·2 years ago

3637 View listings

@firesteel_surplus could you provide a screenshot of what you are talking about?