It's here! Spring 2016 Seller Update

[readabouthorses]

http://pages.ebay.com/sellerinformation/news/sprupd16/index.html

[lyssa1173]

Quick question. If you get a store, do you still get the 50 free listings for non-store owners as well?

[posting*master]

No.

[*eponymous*]

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@dktoss wrote:

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@ittybitnot wrote:

Fine metals that are plated or filled with another fine metal must be listed in the Fine Jewelry category.

Great.  Filled and plated garbage is now FINE jewelry.  FGS eBay, that's the stupidest thing you've EVER done!

I was thinking the same thing. ebay never ceases to surprise me.

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What they MEAN is stuff like 14k gold over sterling, or others like that. It's clearer if you read fluent ebayese.

Of course, ebay CS isn't going to have a clue, and the china sellers couldn't care less, it's going to be ugly.

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That would be a very uncommon metal content, and the "gold" would have to be PLATED, which would also mean it wasn't Sterling.  The word Sterling is so overused it isn't funny.  Anyway, for a piece with that description?  It's pure...  Junk.

[nc-daydreamer]

Does this mean we have to revert backwards and list by HTML again? This is more time consuming than difficult - at the moment. Just use the HTML tab showing in a revision, copy all and create an HTML template in WORD to paste it to - save - then copy that file and paste into a current listing. But what about coding new ads? If I am understanding this right, there will be a lot of frustrated, confused and angrysellers.

And I, like I guess others too, am not even sure what active content is.

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@prefontained wrote:

I found all of the updates to lsitings as they pertain to mobile shoppers interesting... eBay is going to choose a small # of characters (I have to go back and look, but I think it was 250) to display from your listing.

Or you can customize the html yourself (manually) for all listings and choose your own text to display up to 800 characters. I think it was the FAQs section where they showed the html code to use.

And they will still keep the link to view the entire description. I think I'm going to have to change every listing to select the text I want shown, and the first line on every listing will be something like "if you're on a mobile app, please click the link to view the full item description."

They're also slowly going to force users of JavaScript and active coding to stop using it (switch to HTML or CSS) - and if seller's don't comply by the deadline they will start removing listings. I don't use active scripts, but I can just imagine all the people who don't read this update are going to come to the boards this summer furious at how all of their listings were removed without warning.

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[nc-daydreamer]

If this is what that means - how would that affect Auctivia, Seller Source Book, Ink Frog, - even Maps and Money Converter - and such apps? Do we all have to get rid of our galleries? Maybe I'm dense, but I don't understand the reasoning. - So why can't they focus their attention on broken features - like the bulk lister and bring back the real ME pages and the Want-It-Now pages?

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@penguins_dont_fly wrote:

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@hollysfinds wrote:

Thanks for posting.

It's nice that there is nothing particularly earth shattering in there this time.

We can stop holding our breath now, at least until the Fall Update, lol.

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Depends ....

Anyone with active content (scrolling banners, etc) needs to heed this warning:

Remove active content for peak performance

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.

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[nc-daydreamer]

What bothers me the most is I have no confidence they will be in sizes I need most - like 8x8*9 and 13*13*2 and 15*20*18.  Instead I figure they will be identical in size and sturdiness now given free by the post office for priority mail - which are all but useless to me. I got a lot of them (the branded boxes) when they were giving them away.  And as far as the tape goes, my local PO still gives rolls of priority tape out for the asking - I still have a few rolls left - so I am guessing the eB tape will be very similar - but for a price. And we seller's are expected to lower prices and pay for all of this too. And I agree that advertising a package is from eB would invite theft - in the same way that pre-paid returns invites theft too.  Amazing.

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@mr_lincoln wrote:

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@unscrupulousintangibility wrote:

The last thing I want is eBay branded Priority boxes.

We even cut the "eBay" off of the online labels.

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... plain brown (unprinted) boxes would be less expensive to manufacturer ... I know, have been in the packaging industry for over 30 years.  I would be interested to know the spec on the corrugated they plan on using for the boxes ... could be a weaker structure.  If anything, get the tape rolls printed instead.

On another note, is it wise to advertise your box is an eBay package?  Wouldn't that invite more tampering?

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[blackbird*singing]

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@nc-daydreamer wrote:

Does this mean we have to revert backwards and list by HTML again? This is more time consuming than difficult - at the moment. Just use the HTML tab showing in a revision, copy all and create an HTML template in WORD to paste it to - save - then copy that file and paste into a current listing. But what about coding new ads? If I am understanding this right, there will be a lot of frustrated, confused and angrysellers.

And I, like I guess others too, am not even sure what active content is.

---

@prefontained wrote:

I found all of the updates to lsitings as they pertain to mobile shoppers interesting... eBay is going to choose a small # of characters (I have to go back and look, but I think it was 250) to display from your listing.

Or you can customize the html yourself (manually) for all listings and choose your own text to display up to 800 characters. I think it was the FAQs section where they showed the html code to use.

And they will still keep the link to view the entire description. I think I'm going to have to change every listing to select the text I want shown, and the first line on every listing will be something like "if you're on a mobile app, please click the link to view the full item description."

They're also slowly going to force users of JavaScript and active coding to stop using it (switch to HTML or CSS) - and if seller's don't comply by the deadline they will start removing listings. I don't use active scripts, but I can just imagine all the people who don't read this update are going to come to the boards this summer furious at how all of their listings were removed without warning.

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@nc-daydreamer Check out this thread which gives a pretty clear view of mobile optimization updates:

http://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Mobile-Optimized-Descriptions/m-p/25417010#U25417010

As for active content, I believe @shipscript has a tool you can use to check active content on your listings.

I gave one of your listings a quick view and it does appear that you're using active content.

ETA: Active content will not completely go away until 2017 - my above post noting "this summer" was not accurate.

[blackbird*singing]

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@nc-daydreamer wrote:

What bothers me the most is I have no confidence they will be in sizes I need most - like 8x8*9 and 13*13*2 and 15*20*18.  Instead I figure they will be identical in size and sturdiness now given free by the post office for priority mail - which are all but useless to me. I got a lot of them (the branded boxes) when they were giving them away.  And as far as the tape goes, my local PO still gives rolls of priority tape out for the asking - I still have a few rolls left - so I am guessing the eB tape will be very similar - but for a price. And we seller's are expected to lower prices and pay for all of this too. And I agree that advertising a package is from eB would invite theft - in the same way that pre-paid returns invites theft too.  Amazing.

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@mr_lincoln wrote:

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@unscrupulousintangibility wrote:

The last thing I want is eBay branded Priority boxes.

We even cut the "eBay" off of the online labels.

---

... plain brown (unprinted) boxes would be less expensive to manufacturer ... I know, have been in the packaging industry for over 30 years.  I would be interested to know the spec on the corrugated they plan on using for the boxes ... could be a weaker structure.  If anything, get the tape rolls printed instead.

On another note, is it wise to advertise your box is an eBay package?  Wouldn't that invite more tampering?

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@nc-daydreamer Click on the announcements at the bottom of the page - the latest update has a link to the eBay store so you can see what sizes they are offering. As you have a store I believe you get a $25 coupon to put towards eBay shipping supplies each quarter (starting May 1, i think).

[nc-daydreamer]

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mr_lincoln wrote:

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Does Stamps.com have a feature to automatically upload the tracking info to eBay listings?

Not that I am aware of Mr Lincoln, at least not when I use them thus far.

[nc-daydreamer]

Wow, David, they charge me and don't upload - I was thinking of closing that accout - now I think I'll just call! Thanks for the info!

[takingbackmycloset]

I compared the ebay price of 25 - 6" x 6" x 4" boxes I normally purchase from a ebay seller and ebay prices are higher than the ebay seller I buy from.  I would rather buy from an ebay seller than from ebay!

[nc-daydreamer]

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@prefontained wrote:

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@nc-daydreamer wrote:

Does this mean we have to revert backwards and list by HTML again? This is more time consuming than difficult - at the moment. Just use the HTML tab showing in a revision, copy all and create an HTML template in WORD to paste it to - save - then copy that file and paste into a current listing. But what about coding new ads? If I am understanding this right, there will be a lot of frustrated, confused and angrysellers.

And I, like I guess others too, am not even sure what active content is.

---

@prefontained wrote:

I found all of the updates to lsitings as they pertain to mobile shoppers interesting... eBay is going to choose a small # of characters (I have to go back and look, but I think it was 250) to display from your listing.

Or you can customize the html yourself (manually) for all listings and choose your own text to display up to 800 characters. I think it was the FAQs section where they showed the html code to use.

And they will still keep the link to view the entire description. I think I'm going to have to change every listing to select the text I want shown, and the first line on every listing will be something like "if you're on a mobile app, please click the link to view the full item description."

They're also slowly going to force users of JavaScript and active coding to stop using it (switch to HTML or CSS) - and if seller's don't comply by the deadline they will start removing listings. I don't use active scripts, but I can just imagine all the people who don't read this update are going to come to the boards this summer furious at how all of their listings were removed without warning.

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@nc-daydreamer Check out this thread which gives a pretty clear view of mobile optimization updates:

http://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Mobile-Optimized-Descriptions/m-p/25417010#U25417010

As for active content, I believe @shipscript has a tool you can use to check active content on your listings.

I gave one of your listings a quick view and it does appear that you're using active content.

ETA: Active content will not completely go away until 2017 - my above post noting "this summer" was not accurate.

Thank you!

[shipscript]

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@nc-daydreamer wrote:

And I, like I guess others too, am not even sure what active content is.

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This tool will show you whether or not a listing has Active Content. I'll have a more advanced tool later.

http://www.isdntek.com/ebaytools/ActiveContent_support/ScanActiveContent.htm

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@nc-daydreamer wrote:

If this is what that means - how would that affect Auctivia, Seller Source Book, Ink Frog, - even Maps and Money Converter - and such apps? Do we all have to get rid of our galleries?

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@nc-daydreamer   Yes to all of the above. eBay is banning all of those scrollers, promo galleries, listing plugins and widgets (like maps and money converter), and some picture galleries, menus, and page configuration, if handled by scripts.  And all the fancy templates, which usually require one or move of the above, must be revised next year.

The above tool will strip out the Active content and show you the results.

[nc-daydreamer]

Thank you! I must have missed that. 🙂

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@prefontained wrote:

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@nc-daydreamer wrote:

What bothers me the most is I have no confidence they will be in sizes I need most - like 8x8*9 and 13*13*2 and 15*20*18.  Instead I figure they will be identical in size and sturdiness now given free by the post office for priority mail - which are all but useless to me. I got a lot of them (the branded boxes) when they were giving them away.  And as far as the tape goes, my local PO still gives rolls of priority tape out for the asking - I still have a few rolls left - so I am guessing the eB tape will be very similar - but for a price. And we seller's are expected to lower prices and pay for all of this too. And I agree that advertising a package is from eB would invite theft - in the same way that pre-paid returns invites theft too.  Amazing.

---

@mr_lincoln wrote:

---

@unscrupulousintangibility wrote:

The last thing I want is eBay branded Priority boxes.

We even cut the "eBay" off of the online labels.

---

... plain brown (unprinted) boxes would be less expensive to manufacturer ... I know, have been in the packaging industry for over 30 years.  I would be interested to know the spec on the corrugated they plan on using for the boxes ... could be a weaker structure.  If anything, get the tape rolls printed instead.

On another note, is it wise to advertise your box is an eBay package?  Wouldn't that invite more tampering?

---

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@nc-daydreamer Click on the announcements at the bottom of the page - the latest update has a link to the eBay store so you can see what sizes they are offering. As you have a store I believe you get a $25 coupon to put towards eBay shipping supplies each quarter (starting May 1, i think).

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[nc-daydreamer]

Thank you, Ship!!!