Description shows up in tiny print.

[azrames]

Everything goes fine when I am listing, and the preview is normal.  Then the listing starts, and the Description  is in very small print, when in the preview it was 14 pt. Other numbers and letters I enter on the Listing form are the right size; it is just the Description that is way too small to see on a monitor. I imagine what it must look like -- or not look like -- on  phone.

[wastingtime101]

Are you copy/pasting text? Are you creating new listings or using 'sell similar' from your existing listings? Looking at the HTML code, your font size is set to 10pt.

[mtgraves7984]

I see what you mean as I view your recent Joys of Jell-O recipies listing. For what it's worth, it is (only) just as small when I view it on my phone vs. on my computer.

And I love your last line in the description... "Thank you for looking, and for wading through the fine print." 🤣

I can't say what to do to fix it... I guess maybe try to Revise the description occasionally... so, a re-index. Hmmm... 🤔

[wastingtime101]

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@mtgraves7984 wrote:

I can't say what to do to fix it... I guess maybe try to Revise the description occasionally... so, a re-index. Hmmm... 🤔

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There are several ways to fix, but we first need to know how OP is creating their listings to avoid the problem from happening on new listings.

Fixes can involve copying their descriptions into Notepad and changing the format to "plain text" then pasting that to overwrite their existing description, adding line breaks where needed. That will default their listing's text to eBay's default font/size.

Or they can view more options on the description section and go into the HTML tab to change the HTML. Or they can use eBay's more options to change font size on the menu bar.

Depends on OP's tech knowledge and what they're comfortable with. But first thing is we need to know how/why it's happening. As far as I saw, it's on all of their listings, not just new ones.

[azrames]

I am copying and pasting, the same thing every time since September, 1999. When I paste it, it's fine. When I list it, it all shrinks.

[wastingtime101]

That's what's causing the problem. You're copy/pasting from a source with a 10pt font size. It's never a good idea to copy/paste from other places unless it's something with "plain text" like a Notepad file formatted to plain text.

See my info above for fixing current listings and now you know how to avoid the problem on future listings.

[azrames]

I just revised an item. When I revised the Listing, it showed up normally, with the copy and pasted Description. Click "Revise It," and it shows up shrunken.

[azrames]

It's only the last 10 listings. I have been listing all week. Yesterday it just started out of the blue, with my having changed absolutely nothing in 24 years. Same settings; same font size; same copy and paste. 

[eburtonlab]

I am copying and pasting

If you are using Control-C and Control-V to copy and paste, you can use Control-Shift-V to paste without any formatting.

[wastingtime101]

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@eburtonlab wrote:

I am copying and pasting

If you are using Control-C and Control-V to copy and paste, you can use Control-Shift-V to paste without any formatting.

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I use that every day and always forget about recommending it in this situation. 😂

Go in to revise one of your current listings @azrames , copy the description, delete, then as eburton suggested, use Ctrl+Shift+V to paste the text. Then add line breaks as needed. Then hit the publish button.

You can do that for each of your listings and use the same method when you're pasting descriptions into new listings. It's the fastest/easiest way to avoid bringing in external formatting when copying from another location.

[azrames]

Nothin'. I even typed text directly into the Description box, and when it listed, the type was tiny. No copying, no pasting, nothing different from when I typed in Condition. Condition came out fine. Anything in the Description box was practically unreadable.

[wastingtime101]

When you typed text directly into the description box, it is still going to have the old formatting if you're revising an existing listing because you didn't strip out the HTML.

Create a brand new listing from scratch, type in the description box without copy/paste, and publish the listing. If the problem happens with that new listing, come back here and post the item number.

[azrames]

You're very patient. Typing directly into the box produced correct size print. I do, however, have a lot to say in that box, and don't want to say it over and over. 

I am using Windows Word. What do I do? -- just trash that and start a new Word document? And why would this suddenly happen between listings?

[wastingtime101]

Do not use Word @azrames because it comes with all sorts of hidden HTML that you don't want to pull in to your listings. As I suggested above, use Notepad instead. When you have Notepad open, go to the edit menu and select "make plain text". If it's not under the edit menu, you might see a format menu. It'll be under one of the options in the top menu bar.

I would take a screenshot for you except I'm on a Mac so I have TextEdit and not Notepad which is what comes with PCs.

[azrames]

I am going to go have wine now.