Help! Keep getting shortened URL message

[southern*sweet*tea]

I'm trying my darndest to list a vintage Mexican wedding invitation, and I keep getting:

It looks like there's a problem with this listing.

We’ve noticed that your listing included a shortened URL. eBay no longer permits shortened URLs (e.g. bitly or tinyurl) in item descriptions, payment instructions, return instructions, etc, regardless of where they link to. Please remove any shortened URL's from your listing.

To learn what else is no longer permitted in our updated Links policy, including email addresses, links to email clients and non-clickable links, please see: http://pages.ebay.com/sellerinformation/news/links2011.html

I have modified and whittled down my description to literally nothing and am still getting this message. This is bare bones:

Vintage Mexican Wedding Invitation

Wear, soiling, signs of handling.

• No rips, tears or stains
• Address written in pen
• Measures 8 x 6 1/2 inches when opened

I've taken out names, dates, Spanish words, I've taken out every darn thing and it still keeps happening. I've started over twice, same thing.

Any ideas? I've been trying for an hour now and my brain is fried.

[richard1rst]

are you including

target="_blank"

at the end of you URLs. That is now required.

[southern*sweet*tea]

I don't have any URLs.

[richard1rst]

And yet the eBay notice says:

We’ve noticed that your listing included a shortened URL. eBay no longer permits shortened URLs (e.g. bitly or tinyurl) in item descriptions, payment instructions, return instructions, etc, regardless of where they link to. Please remove any shortened URL's from your listing.

It might require a contact with Tech Support at eBay to figure this one out.

[loveyourimagination49]

Did you try with no description?

[pburn]

Try taking the forward slash out of your measurement and using 6.5 instead of 6 1/2.

[eburtonlab]

@southern*sweet*tea 

Try adding a space or two after the period after "handling". Or remove the period completely.

Due to the formatting, it may be reading like "handling.no" to the bots, which is actually a valid URL.

I recall a real estate ad that was flagged for the text: "Location.Location.Location". Or something very similar.

[slippinjimmy]

Another possibility, did you copy/paste anything into the description area that came from another online source. Doing that can bring in all kinds of html or java that you can't see.

[patd3283]

I have had something like this and cured it by:

-Entering one word as the title

-Entered all pictures

-Entered no description

Then listed.

Once it was listed, I went in and revised the title and added the description.

Or it could be one of the fabulous glitches!

[southern*sweet*tea]

---

@eburtonlab wrote:

@southern*sweet*tea 

Or remove the period completely.

---

THANK YOU!!!!!!

That was it!  I was able to add back the Spanish and everything. I now have a description lol

At first I thought it was the y and de la and de los, so I took out the Spanish, that wasn't it.  I took out practically everything else and still couldn't get it to work.

Those darn periods lol

[eburtonlab]

You are most welcome! Glad to hear you were able to list your item.

[pburn]

I kinda love eburtonlab.

[eburtonlab]

All my seeming acts of helpfulness are just a set-up for a truly epic heel-turn.

Mark my words. Sooner or later you will find yourself uttering the following words: "Curse your sudden yet inevitable betrayal!"

[dhbookds]

All my seeming acts of helpfulness are just a set-up for a truly epic heel-turn.

lol, you got a job offer from ebay?

[eburtonlab]

@dhbookds 

lol, you got a job offer from ebay?

"Why buy the cow, when you they can get the milk for free?"