eBay

cinjamanbooks · ‎11-19-2017

We are looking for something specific for my daughter for Christmas. We have been actively searching through listings, and I am noticing the oddest thing. When I click on a listing under the buy it now or bid price it shows a brief description after you click on the listing, but then disappears. You click, it is there, and then disappears into thin air. The problem is no where in the listing can I find that descprition to read after it disappears. Is this a glitch? It has happened to many, many listings I have been looking at, and seems to be occuring on listings where pre-filled system information from eBay regarding the product is populated into the listing. Is it my browser which is Chrome by the way? Unfortunately, this makes me view the listing negatively and I won't purchase if I cannot read the buyers description of the item since we are focusing on gently used due to the pricing of this item new.

berserkerplanet · ‎11-20-2017

eBay item number: 322893106373

It displays just fine in FireFox 3.6.24, FF31, and FF52.2.1

Canned description, followed by the seller's 7 simple lines of description text, and then the stupid Q&A section. Nothing untoward in the description source (no images, scripts, massive nested font tags, or anything to cause it to not display.

I was asking flyinhawaiiangirl for an item number because she said it was failing in Firefox for her. (she didn't say what FF version)

Can't help with Chrome problems - I don't/won't/can't use it.

No one has described how exactly it is failing so far. Is the canned description there, but the seller's additional description is missing? Is the Q&A thing visible? Is it all missing? Is there a "View Full Description" button visible instead?

I have been seeing the flashing short description appear and disappear also, but it is just below the main BIN/cart/make offer box and just above the shipping info. That is something new, and I think it is a thing displayed for mobile views as a short description (just guessing on that). The regular area below with description and shipping tabs shows fine for me. Does it not for you? If so, what is there?

berserkerplanet · ‎11-20-2017

So odd. I just found something when I do a search. On the top right hand corner when I search there is an option to include description that if you check that box, I can now see the descriptions. Does anyone else have that? I don't recall ever seeing that before.

That option has been there for as long as I can remember. It just includes the description text in what is searched - if not checked, only titles are searched for the search terms you enter. Has nothing to do with showing you descriptions in the listings found - unless eBay has really crossed some wires and introduced a major bug (doubtful since I and others posting here have no issues)

fern*wood · ‎11-20-2017

I just searched using the item number provided and had no description --- just a big white blank area below the catalog info. I'm using chrome.

Then after reading your post about the box to include descriptions, I looked again. That is the normal search box, so I didn't check it, but the second time pulling up the listing did show the description. This is not good at all.

*madison · ‎11-20-2017

@cinjamanbooks wrote:
So odd. I just found something when I do a search. On the top right hand corner when I search there is an option to include description that if you check that box, I can now see the descriptions. Does anyone else have that? I don't recall ever seeing that before.

I've never seen it before, but I can see it now.

cinjamanbooks · ‎11-20-2017

I went back again to that same listing, and again big white box just like you mention even with the include description checked so I don't think one has anything to do with another. When I click, I very briefly see a seller completed item description immediately below the price, but it quickly disappears, then when I scroll down to where the item description normally would be is the pre-filled info you can have eBay insert about the product, then a big white space all the way down, no item description at all, then after a rather long blank white space, you find the reviews then Q&A section.

This seems to be a on and off again issue, out of five times I just tested leaving the site completely, going back in and navigating to the same item number, 3 out of 5 times I am not able to read the item description.

flyinhawaiiangirl · ‎11-20-2017

Isn't ebay fun? Someone should let them know there's huge white blank space that can be taken up with more advertisements redirecting buyers somewhere else

sponge3333 · ‎11-26-2017

Here's an example:

It briefly flashes text about an "upgraded camera" and "other than the lock issue" the tablet "may come loaded with carrier firmware"

This appears where the item description will ultimately display, and is only visible on your first page load. (or after pressing CRTL+F5 with IE/Edge)

I was able to copy the text (not an easy thing to do) but when pasting it here, I received a javascript error upon attempting to post this message.

I've seen this behavior on many phone/tablet listings with items having "new (other)" or "seller refurbished" conditions. Having read about the generally short lifespan of cellular products that repaired overseas with "night market" purchased parts.. I've just avoided these listings completely.

So... I'm guessing that this disappearing javascript text is probably prominently displayed within the version of this listing as viewed by eBay customer service agents when fielding buyer complaints?

But at $299, this "Daily Deal" almost made me look the other way. Glad I didn't. Does eBay know they're actively promoting stuff like this via email/alerts/ads etc? Seems just a bit misleading.

Best of luck for the 1300 eBay users who got in on this deal. Meh.