Stronger Browser Security Standards (HTTPS)

[sandyoutlet]

Starting today, you will see changes on eBay item description pages that contain non-compliant HTTP content. Google Chrome has pushed their browser update which includes stronger security standards. As a result, eBay will be adding a "see full item description" button to all listings that contain non-compliant HTTP content.

This new experience will look very similar to the way mobile buyers already see listing descriptions today. It also ensures that we comply with the Google mandate and prevents your buyers from seeing a “Not Secure” warning when they’re shopping on eBay

Please review our landing page for more information and tools to help you identify any of your listings that may contain non-compliant HTTP content. 

EDIT 11/8/17 @ 12:23 PT 

We are aware of an issue where the eBay HTTPS identification tool is showing listings that were revised to be HTTPS compliant after 10/31 as non-compliant. We are actively working on this issue and plan to have a quick fix for any new or revised listings. Any existing listings that have been updated to be HTTPS compliant but are still showing as non-compliant in the tool will continue to show as non-compliant until the listing is either revised or renewed. If you do not revise or relist, the issue will automatically correct after 30 days.

Please note that if your listings are compliant, they will show normally to buyers and have the “secure” message in the URL. You can confirm this experience by looking at the live listing. This issue is confined to our tool that identifies non-compliant listings, which is currently failing to update to show listings as compliant after you have updated your http content to be compliant.

We apologize for this issue and will update you here as soon as the issue is resolved.

[luxe_auto_parts]

It's getting ridiculous. I am always down for any changes that help either buyers or sellers with their sale/purchase experience and safety, but why should I do all the work instead of ebay, which gets paid from my pocket? I have an existing contract with host and domain provider and get some space on their server. I have already paid him a full annual payment for services and he has provided me with the space I was needed to store my stock images. I agree, it's bad not having https-format links, but it is not my fault, guys! I'm not opting out or disobey, I just don't understand why don't you help us, the sellers, get more from using the site...? I can't afford a new contract now, so what should I do...?

[chrysylys]

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@shipscript wrote:

If eBay ran this site like <censored>, you would have a plain text-entry box with no styling options whatsoever. There would be no codes allowed, and thus no reason to "fix" those codes.  And who knows, maybe that is what eBay has in their sights for the years ahead.

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Deleting competitor name and substituting 'I".

I would eliminate almost ALL formatting and go to simple text with static pictures.  Only formatting of text (color, font, etc.) would be permitted.  NO scripting.

An argument has been made for allowing limited video to show how older/antique toys and collectibles work, so that might have to be worked in on a limited basis.

But I would never allow a search engine to dictate how I ran my site.

[wbattles]

I now have over 900+ listings with the "See Full Item Description" with some chopped up nonsensical piece of my full description. Everyone of my items has self-hosted photos with the http instead of https.  But even if I were to change all those items, I discovered there's more non-compliant links.  Since I still use TurboLister everyone of my listings has a http link from Turbolister. I'll have to switch everything over to another listing program. TurboLister is now truly dead for everyone.

[terrycanarsky]

Google just updated their browser security standards yesterday. In the future, when a buyer interacts with a HTTP page, the URL will change from the (i) icon to a "not secure" message. You wouldn't have seen it in the past because Google just made the update. This really is an initiative to protect buyers and sellers. I know that there is some inconvenience involved, so I apologize for that. 

Thank you for the response.

........except I had no troubles yesterday accessing any pages whatsoever (eBay, general browsing, whatever) either on my personal pc, work pc, tablet, phone, etc., all using Chrome.  My browser(s) didn't even have an update, a notice of update, anything.  When I open Chrome on this (work) machine, nothing is mentioned regarding this earth-shaking security update nor is there any prompt to change anything accordingly. 

So again, someone's wires are crossed.

You apologized for the "some inconvenience".  We aren't the largest seller by any means, but I am now faced with "correcting" over 8500 listings, all because the changes initiated through the bulk edit operation yesterday did not work (reported on the tech board).  None of the 1000+ listings I ran through the edit corrected.  Clearly your idea of "some inconvenience" and mine are vastly different.

~M

[stoneledge]

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@terrycanarsky wrote:

Google just updated their browser security standards yesterday. In the future, when a buyer interacts with a HTTP page, the URL will change from the (i) icon to a "not secure" message. You wouldn't have seen it in the past because Google just made the update. This really is an initiative to protect buyers and sellers. I know that there is some inconvenience involved, so I apologize for that. 

Thank you for the response.

........except I had no troubles yesterday accessing any pages whatsoever (eBay, general browsing, whatever) either on my personal pc, work pc, tablet, phone, etc., all using Chrome.  My browser(s) didn't even have an update, a notice of update, anything.  When I open Chrome on this (work) machine, nothing is mentioned regarding this earth-shaking security update nor is there any prompt to change anything accordingly. 

So again, someone's wires are crossed.

You apologized for the "some inconvenience".  We aren't the largest seller by any means, but I am now faced with "correcting" over 8500 listings, all because the changes initiated through the bulk edit operation yesterday did not work (reported on the tech board).  None of the 1000+ listings I ran through the edit corrected.  Clearly your idea of "some inconvenience" and mine are vastly different.

~M

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1,000+ out of 8,500 isn't a strong test design.

I'd pick 10 and keep trying different methods until it works.   

[dhbookds]

Since I still use TurboLister everyone of my listings has a http link from Turbolister. I'll have to switch everything over to another listing program. TurboLister is now truly dead for everyone.

new TL listings don't have the link

[readabouthorses]

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@dhbookds wrote:

Since I still use TurboLister everyone of my listings has a http link from Turbolister. I'll have to switch everything over to another listing program. TurboLister is now truly dead for everyone.

new TL listings don't have the link

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My TL listings have been missing the link for a long time now, maybe a year and I also no longer have a TL token in my preferences.

Are the ones that still have the TL link just being relisted over and over? I would think a newly created listing in TL would no longer have that link.

[vw]

I sell on 2 ID's here on eBay

They both use our own photo hosting without a SSL certificate and they both have the SEE FULL ITEM DESCRIPTION

I was going to buy a SSL from Go Daddy so our pictures can be seen without clicking the extra link.

But after comparing on both desk top & mobile listings with and without a SSL we have decided to REMOVE all http from out listings and NOT get a SSL because of the way items are seen on a mobile device.

Once again eBay has made us change the way we do things, we really have no choice if we want our listings to look the best they can. (photo & font size on mobile)

[happydaysantiques]

Earlier, readabouthorses asked if the "See Full Description" button applied only to completed listings, and I'm curious if that question has been answered.

I'm preparing to relist some items that didn't sell two weeks ago.  When I initially listed them, I made sure they were compliant and eBay told me they were fine.  They listed without the "SFD" button and showed the full description.  But as I now check them on my Unsold list, all of them have the button.

So, to reiterate readabouthorses's question, is it because they are completed listings, or do I have to again try to fix them before I relist?

Thanks so much.

[usa-attachments]

I removed all http replaced with https. Did the same for CSS, about 12 hours ago. Still "View Item Description Button". Anyone have word on how often eBay udpates?

[vw]

That only works if the website you are referencing has a SSL certificate.

Either you have to buy a certificate or remove all of your HTML with http

We chose to remove all of it because of the way it's displayed on mobile.

I still have a mountain of work to do over the next few days. . .

[terrycanarsky]

1,000+ out of 8,500 isn't a strong test design.

I'd pick 10 and keep trying different methods until it works.   

Really?  You don't consider ~12% enough of a test?  I followed both eBay suggestions and past methods.  One would think the failure of the bulk edit to actually enact the changes submitted would be significant enough for someone tech to sit up and wonder what the heck was wrong.

But then I remember we're dealing with eBay and resign myself to simply bringing in help to slog through the nonsense AGAIN and "correct" the listings AGAIN for changes someone in eBay's design team has determined are brilliant and vital.

~M

[usa-attachments]

Thanks, I do have an SSL cert. I wanted to add here, in case any other seller needs it, that one can get a free SSL cert from https://letsencrypt.org/

[vw]

Cloudflare also offers free certificates

My Go Daddy account wants $56 a year for SSL, that's not too expensive but like I said after viewing both on a mobile we have decided to remove all http from our listings.

Pictures in the body of the listing makes the fonts smaller and the buyer has to finger expand them to read them. If your listing has no http you can just enlarge the font size to what ever you like.

[stoneledge]

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@terrycanarsky wrote:

1,000+ out of 8,500 isn't a strong test design.

I'd pick 10 and keep trying different methods until it works.   

Really?  You don't consider ~12% enough of a test? 
No, it's far too many.  Why would you do something 1,000+ times before figuring out if it worked the first 10 times?