Video in eBay listings (via eBay API)

[pedzsan]

There is an API for uploading videos to eBay and including them in your listings.  It is in the developer's section but it applies to general eBay listings.

I'm confused why there is an API and a way to have videos but it isn't in eBay's listing / sellers user interface.  Am I missing something?  Is it there, perhaps hidden, that I've not discovered.

I have the technical ability to work with the API but I wanted to be sure that such an effort is needed.  It just seems like either eBay would provide a public way to use the API or at least there would be a third party app that uses the API.  Before I go digging into the technical areas, I wanted to see what the general sellers have to say about these questions.

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques · Accepted solution]

When ebay first began ebay hosted videos, select sellers could use APIs , I believe through third party listing tools. This should no longer be necessary, as ebay is currently rolling out ebay-hosted videos, which (if your video is approved) will show up in the photo gallery section of your listing. This is still being rolled out...not every seller has this yet. Also, the video loading tool is currently only available if you are using the "new" ebay listing tool on a PC (not available for listing on a phone). There are a number of rules that must be followed regarding video size and content. 

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/listing-policies/images-text-policy?id=4240

Do you have this ability? You can check by going to Seller Hub>Listings Tab>Create Listing. Make sure you are using the newest listing form, not the Classic Listing form. After you've filled in the first page with basic title information , click to the next page. Directly under "Complete your listing" you will either see "Photos" or "Photos and Video".  If you see the second one, this has rolled out to you, and you can upload your video. Once your video is uploaded, it will say "Under Review" beneath the thumbnail of the video. ebay has stated it can take up to 48 hours to approve a video, and , at peak periods, up to 7 days. Complete the listing form. Upload your listing to ebay. The listing will go live without the video, and once approved, the video will be added to your Gallery (in the second slot). 

If this hasn't rolled out to you just yet, you can use the old fashioned way, and put a clickable thumbnail link into the listing's description area. However, I would caution that ebay has not yet stated whether that will continue to be permitted once the new gallery video has been rolled out to everyone...

If you don't have the new gallery video available to you, the way I do it is: shoot your video, upload it to a site such as YouTube, and then create a clickable thumbnail link using this tool at Flippertools: 

https://www.flippertools.com/ebayYoutube/embed-youtube-videos-in-ebay-listings.htm

[pedzsan]

I just used the new UI to list a couple of items.  I haven't tried the videos yet but I will soon.

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

Let us know how it works for you!

[mitchsstuff]

Will ebay approve the video while it sits in the template in seller hub? Or, does the 48 hours approval time only start after the auction is listed?

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

@mitchsstuff  Good question. I don't use the template, so I don't know. I can tell you I just revised a listing by adding a video the other day, and it took less than 24 hours for the review. I THINK the review begins as soon as you've uploaded the video, do I'd guess if you upload it to the template, the review will start and I would guess you could wait till its approved to go live with the listing. I'd say just experiment with it and let us know what you find out!

[mitchsstuff]

OK, it appears this method works. First, you must use the new listing tool (I think). In seller hub, I created a template/draft, uploaded images and a video. The message was 'pending approval' for the video and it wouldn't play. I checked the draft this morning and the video shows and plays and it was a little less than 48 hours. Since it's playing, I'm assuming it has been approved. So, it appears the approval process works this way without listing. You must do it in seller hub, using the new listing tool. Suggestion: If you receive an offer to use the new listing tool, use it! Create a draft with the new tool, then duplicate it as many times as allowed. This way you have the format if the offer doesn't show the next time in seller hub.

You must upload at least one image before the video or you will get an error message that the video format is not supported. Upload all your images, then upload the video (mp4 works). The video will default to the second image in the gallery and you can't move it. You can move the other images to different positions but not the video. It appears if you make your drafts in seller hub a few days before listing, it will be approved since you're signed into ebay when using seller hub. That's been my recent experience; it worked but will it work all the time? We'll see.

Thanks for your response and certainly feel free to start a new thread with this info.