Recently I discovered a problem using my own HTML coded template for my eBay listings. When I placed my own HTML template codes into my eBay listings, and then went to the view the actual eBay listings, the visual appearance was way off, my eBay listing text was loaded with things like extra paragraph lines and unusual indenting.
People can choose to use an eBay template for their listings or people can use their own HTML template. In the past, using my own HTML coded template was a simple matter, I just copy and pasted the HTML code into the HTML option text box of an eBay listing, and boom, it was there and right. Now, something has changed and adding HTML code can produce extra paragraph lines, and odd things like erratically indented lines.
Here is my solution to the HTML verses eBay problem.
What happened with eBay and HTML? I don’t actually know what happened, but here how I arrived at my solution.
After a week of trying various solutions, including totally rebuilding my template page, I noticed, as I was cleaning out some old code, that when I pushed all the code together in certain areas, then that particular area of code would work correctly when previewed on eBay. So I tried something, I pushed all of the code to the left, and wow, it suddenly worked, it showed up correctly in an eBay preview.
What I do now to make my HTML code work with eBay.
Here is what I am now doing to fix the problem with my HTML code for my eBay listings. I use Dreamweaver, so and I changed the Dreamweaver preferences to align all of the HTML code to the left; however, even with that set, I was still getting some code that was indenting. So I have incorporated a new step when creating my eBay HTML coded listings. After my listing is completed, spell checked, and viewed for changes or corrections.
I re-align all of the code to the left. Here is how, but be very careful, you could lose your whole page of work if you are not very careful.
- I copy and cut all of the HTML code (command A / command X), and then refresh the page, which is now empty.
- Then I paste the code into the “design view” area, which I also have set to align left. Note that the design view is showing HTML code only, I am using the design view to force the code to align left, because the HTML doesn’t seem to get it done.
- I immediately copy and cut the code again, this time from design view and re-paste it back into the HTML code view, refresh again.
- Then save the page.
Now when I go to eBay and place my HTML code for my eBay listing it works perfect. I just have to remember that if I make any last minute changes to the template listing, that I need to check the code to be sure that the new code changes are aligned left.
HTML Code: Indented & Aligned Left.
Indented Code
Aligned Left Code
After the hours I spend figuring this out, I hope that I have saved others that frustration. Amazing that such a simple thing could cause so much HTML problem. I don’t know if this is the only answer or even the correct answer, it’s just the only solution that I have discovered, and I did a lot of research, but I could not find any help. Best of luck and success with your eBay sales.
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