topic Active content checking tool in Selling

Active content checking tool

pennyforum14 — Wed, 01 Mar 2017 00:55:10 GMT

I have a few questions on this subject.

I saw a thread a while back with a link to a tool that checks all your listings at once for active content and tells you which ones need attention, but I can't find it now. Anyone willing to share the link here please?

Also, how important is it for listings to be mobile friendly? The one by one tool eBay is linking to in their latest reminder seems to be telling me that all my listings (at least the couple of dozen I checked before I tired of the one at a time aproach, lol) are mobile UNFRIENDLY. Do I need to fix this and any tips on how to?

Re: Active content checking tool

kopenhagen5 — Wed, 01 Mar 2017 01:53:47 GMT

Don't know if this is the one -

http://www.isdntek.com/ebaytools/ActiveContentScanner.htm

Or some info at the bottom of this -

https://codisto.com/ebay-active-content-ban-2017.html

Re: Active content checking tool

digital*ghost — Wed, 01 Mar 2017 02:56:50 GMT

@pennyforum14 wrote:

Also, how important is it for listings to be mobile friendly? The one by one tool eBay is linking to in their latest reminder seems to be telling me that all my listings (at least the couple of dozen I checked before I tired of the one at a time aproach, lol) are mobile UNFRIENDLY. Do I need to fix this and any tips on how to?

The updates are about how the full listing description displays on mobiles, so I guess it depends on how often people look at them instead of the truncated eBay version.

I'm slowly going through all of my listings and updating my template (I have some javascript in the old one - because I'm updating them all anyway, I've added in the codes to make rendering / display of descriptions more mobile friendly, which is just a matter of adding the codes to my new HTML template. My templates were all identical though, so I only needed to check one listing to find out what eBay didn't like, and I think I just grabbed the recommended codes from the i-ways tool after checking the listing.

You may be able to add the codes in bulk via selling manager if your descriptions are already ok for active content, or individually just by copy / pasting the code when in the HTML editor.

The one X I get is from using fixed width elements, which means on mobiles my listing description has to be scrolled sideways a little to see all info, but to change that would mean either ditching my template all together (not quite ready for that), or paying to have someone design a new one that ticks all the boxes (not quite rich enough for that ).

Re: Active content checking tool

jfmgray — Wed, 01 Mar 2017 03:43:47 GMT

@digital*ghost wrote:
The one X I get is from using fixed width elements, which means on mobiles my listing description has to be scrolled sideways a little to see all info, but to change that would mean either ditching my template all together (not quite ready for that), or paying to have someone design a new one that ticks all the boxes (not quite rich enough for that ).

I am at the exact same place ( fail due to fixed width element), however when I check my item description on a mobile phone, there is no need to scroll sideways at all.

Re: Active content checking tool

pennyforum14 — Wed, 01 Mar 2017 06:23:55 GMT

Thanks Kopes, I'll check those out.

Re: Active content checking tool

pennyforum14 — Wed, 01 Mar 2017 06:25:31 GMT

So the best thing to do would be to check the listings myself on a phone and see if they fit the screen?

Is this just an aesthetics thing, or will eBay pull the listings if they are not mobile friendly?

Re: Active content checking tool

digital*ghost — Wed, 01 Mar 2017 08:25:53 GMT

@pennyforum14 wrote:
So the best thing to do would be to check the listings myself on a phone and see if they fit the screen?

Is this just an aesthetics thing, or will eBay pull the listings if they are not mobile friendly?

Active content is the only thing that will be blocked and may eventually result in a listing being ended. The mobile friendly stuff is more about readability, and ensuring the listing description looks good / behaves the same way, no matter what device or screen size the buyer is using.

Re: Active content checking tool

pennyforum14 — Wed, 01 Mar 2017 21:35:11 GMT

Thanks DG, that helps a lot.

Re: Active content checking tool

gec2002 — Wed, 01 Mar 2017 22:42:05 GMT

@jfmgray wrote:
I am at the exact same place ( fail due to fixed width element), however when I check my item description on a mobile phone, there is no need to scroll sideways at all.

That is because your CD images are under 320px, however your images for "Description", "About Us" "Map Australia" etc are just over 320px. The amount over is small so you don't readily notice the need for scrolling

Re: Active content checking tool

baby*toddler*child — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 11:38:45 GMT

Hi I have just been told by eBay that all my listings will be removed, basically I will have an empty store if I don't change my listings however the lady that designed my store is no longer in business and I have no idea what to do. The only thing I know how to do I'd add photos. I am very upset and annoyed at this.

Re: Active content checking tool

kopenhagen5 — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 11:58:42 GMT

It's because of your moving pictures logo in the top of your descriptions.

If you can work out what part of the HTML code is that part and remove it or replace it with a static logo then apply it to all listings you will be ok.

For example if you go to revise a listing and select HTML at the description you then copy n paste it into a graphics HTML code converter tool you can then change the moving logo to a static one or remove it.

Then re-apply the new HTML code to the listing.

And you should be able to bulk edit the description to apply the new code.

It's not too difficult if you are good with computers but a little complex if not and perhaps getting a web graphics person onto it may be a good idea. It doesn't matter if it is not the original designer, this change is very quick and easy for a pro.

Re: Active content checking tool

lyndal1838 — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 11:59:42 GMT

What reason have they given for removing all your listings?

You don't have any active content that I have seen.

Re: Active content checking tool

gec2002 — Sat, 04 Mar 2017 01:18:32 GMT

kopenhagen5 is correct about the moving picture logo. It is actually what is called a Shockwave Flash Oblect along with some javascript which are active content. Without seeing your html it a bit hard to say what to remove but you will probably have something like

<Object "width"=123 "height"=456 blah blah blah blah>
<param names> be a whole pile of these
<embed name>

</Object>

Delete everything from <Object> ... </Object> including the <Object> tags and replace with an image eg

Note: the above removes your animation and replaces it with a still picture. To replace with something like an animated photo gallery without active content can be done with CSS3 and HTML5 but is way past a short explanation here.

As for removing all your ads my understanding was that at least initially active content would just be disabled, so buyers would just see a blank where your animation is located. However the problem arises when you try to relist or upload a new item, eBay will probably block it uploading until the active content is removed.

PS Your Sellathon at the bottom is also active content.