This page is being set aside to receive comments and recommendations for improving the eBay guide:

Auction Template Help - How to select a Template
http://reviews.ebay.com/_W0QQugidZ10000000000105072

The guide is meant to cover some of the concerns that both template sellers and template buyers may encounter. Both may have valuable experiences or tips that would warrant inclusion in this guide, and I welcome such feedback and corrections.

Who makes blog banners and blog customization?

Since people are often interested in getting gussied up, it seemed like it would be nice to have members post in one area if they make banners for Blogs or customize style sheets for Blogs.

Please join us on this thread on the eBay Blog support forum
http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?threadID=1000462572

Remember that we are not allowed to advertise or sell on the chat forums, so word your entry carefully. And remember to post the link to your own eBay Blog, and perhaps the links to other eBay Blogs that you have customized.

OK folks let's pull together and share this load.

I found the list of items that were posted to tjsttng's account, and have reported most of those on  page 4, and will report the remainder on that page. There are another 4 pages with 50 per page:

page 5
page 6
page 7
page 8
and a few on this page
page 9

If  someone will take half a page or a whole page and report those auctions, a whole boatload can be handled in one report.

Go to the bottom of one auction, where you will find the link to report that auction. Choose
Listing Violations
 > Fraudulent listings (illegal seller demands, you didn't receive item, etc)
   > You suspect that a listing is fraudulent you didn't bid

Then you will get to a page where you will see the email envelope. Click that icon
A page will open where you can post 10 auction numbers with commas between them.
Then below that, you can post the remainer of the auction numbers in a list, no need for commas.

So, please sign up for half a page or a whole page.
Thanks

LOL....but maybe if you put a few quick-loading items at the bottom of your post, I just might be interested in what I see there.   In fact, I'm downright surprised by the influence that has, because the post itself can be about something that interests me as a blogger, and not really about selling at all.

This is quite different from seeing unrelated paid advertising.And because the blogger is a real person and we are engaged in a conversation, the auction items at the bottom just seem like an extension of the poster's personality. Bloggers can connect with each other without really "selling" on the blogs. The sales will come naturally as part of the blog conversation and can be woven into the conversation, just like I'm going to weave this one in, LOL..

The Gallery

The Quick*Sell gallery for eBay blogs now has an option so that it can also be used for eBay auctions. The auction version uses javascript to encode the descriptions to prevent keyword spamming. Because of the scripting, the auction version can't be used in eBay blogs - and because of the text descriptions, the Blog version can't be used in eBay auctions.

The tool will default to the blog version, so you would have to actually select the auction option if you want to place the gallery in an auction.

A few eBay items from other sellers picked at random - qsell

NEW PORTRAIT STUDIO LIGHTING LIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY SOFTBOX $249.95 NEW Zildjian Drum Stick Bag Awesome NEW $13.95 ParkZone J 3 Cub RTF R C Electric Airplane J3 83 $0.99 BELLY DANCE CHIFFON 4 PANEL SKIRT VEIL COSTUME SET TRQ $29.99 Gerber Super Knife Utlility Liner lock Box knive pocket $3.75

Since so many members ask for the link, a clickable link to the tool is now included below the gallery (see above). You can turn that off if you want to keep it a secret.

I have, over the years, guessed that people are fairly evenly divided between the visual and the verbal. The visually oriented can't stand to read the instructions and just want a set of diagrams. The verbal need to read and process all the words in the instructions - diagrams may or may not be helpful to them.

I live in the world of the visual and usually can't stomach or read more than one paragraph of text. However, I have been known to write copious explanations, as if I were verbal. I would really like to hear a little more from both the visual and the verbal members about what aspects of training material you find most helpful - with more lengthy posts from the verbal, since that is the area I least understand.

(ok, I realise that two paragraphs has already stretched the attention span of visual folks - gratuitous graphic relief→ )

Is anyone using the Blog Gallery-making tool in auctions?

A few of some anonymous member's eBay items - qsell

Diesel TROULEG 8BI Mens Jeans SS07 33W 32L BNWT $199.99 Levis 1970 684 Bell Bottoms Vintage Clothing 28W34L NWT $69.99 Levis ELIJAH IN IRREGULAR Mens Jacket Size S NWT $69.99 Energie MERKER Brown 28W 32L Mens Jeans NWT YX $79.99

http://www.isdntek.com/tagbot/qsell.htm

A word of warning ... the tool has NOT been encoded for auctions, so the text in the links may constitute keyword spamming.

You can use the code in blogs, and if you use it without the descriptions, it will be ok in auctions.


I am working on a version so that members can use it in auctions, but that may not be ready today. The auction version will have an option near the code to select blogs or auctions, and you'll need to be careful which is chosen. The auction version won't work in blogs, and the blog version is not appropriate for auctions.


The X*sell gallery, however, is already available for auctions and is somewhat similar - except it scrolls.

http://www.isdntek.com/tagbot/xsell.htm

The Q*sell Gallery Creator for blogs has been updated to more easily pick up stores with odd punctuation in their names, and to also pick up markdown prices. Someone also requested a three-wide gallery format, which has been added.


I find that the most pleasing galleries are one row of four to six, or at most, two rows.  In addition to "what I'm selling" posts, the galleries are an easy way to show a little about your selling interests in your normal posts. Many people sell things that they enjoy owning themselves, and I find this to be an interesting addition to that member's comments.

Instructions are included for inserting the galley into your blog post.

Q*sell - The Quick Gallery (little brother to the X*sell scrolling gallery)

I've noticed that some folks like to include a little something about what they are currently selling. I find that it also provides some insight into the interests of the blogger. However, blogs will not accept embedded objects like the vendio or auctiva flash gallery, and won't accept scripts like the X*sell gallery. So here is a tool that makes a very simple little thumbnail gallery of your most recent auctions.

http://www.isdntek.com/tagbot/qsell.htm

The tool will scan and return your most recent 100 listings and make a gallery of the newest 4 items. You can checkmark to add or change your selections, but as a courtesy to other bloggers, the gallery should be kept to a minimum.

Here is a sampling of a few items I found from the most recent posters.

Happy selling.
 

A Sampling of Items from fellow Bloggers

Hand Made Goats Milk Soap Pina Colada Fragrance $3.50 KENNETH COLE PURSE HANDBAG TOTE NWOT $21.99 TV POKER 6 PLAYER EDITION $5.00 National Electrical Code 2005 Natl Fire Prot FREE GIFTS $24.99 Toner cartridge MediaSciences 7300 Black $55.00

Instructions: Make the code at the site, and return to your blog editor. After your editing page has finished loading, checkmark the "View Source" box on the editor toolbar. Paste the code, and then uncheckmark the box to continue editing normally.

The tool is a work-in-progress, and will probably change some over the next few weeks. It is specially coded to work with these blogs, but should work on other pages as well. However, this version should NOT be used in auctions because the captions will violate keyword-spamming policies. A later version will probably address that.

Please let me know if there are any problems or difficulties using the tool.

If you need a more dynamic version for your web, store, auction, or ME pages, please check out free X*sell.
http://www.isdntek.com/tagbot/xsell.htm

I posted this tool the other day as a work in progress. It is still in progress, and has improved some. I wasn't happy with the appearance in firefox, so the code has been changed a little. It has also been expanded to work a little better with fetching store inventory.

Since we can't embed objects like Vendio or Auctiva in our blogs, and can't use scripts like X*sell, this little Quick Gallery tool can be used to make a small static gallery of your existing listings. You can include as many items as you want, but the default of four (or perhaps up to six) is about all we would want to impose on our readership.

Here is a sampling of a few items I found from the most recent posters.

Happy selling.
 
http://www.isdntek.com/tagbot/qsell.htm

A few Items from fellow Bloggers

Gymboree Island Excursion Denim Shorts Boy 3 3T NWT $1.75 FEATURED MATCHBOOK PIER 21 HOUSTON TEXAS FINEST SEAFOOD $2.99 1967 67 Ford Mustang Steering Wheel Original $19.95 X MEN VOL 1 ISSUE 35 AUGUST 1994 F NM COND $5.00 NEW OLD NAVY WOVEN DRAWSTRING HOBO TAN PURSE BAG TOTE $9.99 Barbie B Book learning laptop NIB $14.90

If you experience any difficulties using the tool, please post back here and tell me about it.

Q*sell - The Quick Gallery (little brother to the X*sell scrolling gallery)

I've noticed that some folks like to include a little something about what they are currently selling. I find that it also provides some insight into the interests of the blogger. However, blogs will not accept embedded objects like the vendio or auctiva flash gallery, and won't accept scripts like the X*sell gallery. So here is a tool that makes a very simple little thumbnail gallery of your most recent auctions.

http://www.isdntek.com/tagbot/qsell.htm

The tool will scan and return your most recent 100 listings and make a gallery of the newest 4 items. You can checkmark to add or change your selections, but as a courtesy to other bloggers, the gallery should be kept to a minimum.

I took one page of recent posts and found current sellers to make this sample gallery:

A few eBay auctions by fellow bloggers CLOWNFACE HI 8 x 10 ACRYLIC FRAMED PAINTING Lot 4 Cross Stitch Sampler Kits 2 Counted 2 Stamped Handmade Rice Heating Cool Bag 8 x 8 BOUTIQUE STYLE NAUTICAL THEMED DIAPER CAKE HIDDEN GIFTS Lotus water lillie 6 9 Watercolor floral Original

The tool is a work-in-progress, and will probably change some over the next few weeks. It is specially coded to work with these blogs, but should work on other pages as well. However, this version should NOT be used in auctions because the captions will violate keyword-spamming policies. A later version will probably address that.

Please let me know if there are any problems or difficulties using the tool.

If you need a more dynamic version for your web, store, auction, or ME pages, please check out free X*sell.
http://www.isdntek.com/tagbot/xsell.htm

First of all, you must be an eBay member on the US site, or one of the few sites that have acess to creating a blog (like Canada). Members on the Asian boards frequently ask, but can't seem to start a blog on the US site. Apparently access is not available for those members.

This thread will tell you how to start and will explain some of the features that may be confusing at first.

http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.jspa?threadID=2000287368

Happy blogging and welcome aboard.


 http://blogs.ebay.com/