eBay Hides Item Descriptions from Shoppers

by: Quailman

Wow.  This really sucks!  I use Seller Sourcebook for attractive templates and I spend a LOT of time writing thorough descriptions.  When I checked my current listings a few minutes ago, my description is now just a random string of sentences from the full description and the buyer has to click on a button to see more.  Not to mention that all the photos I have hosted in the template are also hidden.  Only the gallery photo shows up.  I've been able to grit my teeth and bear all the other screwings eBay has thrown our way, but this is just too much.  Every day I get closer and closer to calling it quits on eBay.

by: dasw

I remember this being mentioned during one of the ebay updates last year and that it would be happening later. I streamlined all my descriptions because they said they would streamline it for us if we didn't do it. (Something like just a few random sentences picked out from the original description)and that more lengthy descriptions could be seen with a click. It sounded crazy to me but it appears they have gone ahead and done it.

by: frustrated

HERE IS WHERE YOU FIND ALL the listings you need to fix. (good thing they make it easy to find, NOT!)

http://pages.ebay.com/sell/itemdescription/bestpractices.
html Click to see what they think is acitve content.  

I have found a BUNCH that had it even though they said they were clean, BTW

by: frustrated

Better go check your HTML side, SOME of my items I had to strip out this idiotic tag



This could be where you go wrong. If that's there, no matter what comes after you won't see it.   AND NO I do not know where it came from, I certainly didn't put it there??

by: frustrated

Better go check your HTML side, SOME of my items I had to strip out this idiotic tag
 
END DESCRIPTION inside a TAG  
-


This could be where you go wrong. If that's there, no matter what comes after you won't see it.   AND NO I do not know where it came from, I certainly didn't put it there??

by: JWsax

I'm taking my first extended break from ebay in 15 years. I'm moving my business to reverb.com, my own website, fb, craig and word of mouth. Things are going well and I am convinced there is life beyond ebay. I'll return to use it in limited ways and if it all it serves to do is drive traffic towards me via other channels well, so be it...

by: marty

As a buyer, I hate it. Totally annoying. I was searching yesterday for some items. First I thought that some sellers got clever and thought that ebay does not allow links to other pages....LOL

As a seller, I gave up on ebay many years ago. I simply don't care about the company anymore. I still sell more than the fees, so I will continue to participate.  

by: marty

by: eXtinctBay
     
Sat Jun 24 03:03:40 2017
"I wonder if this is strictly happening to listings that have active content still on the description, or at random....."

I have the simplest html, 100% no active content. And it is happening to me too

by: Volvo351

@Froggy:

The item description should be plainly visible. It's called DISCLOSURE. Remember, 'SNAD" stands for 'Significantly Not As DESCRIBED!:

by: blueribbon1844

buyers are lazy is right!  

by: funkygrrl

Strange, I've checked a bunch of other seller's listings and my own and not seeing this issue.

by: marty

"Strange, I've checked a bunch of other seller's listings and my own and not seeing this issue."

That is strange...I checked a couple of pages yesterday and the link was there. This morning they are gone. Perhaps it was a test?

Also I checked the item that I was looking to buy yesterday and the link is also gone.

by: comet

Wow this AND the bizarrs LOSS of Paypal acceptance on our listings?  If they WANT to file bankruptcy I think I heard that there are a few lawyers who Dolt45 can recommend to them.

Yeah all FIVE of my ebay acconts had the Paypal accepted area turned OFF.  I know the other night I saw a few listings with ZERO content info but thought it was my stupid rural internot.  No time to play with this today, if any one finds more info PLEASE POST IT HERE AND LET INA KNOW!!!!  

by: toyman

This is an ongoing situation. As has been stated, eBay is moving towards accommodating the mobile shopper, at the expense of the computer/tablet buyers.

While it is much quicker to load an auction on a mobile device with just the basics, the eventual cost of the many unhappy buyers is hardly worth the slight convenience of a quicker load.

Unless you are selling brand new, mass produced items, it also makes NO SENSE WHATSOEVER! What is the point of listing any known defects or conditions, if the Host Site, not only doesn't make them readily available, but also makes it even VERY HARD TO FIND, when you are LOOKING for it.

We always know when a person is shopping on a mobile device, because the questions are so simple: Do you have more photos?, Does this item work?, Is the box included? Everything that could be answered by saying ''Did you read the description?''

Plus, when you explain to them about the Description Link, they generally message back and say they can't find it.

Is this any way to run a business??

To answer the earlier question, this actually never stopped, from the earlier period. They changed the location of the Link a bit, but there have been consistent questions from Mobile Users ever since.

So, basically, it's just another day at the Office.

by: DingDong

I had no problems seeing the full description until this morning while I am moving inventory to eCrater shops.

I am on a desktop.
Using Internet Explorer: It hids the description and you have to click to see it (and it opens another tab in doing so)

Using Foxfire: It shows all the description.

by: maxmad

We have recently had a lot of strange questions, which the answers are clearly written in the description?

This would explain why we are getting these questions from buyers,

Now just waiting for the issues to start rolling in, another fine example of ebay incompetence, which only hurts the sellers.

by: TraderBoo

Just notice it on my listing. This is nothing short of disaster. I'm getting increasing amount of returns for item not as described when in fact it was described perfectly. These ebay guys just have no clue.    

by: RLS

@Ming

With all due respect their is a tab for the description on mobile site. This seems to be a non issue and frankly what you have outlined is not a good long term business model - too many upset customers.

by: dh121

Would someone please post eBay item number(s) or a seller account that has items where eBay is hiding the Item description on their main site. Thanks

by: Barbbie

Mine basically show the first sentence, usually a restatement of the title and the last sentence usually a shop again soon or see our other items or caution or disclaimer type statement. No measurements or other important info included.