eBay Rep Tells Seller Hidden Descriptions Are a Test

by: angryllama

I have been TORMENTED by this Dmn Fool TEST for a couple of weeks already. (Yes I use Chrome). Just as cited here the ENTIRE DESCRIPTION is hidden behind a RADIO BUTTON and it OPENS in an entirely different TAB so even AFTER one finds it and READS it one cannot Back-Button to the listing but instead needs to CLICK on the ORIGINAL tab.  This CRPA has been Slathered All Over ALL of my own listings and ... it is what I see when I view anyone ELSE's listing, too. Can anyone actually explain how a GANG of BRAIN DEAD employees can be THIS STUPID and still remember to DRESS themselves in the morning and then show up at the RIGHT Office BUILDING, too?  The PHONE APP is sooooo awful that eBay instead of IMPROVING IT have elected to RUIN the Genuine Computer View of their site instead.  Zombies would STARVE if they had to FEED on the BRAINS of eBay Decision Makers.    

by: FeelingFroggy

Not sure what the big to do is about hidden descriptions. Its already a known fact that buyers don't read anyways. Just a less cluttered listing.

by: Chicago48

I wrote the office of the President - Wenig, and the Chief Technology Officer - Steven Fisher about this atrocity.  I have yet to hear back from them.
On another note, I also have been writing Amazon about their mess of a catalog and surprise, surprise, the Assistant to Jeff Bezos called me yesterday and we had a nice discussion about it.  I highly suggest that you write letters to Wenig, invest in the stamps and flood his office with letters....2025 Hamilton Avenue, San Jose CA 95125.

by: eXtinctBay

I use Chrome, and all my item descriptions come up normally. And my listings do not have active content.

Wonder if this is the end result when the ban on active content warning was not heeded??

There is no way that eBay's servers can handle the load if all this code with ''illegal'' content has to be included into each listing. So, if this is the case, they had no choice but to abbreviate descriptions.

by: maxmad

this company is pure crazy,

by: Bob V.

I tend to agree with feelingfroggy.  I find time and time again that my buyers don't read the descriptions.  Making them click a button to see it should have minimal impact on my business.

by: Duke

I've been seeing this test off and on with Firefox on my desktop and Firefox on my tablet.  

by: Lightning

I have recently seen this new format with the link instead of the full description, and I use Firefox.  On my own listings, it is displaying the ''mobile description'' that I load into Auctiva, which is limited to 600 characters, plus a button to read the full description.  I guess they figure if it's good enough for a mobile customer, it should be good enough for a desktop user.  I provide a lot of info in my standard description - photos, shipping terms, disclaimers, etc.  If I put it in there, I must think it's important to a buyer, or as protection for myself.  I don't need ebay unilaterally deciding to make it invisible.  It's only a matter of time before I have a return because of something ebay ''hid'' from the buyer.  

by: LasVagueness

This is a very, very bad feature as outlined in previous posts. It facilitates SNAD returns. Unless eBay frames the 'see item description' button in flashing neon many will skim right over it (I know I would). eBay has gone overboard on attempts to 'streamline' the buying process—not a good idea when you can't physically examine the merchandise.  

by: frustrated

This is the very reason ebay has gone downhill in past years.

IF you bother to read the HTML in the ones you removed active content from you will see  <  ----  and then END DESCRIPTION  sometimes at the end sometimes NOT!  They added this at some point without our knowledge.  

by: frustrated

Agreed, with all the above, BRAIN DEAD.

by: Quailman

Supposedly the eBay reps confirmed this stupid idea was a test on their eBay for Business Facebook page.  If you clear your history cache, it will go away on your computer.  But not on the computers of your customers.  We're all losing sales because of this moronic ''test'', whether you can see it on your computer or not.

by: frustrated

Hey you know what helps even more??

The flipping watch button doesn't work now. (CHROME)

So you have to view it to watch it.

Just sayin.....

by: Lightning

I have the same problem with the "Watch" link.  I thought it was my browser, Firefox, which I just switched to because I couldn't keep Chrome from crashing hourly. So maybe it isn't the browser, if other people have the same problem.  Used to be able to go right down a search list and click, click, click each relevant item.  Now I have to open each one first.

by: frustrated

BTW I did CALL EBAY to find out what the story is with this TRASH. The snippet descriptions were all showing up with a bunch of random words out of the template, not anything in the "first 250 characters"  EX: WE DO NOT TEST FESTO SHIPPING OUTSIDE USA  (HEH????)

SO they out and out LIED and tried to say this is just the ones with http: links

WRONG, every one I checked so far is NOT an http: anywhere in it. No active content, etc. There is absolutely no common factor I could find between any of them.

GOOD NEWS!

Grab your template, hit revise, and delete ALL HTML after the actual description, and OVERWRITE your template that goes underneath.

Snippet will be gone.

Fir how long?? I dunno.

by: frustrated

WE sellers can write all the stupid letters we want, to fill up their dumpsters.

TELL YOUR BUYERS TO COMPLAIN COMPLAIN COMPLAIN. OVER AND OVER, hit the same listing any times if need be

If necessary and they don't have a "tell us what you think" button (I think they WISELY removed that one,) then REPORT ITEM INAPPROPRIATE ITEM DESCRIPTION, then type in the box NO DESCRIPTION HERE WHAT THE ????

THOUSANDS OF BUYERS --- they couldn't care less what the sellers tell them. Have they listened to anything before?? EVER? ONE TIME?  EVER?  How many times have we told them we need advance notice of changes, how many times have we said DON'T TOUCH THE SITE AFTER 10-31.  Huh?? Did they listen then?  

GET YOUR BUYERS to do it.

OR YOU go onto a sellers listing and complain AS A BUYER.

They couldn't care less what we want. At all.