The HTML code in the templates can look really scary, so I've decided to explain how you can easily insert your own information into a preexisting code and feel like a computer genius while making your listings look amazing!
The first thing you'll need is the code for a template. I sell several in my eBay store -- click right here to see them. These are some of my favorites: (Click to enlarge)
In my templates, you can easily see where to place your text because I put instructions inside the code in CAPITAL LETTERS to make those areas easy to find. Many other template designers do something similar, although some do not.
So, you might see something like this:
Then, what you would do is write how many days it takes you to ship orders, etc. between these tags: > <.
Adding photos can look pretty scary, but actually, it's as easy as doing what you did above -- there's just an extra step. What you'll need to do first is upload your photos to a file sharing site such as Photobucket.
If you are very particular about what size you want your photos to be, you should edit them on a free photo-editing site like PicMonkey. The photos on my template example are 350 pixels by 350 pixels, resulting in a neat and balanced appearance that allows two pictures to fit side by side. If I'm honest, though, in my own listings, sometimes I don't bother and go ahead and use just one photo that is one of Photobucket's default sizes. I like the 640 x 480 size. If you use more than one photo at this size, they will not be side by side, but will line up down the page one after the other.
In the photo above, I have selected a default size. However, as you see, you can choose to have your photos uploaded in their actual size. Choose this option if you want your photos to be exactly 350 x 350, for example.
Here's how you get to this area: Click on "upload" and then click on the little gear in the upper right-hand corner. Then you'll see your choices.
Now you should have your photos uploaded and at the size you want them. Now let's add them to your eBay template. On the right-hand side of the Photobucket page with your photo, click on the second option. This will automatically save the code you need to your clipboard.
Look for the part of your template code that looks like this:
Now right click between the quotation marks and paste the code you got from Photobucket. Tada! If you're doing this in the real-time HTML editor, you'll be able to immediately see if your photos look like you want them to.
There's one more thing to consider before we wrap this up, and that is helping customers to find your auctions. eBay's new search engine, Cassini, is rumored to not like excessive HTML in listings, as it cannot read it and find the keywords it needs to help people find your product. Hopefully they will fix this soon, but in the meantime, I have a tip that can help people find your auctions without your having to forgo a template and have an amateurish listing.
At the beginning of the template, you will see the title tag:
<Title>PUT AUCTION TITLE HERE</TITLE>.
What I do is copy my carefully worded auction title and put it between the tags. That way, the keywords that customers are looking for are right at the beginning of your description where Cassini can read them without becoming bogged down in code.
Now that everything is how you'd like it to be, copy the template from the HTML editor and paste it into your listing description. Make sure the description field is set to "plain text or HTML" and not "standard editor." Then complete your listing.
That's it! Once you become accustomed to the process, you can save time by uploading the photos for several listings at once. Your template will also save you time because once you've entered your shipping, payment and terms, you'll never have to do it again. Simply open Notebook on your computer and save your customized template as a .txt file and use it with subsequent auctions.
