Re changes to auction description width

[3drom]

I agree with JohnWash, Dockerills, your auctions already look fine, but I looked at your HTML and this is why I think you'd be much better off getting somebody to design you the auction using CSS (presuming you are planning on changing them all, personally as I've said, they look fine, and I really doubt it will sway anybody to NOT buy from you, if you leave the auctions as they are) - this is the first line of your auction:

<p align="center">&nbsp;</p><blockquote><font face="Times New Roman"><font face="Times New Roman"><font face="Times New Roman"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#ff0000"><p align="center"><strong><font face="Arial" size="3" color="#333333"></font></strong></p><p align="center"><strong><font face="Arial" size="3" color="#333333"></font></strong></p><table border="4" cellspacing="10" cellpadding="5" width="660" class="form_small" align="center" style="background-color: #fefefe; border: #568a69 4px solid"><tbody><tr><td align="center" valign="middle"><p>&nbsp;<u><font size="5"><font color="#000000"><strong>Pz. Kw. VI Tiger&nbsp;Tank&nbsp;- Vintage 60's/70's Kit</strong><em>.</em></font></font></u></p><p><strong><u><font size="4" color="#000000">AIRFIX TYPE&nbsp;3 BAG,&nbsp;1/72 SCALE MODEL (c. 1963-73).


99% of that HTML is unnecessary - look at the number of times it says <font face="Times New Roman"> at the start, and then it says <font face="Arial" size="3"> thus negating the previous <font> tags.

You could just have

<h1>Pz. Kw. VI Tiger&nbsp;Tank&nbsp;- Vintage 60's/70's Kit</h1>
<h2>AIRFIX TYPE&nbsp;3 BAG,&nbsp;1/72 SCALE MODEL (c. 1963-73).</h2>
<p>Auction description</p>

and then some CSS which you never need to change, to go with it.

I'm sure you can learn the basics of CSS if you've been able to change all that HTML code, as you clearly have done, in the second link in #45.

But really I would leave your auctions exactly as they are, they looked completely fine to me, that's why I originally asked you if you could show me some of your auctions that had problems, because the ones I looked at were all perfectly fine as far as I can see.

edit:
I've just had an even longer look at your vintage toy auctions, and I think they look fantastic - the most important thing is the quality of the photos, and yours are excellent, and the description looks neat and tidy, and is clear and easy to read. So I say leave them as they are, they look great.

[kedo]

Nice one, Ken!

I still don't get what the fuss is about though. Dockerills, I've just had a look at that auction of yours. There are the following important points:

* The price is 12 quid
* The postage is less than a couple of quid
* There's a really good photo
* There's some good chat about it and some terms and condits.

That's what I make a decision on, not whether it's wide narrow or even written on the back of a cornflakes packet.

Learning a bit of html is no bad thing, but tarting up a perfectly good auction is just a waste of time, surely?

No, you probably don't make decisions on the rational basis that you think you do. Even if you did you would be something of a rarity. With every auction I'm trying to line up a number of factors that result in an increased chance of a sale. I'm just worried that what was working will stop working.

I don't resent the change, I can see why it was made. It just causes problems for those of us who have adapted.

[kedo]

I agree with JohnWash, Dockerills, your auctions already look fine, but I looked at your HTML and this is why I think you'd be much better off getting somebody to design you the auction using CSS (presuming you are planning on changing them all, personally as I've said, they look fine, and I really doubt it will sway anybody to NOT buy from you, if you leave the auctionsas they are.

No, I wont be changing the old ones, I just wanted something a little better to go foreword with. I have too much to list to mess around with this for too long. I was planning to push on towards 4000 auctions this week.

[johnwash1]

No, you probably don't make decisions on the rational basis that you think you do. Even if you did you would be something of a rarity.

OK, I'll just have to accept your preference. I must admit there are times when I wander round the supermarket watching people phone home to have long discussions about whether to buy the small tomatoes or the larger ones and I do wonder what planet I've landed on!

Hope you get it sorted to your satisfaction.

[merlin]

Whilst we all want to concentrate on selling acquiring some HTML knowledge to fulfil that task better should not be ignored. What is it Sir Alan looks for "a broad range of skills!" always seek to improve your knowledge wherever you can.

what about the proper saying if it aint broke don`t fix it or if we are selling well , why should we suffer from incompetence of button tweekers

[BLOXBOOKS]

I wonder if there is more to come, some new shock change waiting in the shadows, after the 614 squeeze, a few months later the rounded corners were added and that wiped out the css bg image I used (but I'm no good at css so i'm sure it was my fault) anyhow some games you throw the ball others you bowl the ball, you can not underestimate the value of each.

[PgsJeweler]

I appreciate seeing the help that the eBid community, specifically in this case 3drom, making the attempt to smooth the transition for people in need. I'm sure Gothicina rues the timing of the change as otherwise she'd be hot on the boards helping her clients.

It's been a pain to deal with the changes as I had hard coded (non CSS) my templates, but I only have 30 auctions and the changes I've had to do are relatively painless. At least in all of this I've learned the value of % of window (rather than fixed pixel) and of CSS. Going to try to figure out the CSS thing now, while I'll wait for another sale to go through.

[johnwash1]

... Going to try to figure out the CSS thing now, while I'll wait for another sale to go through.

If sales get slow, that gives you more time for CSS!

I guess if you need advice on it, the Selling and Starting Auctions part of the forums you'd find people willing to help with CSS advice. And there's lots of good tutorial sites on the net. w3schools is quite a good place for mini tutorials that aren't too indigestible on topics like html, css, xml and so on.

For a bit of light relief, visit ZenGarden to see samples of what true masters can do with CSS, quite mind-boggling.

[rainbowseeker]

I guess I don't get what all the fuss is about....so what if some of your auctions are skinny an some are wide using the full space? If you like the old look then leave it as you have it. If you want to use the space they are giving us then do it. It just allows users fexibility. I for 1 am only going to expand my template to 750....I like a little white around my border. Makes it easier to read IMHO.

My question was if there was any way when you are switching from the smaller to the larger to get the preview of your listing to show the whole space instead of the stupid scroll bar (which I can't use since the bar is below the task bar on the bottom of the page and you can't reach it). Right now you just have to trust you caught any typos on your template or go view it after it is posted and then revise your errors there, which is a big waste of time. I thought maybe it would only be the first revision this would happen on...but it keeps on happening even when I am using a new revised template via "populate" ..... it still keeps displaying the preview in the smaller 600 size instead of the new 900. Or is it only me having this problem?

I don't have as many auctions as the rest of you.....and I generally make a new listing using an old one that I either saved or bring up using the populate opition. So that's my issue. I can work around it...but was hoping if I asked it might get fixed. Good Luck to all of you.

[SandysGifts]

JMO but i feel if they would put the description box area before the policy and shipping boxes it would look more in line...i feel it looks a bit awkward due to the fact when you first look at the listing it already has the shipping charges right after the price of the item ...then you go down and there it is again where you expect to see the item description...usually i have most always seen the ...information policy box and shipping box come after the Description of the item...