HTML Codes You Can t Use in Your eBay Listings | eBay Auction Templates Starter Kit

HTML Codes You Can't Use in Your eBay Listings

All of the HTML codes we've discussed so far are codes that fit within the body area of an HTML page. In proper HTML coding, this area is enclosed within the <body> and </body> tags. But the body isn't the only area of the page; there is also a head area, enclosed within <head> and </head> tags.

I haven't mentioned anything about the <body> tag yet, because you don't have to include it in your HTML code. In fact, you can't include it in your HTML code. That's because eBay provides its own HTML code for the rest of the item listing page (including the head), and automatically inserts the code you provide into its pre-existing <body> section. If you were to include a <body> tag in your HTML code, that would create a page with two <body> tagswhich could result in all manner of HTML confusion, and probably not display correctly on all web browsers.

To that end, you should only use those HTML codes that normally reside between the <body> and </body> tags. Any codes that need to be inserted into the <head> area are not allowed. For example, all <meta> and <style> tags, all embedded style sheets, and most JavaScript code work within the head section of the page, and thus can't be used in an eBay listing.

Prohibited HTML Code

So what codes can't you use in your auction templates? Here's a short list:

<base> <basefont> <body> <head> <html> <link> <meta> <style> <title>

Note that these are all valid HTML tags used when creating full web pagesbut not when creating eBay listings.

The thing to remember is that you can only insert that HTML code that exists between the <body> and </body> tagswithout including the <body> and </body> tags themselves. So if you're copying code from an HTML editor (which we'll discuss later in this chapter), copy only that code between these two <body> tags.

Prohibited JavaScript Code

In addition to straight HTML, eBay also doesn't allow use of many JavaScript functions. While eBay's HTML editor won't stop you from inserting the JavaScript code (and, in fact, the code might actually work within your eBay listing), if eBay catches you at itand they willyou're likely to get your auction cancelled and your account suspended.

Note

JavaScript is a special scripting language used to create various types of web page effects.

The particular types of scripts that eBay prohibits include the code used to do the following:

Redirect the user to a page outside of the eBay site
Drop or read a cookie on any eBay page
Calls remote scripts and pages
Changes registry entries on the user's computer
Writes data to the user's hard drive
Launches pop-up windows
Automatically posts to scripts in eBay
Loads any binary program on the user's computer (with the notable exception of Flash content)
Overwrites any area on the eBay listing page outside of the item description area

Caution

This last prohibition also affects use of a second <body> tag or CSS <style> tags in an attempt to override the item page's default background color and fonts.

Why doesn't eBay like this type of JavaScript code? It's simple; these particular scripts can be used for malicious purposes. eBay wants to keep users on the eBay site, and not subject them to unwanted pop-ups and spyware. So don't do it!