posted on March 1, 2001 07:24:07 AM new
When I woke up this morning, I immediately remembered the knockout punch that AW delivered yesterday....but I tried to tell myself it was just a bad dream. But then I turned on the computer, and it was still there.
Okay, I'm over the hill and I admit it. Bought a computer a couple of years ago for the purpose of selling on the 'net. Learned just what I needed to know to list auctions.
AW was my best friend.
Now I'm bookmarking and reading sites for all kinds of things that I don't want to know, but apparently will have to learn.
I'm reminded of what JFK said when someone asked him how he became a war hero. He replied to the effect that "It was easy; they sank my boat".
At the moment, I feel my boat has been sunk! (Swim, flounder or drown!)
posted on March 1, 2001 07:32:10 AM new
Gc2 ....... HTML is actually very very easy to learn. If you read up a bit, then practice on some of the boards - eBay has an HTML board, you'll be a pro in no time.
I have to admit, up until last night I had never used FTP, and with a few short reads I was transferring images to a friends server.
Once you get your auction pages looking the way you want, simply cut & paste the info & save it. You can save it in something as simple as an email folder & use it over & over again and simply add a new title, description, and shipping amount.
Here are some good html resources you might to look at, along with the ebay html board. I learned all the html I needed to know in just two hours. I'm no expert, but our auctions don't look that bad! (Have a peek at them, if you want.)
http://www.pongo.com/
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/willyc3rd
http://gotomy.com/color.html
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/wcdc/#table
http://www.mikodocs.com/tags/
There are more on my list, but this should do you to start.
Also, if you sign up (free) with CollectorOnline, you can see how your finished auctions look, then copy and paste to your bulk lister. If you also use their free image-hosting service, you can launch to ebay directly, with no copy and paste. (We don't use it, as we use our ISP for image hosting.)The url is:
http://www.collectoronline.com/manage/
reddeer's advice was right on the money, as always!
Also, be sure to check the AW thread "pic hosting advice" which is quite recent.
posted on March 1, 2001 07:55:15 AM new
HTML tutorial with color chart and instructions on how to use WS_FTP and/or Transloader (if you're on WebTV)
http://www.evisione.com/html/index.shtml
[ edited by rosiebud on Mar 1, 2001 08:15 AM ]
Can any of you experts tell me why the counter and PayPal logo got on top of my "Ballerina in Firebird Costume" auction?
I put the counters and logos on at the same time in bulk for the three non-computer items we currently have listed. What happened, and can I fix it? Looks awful!
posted on March 1, 2001 08:44:14 AM new
josie2306~ well, my guess is that you didn't close your table. It's not even showing up in Netscape.. and it wants to appear *under* the counter and whatnot. As to why it's doing it in MSIE, you must have multiple errors in the coding someplace for it to transpose those tables. Since you don't have any bids, I would go through it piece by piece and find out where you don't have a < / table > for every < table > code. Also make sure that you have your tables set up correctly:
< table >
< tr > < td >
info
< /td >< /tr >< /table >
For every open tr, td or table, you MUST have a closed one.. otherwise things get wacky.
posted on March 1, 2001 08:58:06 AM new
rosiebud: Thank you and a great big hug! That was it! I accidently deleted the code closing the table when I went in to delete some old junk (this was a relist). You're a genius!
Thanks to your advice, it looks fixed now on my browser (Explorer). Hope it's fixed for Netscape as well.
Many thanks to you again!
Edited to add: I didn't think to look for unclosed tags because the auction looked just fine on my browser except for the logo and counter being on top.
[ edited by josie2306 on Mar 1, 2001 09:01 AM ]
posted on March 1, 2001 09:13:47 AM new
Good morning gc2. Don't worry. Learning to do your own templates and using FTP to upload your pics is really quite easy. I've always thought the auction management programs could cause problems due to the fact that some folks never learned HTML and relied too heavily on these automated programs for their income. IMO, it's always a good idea to learn the basics and then move on from there.
I highly recommend Pongo's site as a good starting place because she takes you through each step of the auction process. I would have been lost without Pongo when I first started selling on eBay.
I remember that Pongo used to recommend using Cute FTP for your FTP program but I would like to suggest the free version of WS_FTP instead which is WS_FTP LE 5.08 and located on this page: http://www.ipswitch.com/cgi/download_eval.pl?product=main I have been using it for years and think it's a great product. Cute FTP has been classified as spyware so I really would avoid it.
posted on March 1, 2001 09:24:42 AM new I would like to suggest the free version of WS_FTP
I hate to draw this distinction, but if you're using any of these programs to upload so you can make any sort of $, you are considered a business and they are not free programs.
Hi Blanche, like always you're correct. CUTEFTP is indeed a spyware type of software. From what I can gather, once you register, they no longer track your moves?
BTW - If I delete it, and download the FTP you suggested, does the interface look & work pretty much the same? Also, if I delete CUTEFTP, will I lose the tracking bug, or should I run it though Optout just to make sure?
Last night was my first time using FTP, and it worked, and I'm afraid I might get screwed up with a different FTP program.
posted on March 1, 2001 09:30:10 AM new
reddeer ~ hold one, let me download a new copy of it and start the install to find out the current info. The older version that I have (about 2 years old) has a thing that you have to fill out before you can install it. It states that it's only free if you're a student, home user, educator, government, etc.... otherwise it has a 30 day timeout. Be back in 2
posted on March 1, 2001 09:33:05 AM new
Didn't have to download it.. follow that link and fill in the stuff needed and you'll be taken to another page:
*WS_FTP LE is available at no charge to qualified non-business users ONLY - others must download WS_FTP Professional.
Qualified being linked directly to the license agreement. Sorry, if you're selling ~ you're a business.
edited to add the first paragraph of the license agreement:
Ipswitch grants you a non-exclusive license to use the Software free of charge if a) you are a student, faculty member or staff member of an educational institution (K-12, junior college, college or university) ; b)you are a United States federal, state or local government employee; or c) your use of the Software is exclusively at home for non-commercial purposes. Government contractors are not considered government employees for the purposes of this Agreement. If you do not meet the requirements for free use of the Software, you may use the Software for up to fifteen days for the purpose of evaluating whether to purchase a license to the commercial version of WS_FTP.
posted on March 1, 2001 10:22:15 AM new
Hi reddeer. Thanks for the "peach" comment in the other thread. I really do appreciate it.
I suggest using the free AdAware program instead of OptOut since it'll find more spyware on your system. http://www.lavasoft.de/aaw/adaware.html OptOut just locates Radiate/Aureate. Steve himself recommends AdAware since he stopped working on OptOut in favor of another program that I'm anxiously looking forward to using. (netfilter)
I would download the free version of WS_FTP first to see if you like it and then you can always switch to the paid version. Here is a page from Ipswitch that gives step by step instruction for eBay users:
http://www.ipswitch.com/_eBay/index.html
I like this program BETTER than Cute and it's free of spyware. If you need any help with your configuration, let me know.
Blanche
[ edited by bhearsch on Mar 1, 2001 10:23 AM ]
posted on March 1, 2001 10:30:32 AM new
Why bother learning all that HTML--you can get a free copy of Front Page Express at MS Windows Updates--I have the full version as well but for this purpose, you only need Express. While I do know HTML, this software keeps me from having to do all that extra typing. Fully functional, nice do-it-yourself templates and easy to use. You put your pictures where you want them!
posted on March 1, 2001 10:33:38 AM new
The easiest way to learn HTML is to find an auction page you like, have IE show you the code and then just experiment until you have something workable. You certainly do not need a program to do it. Once I had a format I liked I just paste it into each description and add the text.
Then to continue the learning experience and see how the HTML is
used to produce an attractive ad, find an ad that you like...click
on view...then source...scroll down past the ebay stuff and you will
be able to see the HTML used for that particular ad.
You can copy the ad and save it to use in every auction.
WS FTP is the best file transfer program in my opinion.
posted on March 1, 2001 03:40:35 PM new
Learning HTML? The HTML Reference Library is probably the best reference tool you can find. It won't teach you HTML, but if you have a question about any tag, you can find the answers there. This program is a must have for beginning (and advanced) HTML authors. Best of all, it's free.
WS-FTP LE has always had an unlimited "evaluation periond." There are lots more free FTP programs at NONAGS.
