Kidson Talks | The E-commerce Chemist

Finally….Channeladvisor is getting busy with the ‘premium stores‘ . A beta test group is active so that means  a release date looming…… Probably missing this Christmas, but with AspDotNet technology it means that the merchant system has an e-commerce website in with the bundle and not just a storefront. It makes ChannelAdvisor more competitive with offerings like Infopia and Vendio.

The AspDotNet stores won’t choke when your sales hit high, and will have the functionality and design possibilities of a real e-commerce platform. Oh, and a one page checkout.

Well, keeping my eye out on the eBay Shop Design front there seems to be a lot of eBay Shops and templates all with the same layout. The re-skinning with CSS effect (close to what I am talking about with the DIY eBay Shop Design with CSS series, but with way better graphics and better organisation) within a very fixed template. Do we assume this is the only way using CSS that the eBay shop can operate?

In no particular order to prevent bias these companies offer the same look of eBay store and template design (varying in graphic design quality)

• JustTemplateIt.com
• Createmystore.co.uk
• Ebayshopdesign.com
• Gdfinternet.co.uk
• Frooition.com
• Apanado.com
• Connoserv.co.uk
• dascs.com (adding these guys as they look like eBay shop CSS junkies, but their layout is slightly different to the rest, on the same vein but a little more basic and £100)

and these are just the guys I have seen. All seem to peg the ‘Advanced eBay Store’ design slogan, but I can’t see anything advanced, or new from when I took a first look at eBay design back in 2004. These guys all use the same CSS templates with nuggets of JavaScript around and graphics plugged in.

All charge under £1000 as far as I can see. So if you are going to invest your hard earned eBay pounds, dollars or euros, make sure that it is the support services and graphic design quality that you are buying into. It seems anyone can throw together the skeleton, but you can’t imitate good design quality and excellence in customer service.

I love the ‘copyright’ notices in the CSS and threat of legal action. You can’t copyright CSS and you have all nicked it from each other whether you have lifted it straight or back engineered from concept. It doesn’t effect the quality of design.

I would love to know how you start litigation without submitting patents under common law, so if a lawyer reads, drop me an email.

I would also be wary of unsubstantiated claims of usability and accessibility unless they can marry their evidence with cutting edge practices and up to date eBay marketing knowledge. Some ebay design firms are just that, design. If they don’t trade or handle eBay trading actively for clients (edited to note: including active eBay consultancy and/or an up to date knowledge of best practise), can you trust their eBay knowledge?

Some features might actually put off customers and not lead them on the buyer journey you want.

Always remember your customer finds the shop through your listings, and rarely the other way round. Focus on the listing template, and think of the eBay Shop Design as just consistent branding.

You can get a cracking eBay template off any web designer proficient with HTML and CSS, when it comes to adding in active content like dynamic drop downs, attribute sorters and picture slide shows, its best to conscript an eBay professional as this area is tricky due to policy compliance. On this point, make sure you are aware that even some professional eBay designs are breaking eBay rules.

The rise has been quick, and I assume before the year is out the standard eBay shop design will be the CSS driven template, someone should open source it before eBay bans the idea.

As I rubbished the promo boxes with the last CSS changes I thought I should get back to them ASAP.

First list on the agenda was to get rid of those crazy ‘corner’ images for the promo boxes:

table#PromoListView table table img {
display: none;
}

but that also kills the promo box images (and the slider) so now I have to put back the bits I want:

table#PromoListView table table#Table3 img {
display: inline;
}

I still don’t have anything defined, and the default text of the box titles is just too pale, so I am going to pink it up:

#PromoListView tr td font
{
color:#FF00FF;
font-size:18px;
}

and I am going to make the item links in these promo boxes hot pink:

table#PromoListView a {
color:#FF00FF;
text-decoration:none;
}

then I shall encase each box with a border:
table#PromoListView {
border:1px #FFCCFF solid;
}

We have not changes the width or dimensions of the promo boxes but you would do this from the table#PromoListView section and using the !important tag. You can also add in backgrounds, images etc that have not been explored here.

Please as always read the disclaimer

The entire section looks like this:

/*Promo Boxes*/
/*hide ebay corner images*/
table#PromoListView table table img {
display: none;
}
/*correct the fact that the above kills the main image too*/
table#PromoListView table table#Table3 img {
display: inline;
}
/*item links*/
table#PromoListView a {
color:#FF00FF;
text-decoration:none;
}
/*box title text*/
#PromoListView tr td font
{
color:#FF00FF;
font-size:18px;
}
/*promo box border*/
table#PromoListView {
border:1px #FFCCFF solid;
}
/* -------- End -------- */

You can see the full css file here: eBay Store Design with CSS and to see the changes to my eBay store as we go along visit : http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Hairfreax

Next I shall sort out the shop search section, once I have found which table it corresponds too. Its seems to be avoiding me!

We looked at changing the gallery background using css but now we want to move on and replace it with an image.

The section is currently:
/* -------- Control Border on Gallery List -------- */
td.gallery
{
border:1px #FF00FF solid;
}
/* -------- End -------- */
/* -------- Control Background on Gallery List -------- */
td.gallery table td
{
background:#FFCCFF;
}
/* -------- End -------- */

Now we are going to replace it with:

td.gallery
{
width:360px;
height:130px;
background:url(http://www.kidsontalks.com/ebaybg.jpg) no-repeat !important;
}
/* making certain backgrounds transparent */
span.ebay table,
.pagecontainer table table table,
.pagecontainer table table tr,
.pagecontainer table td
{
background:transparent;
}

Notice that adding this section of code, the background to the promotion boxes/search box and the categories disappear (we shall deal with the promo boxes and search box in a later post) so to make sure you category background image stays in place replace:

td.category {
height:35px;
width:180px;
border-top:1px solid #FFCCFF;
background: url(http://www.kidsontalks.com/ebaybutton.jpg) no-repeat;
margin:5px;
}

with:

td.category {
height:35px;
width:180px;
border-top:1px solid #FFCCFF;
background: url(http://www.kidsontalks.com/ebaybutton.jpg) no-repeat !important;
margin:5px;
}

the !important tag tell eBay that your CSS change is WAY more important and should be obeyed at all costs.

I also added this nugget to add a nice border around my gallery:

table.ebItemlist
{
width:770px !important;
border-left:1px #FFCCFF solid;
border-right:1px #FFCCFF solid;
border-bottom:1px #FFCCFF solid;
}

Please as always read the disclaimer

Just to complete, the section now looks like:

/* -------- Control Gallery List -------- */
td.gallery
{
width:360px;
height:130px;
background:url(http://www.kidsontalks.com/ebaybg.jpg) no-repeat !important;
}
/* making certain backgrounds transparent */
span.ebay table,
.pagecontainer table table table,
.pagecontainer table table tr,
.pagecontainer table td
{
background:transparent;
}
/*Nice border around gallery*/
table.ebItemlist
{
width:770px !important;
border-left:1px #FFCCFF solid;
border-right:1px #FFCCFF solid;
border-bottom:1px #FFCCFF solid;
}
/* -------- End -------- */

You can see the full css file here: eBay Store Design with CSS and to see the changes to my eBay store as we go along visit : http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Hairfreax

all over eBays ‘User generated content‘ woes.

Key content from this post:

What’s Changing on eBay: In the short-term, we’re moving listing descriptions to a different domain. Descriptions will be displayed by using an iFrame within the View Item page. Our intent is to ensure that user-generated content won’t have access to eBay site content. We’re currently piloting this in US Motors, and we’ll be releasing this change in the US and internationally later this summer.

iFrame? IFRAME!!!!? Classic iFrame injections spring to mind.

and….

The idea is to create a small program to allow developers to offer great functionality for users, using Flash, JavaScript, and other rich Internet technologies. The difference is that you won’t directly include code in listing descriptions. Instead, listing descriptions would include a set of tags that load rich content using vetted widgets and initialize them with parameters that you specify.

I kind of like tags, I feel this will open up the world of eBay design a little, and cut the rubbish when it comes to eBay compliance, which in all fairness is hit and miss. This will undoubtedly mean intense development time for eBay designers, but I am waiting for the open source eBay widget library. Go on eBay you know you want too!

I thought that my first API integration would be with eBay or Channeladvisor API, maybe a little ambitious on reflection, but working with Google Maps API is nice for a Javascript beginner.

A pain for a lot of third party tools like ChannelAdvisor, Marketworks advisor what not and Kyozou.  Auctionbytes has brought this to our attention.

eBay announced it would phase out third-party checkout by this time next year. Third-party vendors help sellers list on eBay, and some offer sellers use of checkout systems to up-sell and cross-sell items to buyers.

I think there is nothing with wrong with eBay checkout, it has improved greatly but it will mean that ‘complete’ e-commerce systems like the ones mentioned above, will be reduced to eBay listing tools, with a web shop. Personally, it will stop the problems with third party checkouts, as you can still pay OUTSIDE the third party checkout and have your payment lost. I hate having to checkout with third parties even though I would hate to list without them!

One of eBays better decisions, and the third party tools with surely rise to the occasion.

Its true….new players on the UK scene are http://createmystore.co.uk/ and their designs are looking good.

Even though their is a credit crunch in the UK it should not stop sensible investment in your eBay business. eBay design can provide various functions, from just aesthetics to brand new functionality which can be added.

On the net your design, usability and customer interactions are key. Now we are holding onto our purses this is the time to invest. A tight ecomony breeds tight spenders, are you a cut above the rest?

Well, after straying away from eBay as my main business as using it a to basically pimp a brand and e-commerce site, I have come full circle to building up an eBay presence again. It might be to do with the fees for core listings. They are lower, and you loose less to eBay:

You can see the full download here detailing fees to £200. I have taken out the paypal withdrawl fee on this sheet as I am going to assume that no one withdraws under £50. This sheet does not include media and technology categories.

ebay-fee-calculations-23062008
The price points are the same but I now pay less for core listings, which is were we get all the traffic from.

As my day job keeps me up to date in the world of software development and e-learning. I freelance as an eBay managed service consultant to keep up with the industry. With running my own e-commerce/eBay business time is tight but I now have space for another project to start August time.

So kicking it with adwords I am advertising Keirotech. Let me run your eBay business or website while you get down to the nitty gritty of running your business. I live and breathe this world, and have for the last 8 years, so if you need a hand then drop me an email.

I am familiar with eBay automation services, and can set your account running and on its way. Ideally looking for short term projects, but will consider more long standing arrangements.

I also do learning and development (HR) related projects, but that’s not something you see as on-line freelance very often! I don’t think I will try to be a freelance on-line organic chemist….

Reason I am pimping myself out a little, it that I am getting married this year, moving house and continuing my professional development with the Open University. It all takes money, and as I don’t pimp out my blog and endorse things I don’t believe in for cash….

Honest work will have to do the trick.

I hope to get back to blogging on the industry soon, but with my mind full of code it is squeezing out everything else.

One thing I will be blogging on soon is Skills for Life, Literacy and Numeracy in e-business and why it is important to develop the workforce to fill the skills gap. I am currently managing a project around skills for life initial assessment, in which an in house initial assessment has been devised with consultancy in the target business/sector. This also includes the design of supporting technologies with the aid of a recent graduate (I don’t do desktop development yet) to facilitate the skills for life strategy.

Technology to facilitate excellent people processes. Wonderful.