Help: HTML guidelines

If you have a good grasp of HTML you can add a bit personal flair to your ads on Trading Post®. If you are unsure of how to use HTML please use the default Text Editor instead of the HTML Editor feature.

Using HTML effectively

Effective use of HTML can help you create an ad that is visually appealing and easy to read.

Where do you add HTML?

You can add HTML designs to your ad by using the HTML Editor in the Online Full Description.

Good HTML practices

If you are using HTML:

Avoid excessive formatting (it may be irritating to read and slow to download)
Consider using just two or three colours for your text
Use bold and colour to highlight keywords, rather than slabs of text
Avoid using flashing or scrolling text and images
Be aware that some colours are difficult to read on certain backgrounds
Use borders sparingly
Validate your code.

To avoid issues with incorrect HTML formatting in your ad, make sure you preview your ad before you submit it. The Preview button is located at the bottom of the Create your Ad page (or Create Item in TraderPro™). Then you can easily check that the HTML code is displaying correctly before the ad appears online to buyers.

HTML basics

HTML is the language used to create web pages. HTML pages are made up of a series of HTML tags (words or abbreviations within angle <> brackets) that tell a browser how to display the page and the page elements (including text, images and tables etc).

For example:

 is the tag for a new paragraph
 is the tag for bold
<li> is the tag for a list
 is the tag for underlined text.

Using tags

To work effectively, most tags need both opening and closing tags and all content you want to format using a particular tag should be placed between them.

Example

This how to use the 'bold' tag.

bold text would display as bold

( opens the tag, closes the tag)

Guidelines for HTML

To ensure Trading Post® remains a safe and accessible place to buy and sell online, rules apply to the use of HTML.

Allowed

HTML that is W3C compliant
URL for image source must be fully qualified (e.g. http://www.) and may include http & https
jpg, jpeg and gif image file sources
Limited use of CSS written into the HTML (some CSS tags are not permitted)
Links to external sites are only permitted when pointing to:
- more images or information about the item for sale
- third party content providers (auction templates, Paypal, Channel Advisor etc.)

Not allowed

Certain types of HTML and all scripting (eg JavaScript, XML, PHP, ASP etc)
Applets, forms, executable files or active content
Video, sound and animations
Direct links to downloadable files
Inputs from Microsoft Word or PowerPoint
Links to external CSS, storefronts or websites that offer services or goods for sale
Dynamic scripting languages (eg Flash, XML, CGI and PHP)

Important points about HTML use on Trading Post

The total of your input code (HTML) must be no greater than 50,000 characters.
Links to external websites or images will open in a new window with a warning page.
HTML code considered to be unacceptable will be removed from the ad when it is submitted.
We reserve the right to modify, remove or delete any ads or listings that do not meet our requirements.

Any breaches of these guidelines may result in the removal of ads or suspension of your account. See the HTML Policy for further details.

HTML Resources

Try these resources for more info on how to write HTML. Please note that HTML examples provided by the following websites may not be accepted by the HTML Editor on Trading Post®.

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