What is active content ?

Active content includes the use of Javascript, Flash, dynamic widgets & plugins, and form actions. In simple terms, any element in your code that runs scripts & performs actions on the page is classified as active content. Here are some examples of the use of active content:


  • Flash animations on your listing
  • Dynamic multiple item images in the description
  • Top navigation drop-down category menus
  • Item specific feedback widgets
  • Buy It Now, Watch Item buttons in the listing description template
  • Items cross-promotion widgets
  • Shipping calculators based on postcode entries
  • Custom store search bars
  • Dynamic display of store categories in the listing description

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What ebay is active content

Some real examples for active content



ebay is active content

Why are eBay banning active content?

There are two primary reasons why eBay is planning to ban the use of active content

  1. To improve security for the buyers, and ensure eBay is a very safe market placeto trade in.
  2. To improve the user experience & page load times for mobile phone shoppers.

eBay estimates more than 60% of traffic is coming solely from mobile phone devices; eBay wants to cater to this large demographic better and help sellers get more buyers.

ebay is active content
ebay is active content

When does this take effect?

eBay will start to limit the active content sections in listings, effective Spring 2017. eBay will start to remove or block listings that use active content, effective Fall 2017.



ebay is active content

Does it affect you?

If you use ONLY a plain text description in your items, it is unlikely that this will affect you. There is one easy way to find if it will affect your items, or not.
We’ve built a tool that allows us to run a compliance check on your listings and shop, to see if they comply with eBay’s new rule or not.

What must I do?

If you are about to sign up to our services to design & build your eBay shop & listing template – then you have nothing for you to worry about. All our designs built from August 2016 are 100% compliant with eBay’s new rules.

If you are an existing eSeller Solutions customer or if you have a custom design from another provider, we are happy to perform a FREE review on your store & listing template to help identify the elements in your existing design that conflict with eBay’s new policy update. We can then advise the best course of action for you to take.