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How to Use Your SAID Auction Template

Once your auction template design is complete, an email will be sent to you that includes a link to a .zip file download. This file download contains:

Template Images - All graphic images used to create your template.
Color Coded WordPad Text Document - Your actual auction template with embedded color coded instructions (which DO NOT show up in your auction listing page) to show you where to edit things. Embedded instructions will appear:
Notepad HTML Document - You can open this html file into your browser, then choose View -->Source from your browser menu. This will automatically open the file into Notepad.

***The very FIRST step is to click on the link to the .zip file download and Open then extract/save the contents to a location on your computer that you can easily find. We suggest creating a new folder in My Documents, naming it something similar to the name of the template design, and saving your files there. None of your files will open until the download has been unzipped and saved to your computer.

Section 1:
Using your auction template in conjunction with an auction listing service provider

Whenever you purchase an auction template design from She and I Designs we also provide coding and installation for the following auction listing service providers.

SSB (Seller Sourcebook)
Auction Boutique
Auctiva
InkFrog

If you use one of these providers and opt to have us install your auction template design into your account, you would use your auction template from us the same way you would with any of the service providers built-in auction templates.

Section 2:
Using your auction template to list directly through eBay or with Turbo Lister

If you plan to use your She and I Designs auction template to list your items directly through eBay or in conjunction with Turbo Lister you will FIRST need to make sure your auction item photos are sized correctly and have been uploaded to your image host.

Step 1: Resizing Auction Pictures

Most of our auction templates are designed for pictures no larger than 600 pixels in width. If your auction pictures are larger than this you will need to resize them. Using photos larger than 600 pixels in width will cause your auction listing to appear HUGE and your auction page will load very slowly for people, making it hard for them to view. We recommend resizing auction item photos to 450 - 500 pixels in width.

Most digital cameras come with software for editing and resizing pictures. If yours did not, we recommend PIXresizer which is a free program for download and also very simple and easy to use.

Once you have your auction pictures sized correctly you can now upload them to your image host.

Step 2: Upload Auction Photos to your Image Host

In order for people viewing your auction listing to see your auction item photos, you will need to upload and store them on the internet. If you do not currently have an image host we recommend PhotoBucket, which is a free and easy to use image host that also supports several different image file types.

Once your auction pictures have been uploaded to your image hosting site, they will supply you with a URL for each picture. You will be using this URL to insert into the auction template you purchased from us.

Step 3: Add Auction Item Pictures to your Auction Template

Open the WordPad_AuctionTemplate text document contained in the template files you were sent.
(We strongly sugguest saving a back-up copy of this text document before making any changes.)
Locate the color coded section that looks like this:
Replace PICTURE URL GOES HERE with the URL to your first/main auction photo. (please make sure the "parenthesis" are NOT accidently removed when adding your picture URL, or your auction photo will not show up.)
Scroll down the text document further and locate the color coded section that looks like this:
Replace PICTURE URL GOES HERE with the URL to your second auction photo.

*If you do not have a second auction picture for your item, simply delete this section.

**If you have more than 2 pictures to display for your item, copy and then paste this section directly underneath putting a

in between. The results should look similar to this:

Step 4: Add Auction Title, Description, Shipping and Payment Information

Locate the color coded section that looks like this:
Delete the blue text and type in the title of your auction.
Locate the color coded section that looks like this:
Delete the blue text and type in the description of your auction item.
Locate the color coded section that looks like this:
Delete the blue text and type in your payment information.
Locate the color coded section that looks like this:
Delete the blue text and type in your shipping information.
Once you have finished adding your auction title, item description, payment and shipping information, select and copy this entire text document.

Select All (Click on Edit----> Select All)

Copy (right click over the highlighted text and click Copy)
Before moving on to Step 5: List Your Auction, you may want to test and preview your auction template.
Click here for Practice Board 1
Click here for Practice Board 2

Step 5: List Your Auction

Listing your auction directly through eBay

Sign into your eBay account and go to the Sell Your Item form.

When you come to the Item description section click on the Enter your own HTML tab of the text editor. Then right click and Paste the code you just copied from your WordPad_AuctionTemplate text document into this area.

Listing your auction through Turbo Lister

Open Turbo Lister and create a new item.

When you come to the Enter Your Description page select the HTML View tab. Right click and Paste the code you copied from your WordPad_AuctionTemplate document into this area. (DO NOT use Listing Designer)

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