Answers to questions about FreeForm2 eBay Template Builder

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FreeForm2 automatically produces "Mobile Device Ready" eBay item descriptions. Learn how FreeForm2 makes it easy to fine tune eBay item descriptions for viewing with a mobile device: Mobile-Ready

Questions

Answers

What is the procedure to get help using FreeForm2?

Save your work in FreeForm2 via the Save button in the Edit Menu panel then write to me at, rob@robshelp.com, including your login information. I can then load into FreeForm2 what you have been working on to make adjustments and/or provide any other assistance you desire. When I'm done I'll write back and save the results in FreeForm2 under your login so you can take over from there.

What is the cost for using FreeForm2?

Will that be changing?

FreeForm2 is supported by completely voluntary donations. If you use it regularly, please use the PayPal Contribute button at the bottom of this page. About $1.00 per month used is all that would be expected. FreeForm version 1 has survived about 10 years now on voluntary donations. There are no plans to ever require payment for use of either service.

Which will be best for me - FreeForm(1) or FreeForm2?

The original FreeForm remains the most flexible method for creating and using eBay item description templates which also makes it more complex to learn. FreeForm2 is essentially a shortcut to acheiving what most eBay sellers desire quicker and easier. Try FreeForm2 first. There are no plans to replace FreeForm(1) with FreeForm2 - either is a safe investment.

Does FreeForm2 work on a MAC computer?

Yes. To play it safe, download and use the FireFox web browser from http://www.mozilla.com. FreeForm2 probably will work with Safari, but that is untested. As a matter of fact, it's best to use FireFox on PC's as well although no problems have been found using Internet Explorer or Google's Chrome. The HTML created by FreeForm2 is compatible with all major web browsers - only using the application itself is better with FireFox.

How do I download FreeForm2?

There is nothing to download or install. FreeForm2 runs through your web browser at the freeform2.robshelp.com web site and all saves performed are stored at the site. Wherever you are, there it is, accessible from any computer with an Internet connection.

Can FreeForm2 be used to create eBay About Me pages?

Yes. In FreeForm2 the process is the same as creating an item description. The only difference is where you end up using the HTML FreeForm2 produces for you. After creating in FreeForm2 visit your current About Me or your My eBay in another web browser window and look for a link to edit or create an About Me page. Choose the option to provide your own HTML and paste in the HTML produced by FreeForm2. eBay provides special codes that can be used in About Me pages here: http://pages.ebay.com/help/account/html-tags.html You can type those into either a Widget or Text Box in your template. They won't display eBay content in FreeForm2's eBay View but will after the page is published on eBay.

Can FreeForm2 be used to create eBay Store Home pages?

Yes. eBay Store (Shop) owners are able to create what eBay calls Custom Store Pages. One of those pages created may be designated as the home page. Creating an eBay Store Custom Page in FreeForm2 is the same as creating an item description. When you are finished just use the HTML produced by FreeForm2 as the content for the custom page on eBay. In addition to what you can do in FreeForm2 eBay provides special tags you can use described here: http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/stores-tags.html - You can type those into either a Widget or Text Box in your template. They won't display eBay content in FreeForm2's eBay View but will after the page is published on eBay.

The above method does not provide for customization of eBay's display of categories, etc. down the left side of the page. For a very reasonable fee your storefront pages can be dramatically transformed. If you own a website, my specialty is adapting eBay Store/Shop pages and FreeForm2 templates to match its look, feel, and content for a unified web presence. No advance payment required!
More Info Here

Does FreeForm2 produce HTML that will work with selling sites other than eBay?

Probably not. eBay allows us to use a wide range of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Most other selling sites are much more restrictive.

How can I share with others what I have created with FreeForm2 prior to using on eBay?

The easiest way is to copy the HTML produced by FreeForm2 and paste onto a site designed for such sharing. An example is http://practicewriter.com. For more private sharing the "Get HTML" screen includes a Download button which creates a file on your computer. That file can then be used as an email attachment.

What types of image hosting will work with FreeForm2?

FreeForm2 can be used to display images (photos and graphics) from any service that allows direct linking (sometimes called hot linking). All FreeForm2 requires is a URL for each image to be displayed. URLs can be tested with the Photo URL Practice and Test tool provided in the Getting Started page.

What is the best size for photos?

Before shooting, set your digital camera to produce photos in the range of 2 to 3 megapixels which will tend to produce better results for the web, save time uploading, and reduce storage space consumed.
Set your photo editor to display dimensions in pixels then reduce/resample them to 1,000 pixels wide or less. Less if you know you won't need to display them that large. The goal is to have them equal to or slightly larger than the size they will ultimately be displayed within an eBay item description created using FreeForm2. Usually 800 pixels wide is plenty big enough. Height isn't important.
If your photo editor has a "Save for Web" feature, use it. The file type to save-as is "jpg" (jpeg). Typically an 80% quality on a scale of 1-100 produces a faster loading file with no visible quality loss. If you see an option to remove Exif data, remove it (it's not needed).

FreeForm2 is supported by completely voluntary donations: