But then there are those ads that shout at you with colored text and different font faces and sizes and multiple columns and sizzling graphics and…well, you know the ones I’m talking about. How do you go about creating a dynamic listing like that?

Those colorful, eye-catching listings are created with Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). HTML is the engine behind every web page you’ve ever viewed, the coding language that lets you turn on and off all sorts of text and graphic effects.

Here’s a secret known to successful sellers: eBay lets you use HTML in your item listings! All you have to do is know which HTML codes to enter in the Description box when you’re creating your item listingor you can use eBay’s built-in HTML text editor and skip the coding altogether. Even easier, you can use eBay’s Listing Designer or any number of third-party programs to create HTML-based listings without ever seeing the HTML code.

As you’ll see, creating HTML-based listings isn’t that difficult. And it’s not just a tool for power sellers; it’s a relatively common technique that any eBay seller can use to spruce up an eBay listing.

You can make your listing great looking in the following ways:

The easiest way to create a listing that goes beyond plain text is with eBay’s Listing Designer. This feature is available to all users, right from the Sell Your Item pageand it costs only $0.10 a listing.

Listing Designer isn’t the only option you have for creating fancy eBay item listings. There are many software programs and web-based services that let you create great-looking listings without having to enter a line of HTML code. Most of these programs and services let you choose a design and fill in some blanks, and then they automatically write the HTML code necessary to create the listing. These programs and services are easy to use, even if they do come at a cost.

Probably the most popular listing-creation program is eBay’s Turbo Lister (pages.ebay.com/turbo_lister/). Turbo Lister uses the same templates found in eBay’s Listing Designer, but it lets you create your listings in bulk, offline.

If you place a lot of listings, eBay’s 10-cent Listing Designer fee can start to add up. Fortunately, there are lots of free auction templates you can use; it’s always good when you can cut your auction costs.

Free eBay Listing Templates:

Here are some of the most popular of these free auction template sites:

• Auction Riches Free Auction Ad Creator (www.auctionriches.com/freead/create.pl)

• AuctionSpice Templates (www.auctionspice.com)

• AuctionSupplies.com Free Auction Templates (auctionsupplies.com/templates/)

• K&D Web Page Design Custom Auction Creator (www.kdwebpagedesign.com/tutorials/tut_template.asp)

• ListTailor (www.listtailor.com/quickstart.html)

• Wizard’s Free Auction Template Creation Form (www.ambassadorboard.net/hosting/free-form.php)

• Xample.net Auction Templates (www.xample.net/templates.htm)

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