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AoB's New Muli-Image Settings

samantha

March 02, 2018 19:31

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As things are ever-evolving the same is true of AoB's options, settings, and functionality.  With our latest version of site updates you will find the following changes to the image field on your listing page:

• We have added a new setting for the image field so you can choose how many fields you have available for your Image URLs.  To access this setting go to Single List Page Settings and scroll approximately half way down the page to the newly created Multi-Image Settings section.  There you can select a number between 1-12  from the Multi-Image drop down menu.  Save the page and that number of image fields will be displayed on your Listing Page going forward.  
• If your listing practice utilizes file uploads change the image header to  image_1, image_2, image_3, and so on. 
• If you have been using eBay Multi-Image Settings, you'll notice the eBay Image fields are relocated to this same Multi-Image section of your listing page from their previous residency in the eBay Attributes section.  And if you are uploading eby_image1, eby_image2, etc.. please note the change of the header as previously described. 

These changes apply to Amazon, ABE, and eBay.  So, if you suddenly see errors in your uploads to any of these 3 sites, please let us know immediately via Live Chat as it will monitored late today in case of reports.  If you have any questions, or concerns, about using these fields, please contact our staff via Live Chat, or by submitting a Support Request.

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50 comments

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  samantha March 05, 2018 16:20 Official comment

  Hi Everyone!   

  We're working out a few kinks as there are a couple of reports of amazon's rejecting image URL. in the multi-fields.  The images are being sent successfully by AoB, yet are being met with warnings and/or errors at Amazon's end so we'll be ironing out those soon. 

  New listings going to eBay aren't picking up the multi-images and are only sending out your main image.  Programming is aware and we'll keep you informed as we know more.  

  Nothing has been confirmed yet about ABE uploads and how that is working out, but any input would be most welcome.

  I want to throw out a heart felt Thank You to all who are responding to this thread.  Your input is greatly appreciated and is most helpful.  Thank you so much!

   

  ((UPDATE)) Send refreshes to Amazon and ABE if you do not see your images being transferred.   For eBay it is necessary that you open your eBay Configuration page in the eBay section of the Venue Settings page and click the Save button at the bottom of the page.  This action will pull in the newly released code for your eBay listing script.  Then send a Refresh to eBay to update the listings so they'll also receive your multi-images.  Thank you all for your patience.

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  eyebrowsebooks March 02, 2018 23:02

  I hope that you can add this to Biblio as well.

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  lakecountrybooks March 03, 2018 02:24

  I second Allen's comment about sending images to Biblio. And I'd like them to go to my Presto Store too. But so glad they're going to Amazon. Big win there. Thanks!

   

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  samantha March 03, 2018 03:53

  The availability of sending to other sites will depend on the API of the other sites and what they can receive.   Rhonda, I'm going to turn your comment into a support request since you've mentioned both sites to use it as a reminder when talking with programming next.  

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  lakecountrybooks March 03, 2018 14:56

  Thanks Samantha. I also want to note that as of yesterday, I'm back to not having any stock images showing up on eBay. The trick of bulk editing the listings isn't working. Don't know if it's related to this change, but it does seem suspicious.

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  dharmarick March 03, 2018 21:24

  Samantha, I followed your instructions yesterday, selecting a number from the drop down menu and saving the change. I haven't seen any change in my List Single Item page yet.

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  mr_koreander March 03, 2018 22:45

  Over the years, I've  attached JPG images, ones I've created, to my listings.  Such as a jacket cover or title page or signature. The images are stored locally of course.  The URLs you mention: where do they come from?  And why would I want my property on the Internet?

  Dennis, puzzled in Ohio.

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  lakecountrybooks March 04, 2018 01:28

  Dennis, they're referring to your own hosted listings. Until this last change, only one of your hosted images was sent to Amazon. If you had multiple images, they only appeared on eBay. Now all your hosted images will be sent to not only eBay but also Amazon and ABE.
  
  It sounds like you've added images for your own reference, but if they've been put in the image fields, the first one has been sent to Amazon (unless you leave Amazon's image URL alone - then prior to yesterday you would have no additional images showing in your listing.) If you list on eBay, all of your own images have already been shown on your listings there.
  
  I primarily add my own images when there is a difference in Amazon's image and my cover (usually changed between first and later printings), they have no image at all, my copy has condition issues, or it's a particularly expensive volume and I figure people would like to see a photo of the actual copy they're going to spend some significant money on. And now eBay is getting to be more of a stickler about images - they've been saying for some time that they wouldn't use their stock photo for used books. It looks like that has finally kicked in - unless this recent AoB change has something to do with it (see my comment above.)

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  esbbooks March 04, 2018 01:36

  I'm still hoping for a way to upload the images directly from my Pictures folder on my computer.  I have not had success with finding a "URL" for images.  In order for the image to have a URL, it has to be hosted somewhere on the Internet.  I don't know how to do this.  I only know how to upload directly from my computer.  I was not successful in dragging and dropping images into the window on the Single Listing page.

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  lakecountrybooks March 04, 2018 05:14

  MJ Downey, AoB has an Image Manager (See the Inventory Tab, under "Unsupported Venue and Other Actions." You can upload up to 100 images there with your AoB subscription; if you max that out you can upgrade to 500 images for an additional $10 a month. I don't use AoB's hosting, however, because I've got thousands of images and have been using Inkfrog for years. I still have a monthly fee, but unlimited image storage. And it also has more image editing capabilities, although I try to do most of that in Photoshop before I upload. I also think it's easier to use than AoB (sorry guys!)

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  esbbooks March 05, 2018 13:52

  Rhonda. I tried the AOB method as an experiment.  I uploaded one image from my computer.  But how do I get the image to the appropriate listing?  The image did not appear to be copyable, and I couldn't drag and drop it either.  What am I not getting?

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  lakecountrybooks March 05, 2018 16:03

  It took me a little experimenting too, since I don't use it. But if you hover your mouse over the image, two icons appear in the upper right hand corner of the image. The one on the top looks like four arrows radiating from the center. Click on that, and a new window opens up. There you'll see a larger image and to the right of that, a file name and a URL. Highlight the URL, copy it, and paste it into your Image URL field on the single list page. Update or create your new listing, and you should be good to go.

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  samantha March 05, 2018 16:09

  Rick Barbrick, on your Single List Page, you will see 4 image fields just below the Create Listing button.

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  esbbooks March 05, 2018 16:31

  Currently, I upload the images directly to Amazon, Abe Books and Biblio.  I occasionally dothis on  Alibris and Valore as well, but not often.  If I start using the AOB method, once I have placed the image in the listing, will it then be uploaded to all sites, and could I then delete the image so that I don't use up my 100 image limit?  Thanks.

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  lakecountrybooks March 05, 2018 18:36

  Nope, as long as your item is in stock, it has to have the image resident on AoB. The URL just serves as a link (or a pointer, if you will) from your listing to the image file on AoB - it doesn't actually upload the image file to the sites.
  
  Once you sell an item, you can delete the image if you need space. There are some titles that I've sold repeatedly, so I tend to recycle images and I don't delete them. But that's also why I pay to have unlimited image hosting.

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  esbbooks March 05, 2018 19:53

  Okay.  So if I've already uploaded the images directly to Amazon, Abe and Biblio, is there any advantage to putting the images in using AOB?  For example, would this mean the images would display on other sites, such as Alibris or eBay?  Thanks/

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  kotabooks March 05, 2018 20:21

  If I am understanding this correctly, I no longer have to go directly to Abebooks and upload photos.  Now AOB will send the photos to Abebooks as well?

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  samantha March 05, 2018 22:02

  Renee, as long as the hosted image URL exists in AoB, yes, we'll automatically send them to ABE as well.

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  dharmarick March 06, 2018 00:20

  I don't see them on my page after Create Listing, Samantha. Am I missing something?

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  lakecountrybooks March 06, 2018 01:33

  Rick, I'm not Samantha but I'll take a swing at your question. Go look at your settings for the Single List Page - Go to Settings > Single List Page Settings. With that window open, the very first section at the top of the page is titled, "Content." In the second column of that section, one of the choices is "Image URL." My guess is that on your settings page, that is not checked. Check that box, hit the "Save All Changes" button at the bottom. Refresh your Single List Page and you should see the Image URL field. Also note you can set the number of image fields you want to appear on the Single List Page Settings page. I have mine set to 6, which for me is more than enough, and doesn't take up as much screen real estate (and therefore, less scrolling) when I'm listing.

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  lakecountrybooks March 06, 2018 02:32

  MJ Downey, the advantage is exactly as you state - your images would feed to eBay as well. And by having them hosted in one spot and putting the URL on your Single List page, you don't have to manually go to each venue to upload the images. Alibris is a different animal, however - if you want to upload images to them, the file name has to be the same as the Item ID. I've never bothered - I do so little business on Alibris anyway I was not about to start renaming all my images! You can, however, upload individual images directly to Alibris in their inventory management area.

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  86books March 06, 2018 12:59

  Thank you so much for doing this.  I have a couple of questions. But first I wanted to mention to AOB and my fellow sellers a site that I have found very helpful.  I used to use photobucket for my webhosting but they have been jacking up fees & the stability of their platform has been failing.  After a lot of researching other hosting sites, I have finally discovered that postimages.org is doing just what I need.  It's free (so far) and once you get the hang of it, it's pretty easy (compared to other sites).  Who knows if they will be around forever and I have only been using them for a couple of months, but for now I would suggest taking a look if you are looking for a good photo hosting website.

  Now my troubleshooting questions.  First, I have my image preferences set to leave boxes for two images.  I just did a download of a batch of SKU's in order to cut & paste image links into the new columns.  I didn't see any new columns in the excel spreadsheet.  It was the old column of 'image' near the beginning of the sheet and then all of the eBay image columns near the 'end' (right) of the sheet like there was previously.  Shouldn't there be a second image column near the first image column in order to do these uploads?

  Second, I have a number of listings where I had previously entered an image into the first & second eBay image spots, but I had NOT entered it into the old main (Amazon) image location on my 'List Single Item' page.  Now that these fields are consolidated, the second image (link) is now showing under 'Image URL 2', but the first (eBay) image did not make it to 'Image URL'.  I am worried that this will mess up my eBay images eventually if I need to do a refresh.  An example for you to look at is SKU 150808054.  Is there any way to move all of my old 'first eBay images' into the first spot on the 'List Single Item' page under 'Image URL' so they continue to show at eBay with the new fields?

  Thank you again for adding to the photo features at AOB, as I have found photos to be increasingly important in order to generate sales.

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  samantha March 06, 2018 13:04

  Good morning Rick,

  Ms. Rhonda Studer was spot on with her advice.  I took a look at your settings page, and while you do have the number of image fields selected, you do still need to enable the image field to show up on your listing page.  Following Rhonda's advice, in the Content Section at the top of Single List Page Settings there are two columns of optional fields you can enable to display on your listing page.  Image URL is one of those options.  Check the box and save the page and you'll then see the 4 image fields you've selected for your listing page. 

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  samantha March 06, 2018 13:09

  To Rhonda and MJ Downey, it's been some time, but, according to Alibris' support person that was my contact there, Alibris accepts image URL in their uploads.  Programming added the fields to their uploads at that time, though I was never able to get a good solid answer from anyone as to whether, or not, they are/were successful; some yes, some no, with no input as to why not when it was not successful.  If anyone is interested in assisting me in that endeavor I'll be glad to work with you.

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  samantha March 06, 2018 13:15

  Jeremy, I'm turning your post into a support request so that I can follow up with you later today on your images to eBay.  Though the image fields in your file, I will address here for everyone else to benefit as well..

  The multi-image URL's are stored in what we call a flex field.  On the back end it's basically a bucket field that stores various data and is called upon by your specified need.  It does not work in the same way as most other fields and does not transfer easily in a download of your inventory data.  You can send your multi-image URL by creating a column in your spreadsheet and labeling the column/s as image_1, image_2, image_3, etc, and our system will know what to do with the data you are sending.

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  dharmarick March 06, 2018 15:31

  Thanks, Rhonda -- and Samantha. I followed those instructions and I have those fields. Thanks for pointing me in that direction.

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  kotabooks March 06, 2018 15:48

  That is great news about Abebooks!  I just checked on sku 030518001 on abebooks.  I have 5 url images on AOB but only 3 where sent to Abebooks. 

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  kotabooks March 06, 2018 15:48

  I just checked on that same sku 030518001 on ebay and only 1 image was sent to ebay

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  86books March 06, 2018 19:45

  Samantha, will you take a look at my upload at 2:32 pm (EST)?  I did as you stated with "image_1" and "image_2".  Only image_2 seems to have uploaded.  Was the first one just supposed to be "image", as opposed to "image_1"?  I am going to try that again right now, while also deleting the image column that has the Amazon images. 

  >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

  Update: that change seems to have worked

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  bbbgalaxy March 06, 2018 23:38

  Uploads to Amazon and eBay worked well. However, I set up listings with five images and consistently only four were uploaded to ABE. Will check again tomorrow morning, if something changes I will give an update.