eBay have been removing descriptions containing HTTP links and making buyers click an new link to view full product descriptions. This enables your eBay listings retain Google’s “Secure” label and the security icon. From late January 2019, eBay will start blocking listings that haven’t been updated to HTTPS.
This is a security issue and nothing to do with what eBay wants, Google are to mark not secure pages with a “Not secure” indicator in red in the near future. eBay want a site that buyers can trust and having browsers mark them as insecure isn’t great so eBay are being forced, and in turn forcing you, to only use content which is secure with HTTPs on eBay.
How do you upgrade from HTTP to HTTPS on eBay?
This isn’t quite as simple as it sounds – yes you can bulk edit your listings to find and replace HTTP with HTTPS, but you’ll also need any links and images to be on a secure server. This means talking to your image or website host and getting your own website storage upgraded which may or may not be a trivial matter depending who your host is.
Once your content is on a secure server, you can edit 500 listings at a time with the eBay bulk edit tool. Select Edit listings in bulk, then use find and replace to replace “HTTP” with “HTTPS”.
Tools to help you be compliant
eBay have created a tool which you can use to find out which of your listings don’t comply with Google’s new security requirements, and you can find guidance in the Seller Hub.
eBay will continue sending reminders every 2 weeks to sellers with listings that contain non-secure content, and warning messages when using eBay bulk edit and relist tools. Look out for and perhaps set up a folder for emails with the subject line: “Update your listings now to ensure they comply with recent security, policy and listing requirements updates.”
eBay will also notify your third-party listing provider if you use one.
