eBay Enhanced Picture Services - Installing the ActiveX Control Software

eBay Enhanced Picture Services (available only when using Internet Explorer on Microsoft Windows computers) offers features for adjusting pictures before upload and for uploading multiple pictures more efficiently. It requires installation of an ActiveX control software add-in from eBay. If you select Enhanced Picture Services you will be prompted to install the latest version of the ActiveX control when you first upload and whenever eBay upgrades the software. The installation process is described below.

Internet Explorer security settings and utility software settings (e.g., Norton, McAfee, ZoneAlarm, etc.) can cause problems installing and using any ActiveX control. If you have problems with the process described here, please see the eBay Help page
Troubleshooting eBay Enhanced Picture Services Link.

Installation on the Picture & Details Page

When installation of the ActiveX control is needed, a message is displayed in the Add Pictures section of the Pictures and Details page, as shown below for the case where the ActiveX control is not installed or is damaged (different messages are shown if the ActiveX install has never been installed on the system previously or if it is installed but a required update is available from eBay).




Clicking the Set Up Picture Services button opens a new page, which is the start of the installation process.




Clicking the Install Now> button starts the download and installation of the ActiveX control.

Note that, depending on connection speed and version of Windows, the download can take 15 seconds to about 12 minutes to complete.

If you use Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), then the installation will be temporarily blocked, unless you have adjusted security settings. The yellow Information Bar will display at the top of the Internet Explorer window alerting you that the eBay site is attempting to install an ActiveX control.




Click the Information Bar and then click Install ActiveX Control... on the drop-down menu. See below.



In this case for Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) the software will need to be downloaded a second time (a Windows product feature), so please be patient if you have a slow Internet connection.

Next, for all versions of Windows, after the download completes a prompt displays in a dialog box asking if you wish to install the eBay ActiveX control.




Click the Install button to continue the installation.


If the installation is successful, you will see the confirmation page below.




Click the Finished button to return to your listing and add pictures with the newly installed ActiveX control.

Installing and Testing the ActiveX Control in My eBay

As an alternative to installing the ActiveX control while you are creating a listing with the Sell Your Item form, you can access the installation flow and optionally upload a test picture in My eBay Preferences. Open the My eBay Preference page and click Edit on the "Use this picture service" line, which will open the the Sell Your Item Picture Preference page).






When you click the Save button on the Sell Your Item Picture Preference when eBay Enhanced Picture Services is selected, then the Setup & Test eBay Enhanced Picture Services page opens. If the ActiveX control is already installed, then the page will display as shown below




If the ActiveX control needs to be installed, the page displays a message prompting you to install the software display and a button to Set Up Picture Services. Installing is optional. You may click the Finished button to return to the main My eBay Preferences page without installing.




Clicking the Set Up Picture Services button starts the ActiveX installation flow described above for the Sell Your Item form. When the installation is complete you are returned to the Setup & Test page.


Once the ActiveX control is installed on the Setup & Test eBay Enhanced Picture Services page, you can click the Add Pictures button in the ActiveX control to select a picture file on your hard disk to upload to eBay as a test. Uploading a test picture is optional. If you do not wish to do so, just click the Finished button at the bottom of the page to return to the main My Ebay Preferences page.


If you do select a picture, it first displays in the ActiveX control, where you can crop, rotate, or adjust the brightness and contrast before you upload it.




Click the Upload Test Picture to actually upload the selected picture to eBay. A progress dialog box displays and, if the upload is successful, the page reloads displaying your test picture at three different sizes, which have been stored on eBay Picture Services servers and downloaded back to the Setup & Test page.




When you are done testing, click the Finished button at the bottom of the page to return to the main My Ebay Preferences page.