There are changes upcoming to eBay picture hosting over the next few months that we are announcing here today.

Copy Web Files uploader on SYI

Later this month, we're introducing a new upload option for eBay-hosted item pictures. It's called "Copy Web Files" and appears as a new tab in the Add Pictures window on the Sell Your Item form. It's intended to make adding pictures to your listings much easier if you manage your pictures on a web server. It should be especially useful to sellers who already self-host embedded pictures in the item description, but who also upload one picture for eBay hosting to use at the top of the item page.

With this new upload option, you can type or paste URLs for picture files stored on your off-eBay web space as the source for your eBay-hosted item pictures. Your pictures will be retrieved by eBay servers from your web server and copies of them, resized and compressed to eBay standards, will be hosted by eBay for use in your listing. This is similar to how we already retrieve and make copies of self-host pictures for Gallery thumbnails and for the Gallery Plus listing upgrade. With Copy Web Files, however, the pictures are retrieved while you list instead of after the listing is submitted, as is done for Gallery pictures. The item pictures created on eBay using Copy Web Files are identical to those that would be created if you uploaded the same picture file directly from your computer with one of the other eBay uploaders.

The Copy Web Files tab in Add Pictures is hidden by default. To add, use the "Add or remove options" link in the pictures section of the "Create your listing" page of the Sell Your Item form.

The current self-hosting option and the eBay standard, basic and enhanced uploaders (which require your pictures be located on your local computer or network) will continue to be available.

Any applicable picture fees are the same when using Copy Web Files as for pictures uploaded with other uploaders. The first picture is always free. Additional pictures and other upgrade fees vary. A reminder that all eBay picture hosting, including extra pictures and upgrades, is now free in the Antiques, Art, Collectibles, and Pottery&Glass categories on the US site.

We'll post again to this boards thread when Copy Web Files is available for use later this month.

Picture Manager to be retired

Picture Manager, eBay's paid subscription picture hosting service, will be retired after August 2009, with new subscriptions disabled starting later this month. This will allow us to focus resources on improving our mainstream per-listing picture-hosting services. If you use Picture Manager now, you'll need to migrate to another hosting service--either eBay per-listing picture hosting or a third party self-hosting solution--before the end of August:

• All Picture Manager uploaded pictures will be retained and used in current listings for a minimum of 100 days after you unsubscribe. As you continue to use those pictures in listings, they will be managed automatically just like pictures originally uploaded via the per-listing picture hosting service. Any applicable per-listing picture fees will apply when pictures are re-used.


• Current Picture Manager subscribers can download copies of their Picture Manager-hosted pictures as zip files before unsubscribing.


• For Store subscribers, pictures in your custom Store pages and Store logo will be automatically migrated to standard eBay picture hosting and will remain free.

Please see the Picture Manager FAQ for additional details.


Free EPS pictures for Premium and Anchor Stores coming this summer!

Coming in June, per-listing eBay picture uploads and upgrade features (including Picture Pack) will be free for Premium and Anchor Store subscribers for listings on the US, CA, and FRCA sites, excluding listings in Motors vehicle categories. We'll announce more details about these pricing changes before they go into effect.