Ebay--It's about darn time!

RantWoman supposes her readers are going to detect a possibly tiresome and repetitive thread, basically, it's about darn time. Today it's Ebay's turn.

RantWoman thinks these directions are lovely. As with all things evanescent and ephemeral and web-based, RantWoman expects the directions' complete accuracy will have an all-too-brief half life. RantWoman is so taken by the idea of accessible EBay and the sound of the instructions that she is not even going to crash test them immediately:

eBay for users with special access needs
eBay for users with special access needs
eBay is now more accessible to blind and low-vision users. Here is the URLto go to for details and more information is below:
http://pages.ebay.com/help/account/accessibility.html
eBay for users with special access needs
In this article Using a screen reader to buy an itemSearching for an itemPaying for an itemUsing a screen reader to sell an item
We work hard to make sure that everyone who wants to use eBay can do so,and have a positive experience. We do this in several ways:
We make links on our site descriptive and provide alternative text forimages to help people using assistive technology such as screen readersoftware.
We consider accessibility when we design new eBay pages or update existingpages.
We increase the contrast between fonts and backgrounds to make pages easierto read.
We make eBay easier to navigate without using a mouse.
We've trained our customer support agents to assist users with disabilities.
Using a screen reader to buy an itemYou can shop for almost anything on eBay. Get started by following thesesteps.
To buy an item using a screen reader:When you visit the eBay home page, the focus will automatically be placedin the search edit box (labeled "Enter your search keyword" ). From thehome page, you can also browse our list of categories, which are listed asheadings level 3 under the "Shop your favorite categories" section (headinglevel 2).
Once you've performed a search, choose an item to review or refine yoursearch. Activating a refinement option link will trigger a full pagereload. You'll find more information on how to search for an item andnavigate search results in the next section of this page, "Searching for anitem" .
Once you've chosen an item to review, you'll be taken to the listing page,where you'll find an item description, seller information, and can alsoplace a bid. To return to the search results, activate the "Back to searchresults" link.
To place a bid, enter the quantity in the "Quantity" edit box and your bidin the "Your max bid" edit box. Activate the "Place bid" button.
You may be asked to sign in to complete your bid.
You'll be taken to the "Review and confirm bid" page, where you can reviewthe information. Activate the "Confirm bid" button to complete thetransaction.
The confirmation page will tell you if your bid is currently the highestbid. If it's not, you'll be given the option to increase your maximum bid.If you choose to do so, make a new bid and activate the "Confirm bid"button to complete the transaction.
Learn more about bidding on eBay.
Get information on how to pay for an item in the "Paying for an item"section of this page.
Searching for an item
To search for an item:On the eBay home page, enter search keywords in the edit box (labeled"Enter your search keyword").
To select a search category, press "Tab" and choose an appropriate valuefrom the "Select a category for search" box.
Press "Enter" to begin your search.
You can also browse eBay's list of categories on the home page. Thecategories are listed as headings level 3 under the "Shop your favoritecategories" section (heading level 2). You can skip directly to the maincontent of the home page by selecting the "Skip to main content" link.
On the search results page, you can review the items that match your searchkeywords, or refine your search.
To review an item:Select the "Skip to main content" link.
Move through the search results using the "Tab" key, activate the link forthe item you wish to review or bid on.

To refine your search results:Select the "Category," "Condition," "Price," "Seller," or "Location"options (located under headings level 3) to make your results more specificto the type of product you're looking for. Be aware that activating any ofthese option links will trigger a full page reload.
You can also filter based on listing type ("All items," "Auctions only," or"Buy It Now only") by activating these option links. Each of these areavailable as links (headings level 2), and activating them will trigger afull page reload.
Learn more about searching for items by keyword and get tips for bettersearching.
Listing sections:
When you select an item from search results, you'll be taken to the listingpage, which contains information about the item and seller. Here are themain sections:
Bid: This section has the full item name as its heading (level 1),andcontains information on time left, bid history, current price (if it'san auction-style listing), item condition, shipping price, and returnpolicy. It also allows you to specify a quantity and place a bid or use BuyIt Now. To make an offer, enter the quantity in the edit box labeled"Quantity", enteryour bid in the edit box labeled "Your max bid," andactivate the "Place bid" button.
Description section (heading level 2): This default tabcontains specificinformation about the item. Choose any available subsection to reviewadditional information about your item.
Shipping and payments (heading level 2):Thistab includes subsections whichlist shipping and handling details, return policy, and payment details. Itscontent is hidden by default so you'll need to activate it to find thecontent (doing so will hide the "Description" tab's content).
Other item info (heading level 2): Contains information such as item numberand location.
If the seller is a Top-rated seller, you'll find a "Seller info" or"Top-rated seller" section (heading level 2), which contains the seller'sFeedback score, and options for contacting the seller.
Find more information about listings on the listing help page.
Paying for an itemYou can use any of the payment options listed by the seller. To pay for anitem electronically:
Activate the "Pay Now" button in the listing or email notification.
You'll be taken to the "Review your purchase page," which contains shippingand order details (heading level 2). Review the information for accuracyand activate the appropriate button to complete your purchaseelectronically (for example, "Continue with PayPal").
On the "Choose a payment method page," select a payment option. Forinstance, if PayPal is selected, log in with your PayPal account email andpassword (or sign up for one, if you don't have a PayPal account).
On the "Confirm your payment page," review your information and activatethe "Confirm payment" button. Your purchase is now complete.
Using a screen reader to sell an itemWhether you're starting a business or just want to make some extra cash,it's easy to sell on eBay.
To sell an item:Create a seller's account. Here's how:
Register on eBay and log in to create a seller's account.
Choose your payment method, which is how you'd like to pay your eBay fees(learn more about fees for selling on eBay). The options are indicated by achoice between 3 radio buttons with the following labels: "Verificationmethod" (this option is equivalent to selecting PayPal as your paymentmethod), "Credit or debit card," or "Bank account." Choose one and activatethe "Continue" button.
Confirm your identity by phone, either by using the number you providedduring registration (this is the default option), or by activating the"Change" link to provide a different number. Choose "Call me now" or "Callme in 2 minutes," and activate the "Call me" button. If you don't want tobe called, activate the "No thanks, verify my identity another way" link.Once you've received your PIN, enter it into the "Enter your confirmationcode" form field on the following page, and activate the "Continue" button.
To use PayPal to pay selling fees, register or sign in to your PayPalaccount.
Review the "Billing Agreement for Automatic PayPal Payments to eBay," andactivate the "I agree" button. You're now ready to create your firstlisting.
Create a listing. Once you've created a seller's account (see above),create a listing by following these 3 main steps:
Select a category, which best describes the type of product you arelisting. You can perform a search for appropriate categories, or browse allavailable categories.
Search categories. Enter a UPC, ISBN, or the name of your item into thesearch box with that label and press "Enter" to perform a search. Next, usethe "Tab" key to move the focus past the "Search categories" and "Browsecategories" links to the first check box, which indicates the firstsuggested category match. Select an appropriate category, and activate the"Continue" button.
Browse categories. Activate the "Browse categories" link, and move thefocus to the "Categories" list. Use the arrow keys to select an appropriatecategory, and press the "Tab" key to move the focus forward. Depending onthe category selected, you'll be presented with more subcategory lists tofurther refine your category listing. Make a choice in each such list(moving the focus forward with "Tab"), until you get to the "Success" link.Activate the "Continue" button.
Choose a listing form, either "More listing choices" (the first " Go"button) or "Keep it simple" (second "Go" button). If you choose "Keep itsimple," you'll create an auction-style listing that can display up to 4pictures. The "More listing choices" form provides more selling formats,listing layouts, and other options.
Create your listing in the following 5 simple steps (if "Keep it simple"was selected in the previous step),all available as headings level 2:

1. Create a title, in 55 characters or less, by entering the title into the"Create a descriptive title for your item" edit box.
2. Add pictures by activating the "Add a photo" dialog (opens in a newwindow, which automatically closes once the upload finishes).
3. Describe the item. Using the combo boxes, specify item details such asitem condition, size, style, and more.

4. Set a price and shipping details. Enter the auction bidding start priceinto the "Start auction bidding at" edit box, and choose the auction lengthfrom the "lasting for" combo box. If you want to add a Buy It Now price,select the "Add Buy It Now price" check box, and then enter the price intothe "Buy It Now" edit box. Choose a shipping destination service from the"Shipping service" combo box and enter a shipping cost into the edit boxwith that label. Use the "Shipping Calculator" for help calculating theshipping cost, by activating that link.

5. Decide how you'd like to be paid. For PayPal, enter your PayPal emailaddress in the edit box with that label, review the listing insertion price(before the "Help on Fees" link), and activate the "Save and preview"button. Finally, review your listing (new page) and then activate the"List your item" button. Your item is now listed for sale.

Was this page helpful?YesNoHow can we improve this page? (optional)700 characters left

Contact Customer SupportIf you're looking for more help or have a question to ask, please contactus.

Contact usHave a question? We can help.

Ask eBay members Get help from other eBay members. Visit the Answer Center to post aquestion.

About eBay Announcements Buy Hub Security Center Resolution Center Buyer Tools Policies Stores Site Map Help eBay official time We'll cover your purchase price plus original shipping. Learn more Copyright C 1995-2010 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved. Designated trademarksand brands are the property of their respective owners. Use of this Website constitutes acceptance of the eBay User Agreement and Privacy Policy.
Dr. Ronald E. Milliman, Professor of Marketing, Western Kentucky University
Chair, ACB Public Relations CommitteeChair, ACB Monthly Monetary Support Program (MMS) Committee
_______________________________________________leadership mailing