How to Add eBay Listings to Your WordPress Site
One of my clients, Hi-Way Campers, has started listing some of their RVs for sale on eBay. Naturally, I had to figure out a way to integrate it into their website, which is build on a WordPress platform. First I looked around for a WP plugin, but there none to be found. And there’s probably a really good reason there’s no plugin. It’s too easy for a plugin.
The secret is to use the eBay Editor Kit, which will produce some Javascript you can insert into your Worpdress template or post. Here’s the description of the Editor Kit from eBay:
The eBay Editor Kit (EK) is one of the most innovative and effective affiliate tools available. With the EK, affiliates can add relevant, real-time eBay listings to their Web sites in just seconds. Best of all, the EK produces click-through rates two times greater than traditional banners!
Whatever your Web site’s content or user demographic, eBay’s Editor Kit will dynamically list pertinent eBay auctions and listing details, including product information, gallery images, bidding prices, and ending times. Each specification is completely customizable.
If I understand it correctly, the Editor Kit is designed to show context-based ads (like Adsense). However, there’s a way to add just your own listings the way I did with Hi-Way Campers. In each of the ebay listings, the URL of the company’s website was added to the item description. The Editor Kit allows you to enter search terms that dictate which ads to show on your site, so I simply used the company’s URL as the search term. You could do the same with your own listings; just enter some unique word in your eBay lisitings, and use that word as your search term when you set up the Editor Kit.
It’s really pretty easy. The Editor Kit also allows you to choose different sizes and formats for your ads. If you want to see how it looks integrated into a site, visit the Hi-Way Campers site, and look in the right hand sidebar.
Anybody else know of a simpler solution?
About the Author (Author Profile)
Hi I’m Michael, a business coach and a creative entrepreneur. I inspire and empower people to make a difference in the world while they create an amazing life for themselves and those they love.
The rising costs of ebay are pricing themselves out not sure i want to stay with them,
Great post Michael! Is there a way to do this with an Amazon.com Seller Storefront or Shop? I currently sell products on amazon and was wondering if a similar setup could be done to integrate and list the products a person sells in their amazon storefront into their own web page? Does Amazon have an “Editor Kit” that functions similar to the one eBay has?
Not sure on that one. Maybe try a google search or search the WP Plugin directory.
I tried auctionnudge .com and found it did not work properly .. it looked pretty funky! ON wordpress..
@Media Chandler
did you try the auction nudge wordpress plugin? it looks pretty basic but it seems to do the job.
I am looking to purchase a plugin to convert my WordPress theme into a site LIKE Ebay. I don’t want to list items already on Ebay, I want to compete with Ebay.
Is there a plugin that will organize listing and let users search them by category, price, distance, etc.?
This is what I really need. I want to compete with Ebay, not just sell their stuff or my site, OR my stuff on their site.
Blessings
Not sure if one exists. Perhaps try a search in the WordPress plugins directory.
I’m looking for a plugin could automatically import my ebay listing, any recommendation would be appreciated.
Hi Michael,
Is it possible to integrate a store (BANS) to any of the Solostream themes? If not, how could i add a webstore in the theme to list niche products from Amazon or eBay?
It’s possible and someone in our support forum could give you guidance on that. If you already own a Solostream theme, just login to the forum and post your question.
Can you add ebay listing from a store in categorys with this module
Not sure.
Good post! i found that auction nudge (www.auctionnudge.com) did the trick for me because i didn’t want to sign up to anything. all i did was enter in my eBay username and copy and paste the 2 lines of code it gave me onto my website and voila there are my ebay listings!!! you can even try it out on their website before hand.
I have been searching the plugin to put my ebay listing on the sidebar of my website but still have not found it yet until now. Could anyone please help me?
Try searching here Baju: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/tags/ebay
Is this feature still available as i want to use this ebay plugin. Also i know this will give me back links to my ebay products but will these count and make my product on ebay higher than other people’s that are listing the same item ?????
I have been wondering about the adding ebay to your site but just can’t see how you could make much money from it unless you had a ton of traffic right?
Funny thing we were using the Editor Kit and wondering how to do all that you mention above … and after tootling around a bit – voila! Thanks for the post!
You should also check out http://www.wptagads.com
I’m impressed with this. Way to go, man from Joe, the Netbook Man
Wow , I have been looking for this answers for a while now, thank you for the great info. I will go try it right away!
To answer an earlier question, yes traffic is key and has a linear relationship to earnings. However, depending on your frame of reference, to some $30 more a month than they had before is the same to others who would be happy with $3,000 more. It’s all relative.
I’ve created an Ebay plugin that provides Ebay thumbnail images in the post footer or sidebar. I developed it for my own use but am releasing it commercially.
Results from Ebay affiliate sales regularly outstrip my Adsense earnings. Though I use both so I get double the revenue that either alone would provide.
There are some very neat tools nowadays for putting eBay auctions on WordPress. The best ones are not for free, but whatever you pay for it you will normally recover back within days.
Personally I am an avid phpBay Pro user, and also a WordPress plugin developer (usually phpBay related plugins).
But .. If you use WordPress and have an EPN affiliate account, then my latest plugin may be useful for your readers. It displays your EPN commission stats directly in your WP administration panel.
Full documentation is at http://www.psp-tubes.net/downloads/piggybank.pdf … and the plugin page is at http://www.psp-tubes.net/wordpress/display-ebay-partner-network-epn-stats-in-your-wordpress-administration-panel/
I wish you good profits with your eBay sites.
Cheers
Alan