creating a form...for ebay?

[Esk247]

is there a way of creating a form to use on ebay shops for the customer to fill out online then click send for it to return to our email address?

i was using freedback.com but i've encountered some difficulties and it is quite expensive just for the one form with additional tech support and such.

any ideas?

or should i just link to a form built in to the website we already have and when they click send they are taken back to the ebay shop?

[TotallySport]

I think its in the ebay terms and conditions that you carn't, and I have a feeling the form html will be filtered.

but if you know php or asp or similar its faily simple in princple, create the html form for the ebay page, with the action to go to your asp or php page, let that process the information and redirect it back to the page they came from.

[Esk247]

yeah this is the problem, i can create the form and have it validated away from ebay but the hosting company does state in its terms and conditions that they won't allow external .asp forms to be validated they will only allow forms within your website, it seems to block the validation.

how annoying...i guess i'll just have to create a link to a vat form on the website then have it return to the ebay shop when the customer completes it.

[TotallySport]

Can I ask what its for?

[TotallySport]

are you using post or get in the method?

[Esk247]

it's merely to request details for vat exemption due to the person having disabilities and such, they have to fill out a form declaring this and it has to be dated, i had a form up and running from one of those online form processing companies but the form keeps crashing or the account keeps being closed so it's become a bit of a headache at the moment.

[Esk247]

i tried doing it like this earlier but it won't work for some reason.

Feedback.php

<FORM method=post action="sendmail.php">
Email: <INPUT name="email" type="text"><br>
Message:<br>
<TEXTAREA name="message">
</textarea><br>
<input type=submit>
</FORM>

Sendmail.php

<?php

mail("admin@mywebsite.co.uk", "Website Form", $_REQUEST[message], "From: $_REQUEST[email]", "admin@mywebsite.co.uk".$_REQUEST[email]);

header( "Location: http://www.mywebsite.co.uk/cgi-bin/thankyou.htm" );

?>

so the sendmail idea doesn't work either.

[Iwc Ltd]

This will work on your own website, not on eBay.

<?php
// get posted data into local variables
$EmailFrom = "postmaster at domain dot com";
$EmailTo = "yourEmail at domain dot com";
$Subject = "COMPANY NAME Contact Form";
// Add or take away these based on what you $_POST variables are on the form.
$First = Trim(stripslashes($_POST['Name']));
$Tel = Trim(stripslashes($_POST['Tel']));
$Message = Trim(stripslashes($_POST['Message']));
$Email = Trim(stripslashes($_POST['Email']));

// validation
$validationOK=true;
if (Trim($First)=="") $validationOK=false;
if ($validationOK) {
print "There has been an error.";
exit;
}

// prepare email body text
$Body = "";
$Body .= "Name: ";
$Body .= $First;
$Body .= "\n"; // Break tag
$Body .= "Message: ";
$Body .= $Message;
$Body .= "\n";
$Body .= "Telephone: ";
$Body .= $Tel;
$Body .= "\n";
$Body .= "Email: ";
$Body .= $Email;
$Body .= "\n";

// send email
$success = mail($EmailTo, $Subject, $Body, "From: <$EmailFrom>");

// redirect to success page
if ($success){
header("Location: thanks.html");
}
else{
header("Location: sorry.html");
}
?>

Should be pretty easy to understand if you are familiar with PHP.

[TotallySport]

you would need to use get as the method to put the information in the url, sorry I don't know the php code but in asp use request.querystring (i think) to retrieve the information.

If this form is purely to allow the customer to ask questions, then its pointless, ebay has a built in "Ask Seller a Question" button that all ebay users know about, and ebay monitor, i think you might be banned if your using this setup on ebay, I don't think forms are allowed.

[Iwc Ltd]

you would need to use get as the method to put the information in the url, sorry I don't know the php code but in asp use request.querystring (i think) to retrieve the information.


$_REQUEST is an array of all $_GET, $_POST and $_COOKIE arrays :)

To PUT the information in the URL you just write it, like index.php?message=hi

And then use $_GET['message']; or $_REQUEST['message']; to grab that data.

Then $_POST is the value of fields when a <form> tag posts the information.

Basic examples here.

Might have misunderstood you though :P

[Esk247]

you would need to use get as the method to put the information in the url, sorry I don't know the php code but in asp use request.querystring (i think) to retrieve the information.

If this form is purely to allow the customer to ask questions, then its pointless, ebay has a built in "Ask Seller a Question" button that all ebay users know about, and ebay monitor, i think you might be banned if your using this setup on ebay, I don't think forms are allowed.

think i'll just link it to the website, e.g. the customer clicks on the VAT Exemption Form and then it goes to the website, they fill it out, send it, then are directed back to the ebay website.

i just couldn't get the form to validate on this new web hosting for some reason but i'll try the above and see if it actually sends the data to my email addy.

[TotallySport]

$_REQUEST is an array of all $_GET, $_POST and $_COOKIE arrays :)

To PUT the information in the URL you just write it, like index.php?message=hi

And then use $_GET['message']; or $_REQUEST['message']; to grab that data.

Then $_POST is the value of fields when a <form> tag posts the information.

Basic examples here.

Might have misunderstood you though :PI think you have, the OP is asking about ebay, and I have already said I don't know php, so for a reference I have used asp for a reference, as its better than nothing.;)

[TotallySport]

think i'll just link it to the website, e.g. the customer clicks on the VAT Exemption Form and then it goes to the website, they fill it out, send it, then are directed back to the ebay website.

i just couldn't get the form to validate on this new web hosting for some reason but i'll try the above and see if it actually sends the data to my email addy.Sorry, but why would they need a VAT exception form?

[Esk247]

Sorry, but why would they need a VAT exception form?

its for the supply of equipment for disabled people, they receive tax exemption if they have a severe disability, thats why they have to fill the form out when they've ordered so it can all be done in one package.

[TotallySport]

In that case, if you have SMP (seller manager pro, although seller manager might do it as well), you can edit the auto response emails ebay send out, personally I would just put a link to the form within the email, and let them click on it, I don't actually see what you need the form for, even a link on the page would be better than a form, however the link in the email would be much neater, then a short message to say where to look for the form.

[Esk247]

yeah you're right, we can't add html/javascript forms to the page itself, thats why we keep having problems.

will make a link to the form on the website we actually own, people can be directed to it through emails or by clicking the linky on our ebay shop.

ecky thump