Overview of Formatting Vehicle Listing Descriptions
Vehicle descriptions arrive automatically from a third-party provider. If you want to change the way the vehicle description looks, the following steps show you how:
All the vehicle descriptions arrive several times a day via an automatic feed. Change the way the description looks can only be done from the back end Admin section of your website.
Changing Vehicle Description Display on Your Website
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1Log in as an administrator and go to the Admin Dashboard.
Learn how to log in here → -
2Go to 'Vehicles'
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3Select 'Vehicle Listing'
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4Once you are on the Vehicle Listings page, you can start editing the descriptions.
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5If you have a particular vehicle in mind - you can search by Stock Number
Note: When new vehicles come in, you only need to adjust the description once.
As the feed updates itself, your new description will stay the same -
6Once you have found your vehicle - please click the Format Description Icon
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7A text editor will open with the current description text.
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8You can edit within this window just as you would normal webpage content.
Spaces, bullet points, bold etc. - all are possible
Once you have finished - hit SAVE -
9Once SAVED, you can return to the Front End of the website to see how it looks.
Remember to hit Control F5 to clear your cache (or page memory) first.
Note: When the feed is updated, your formatting will stay the same. You only need to adjust the description once
Formatting Vehicle Listings via Front-End or Secure Login
Some websites can be formatted from the front - or provide special access to a staff member which does not give them access to the administration section.
Watch this training video to see how this is done -
How the feed is supplied and why it needs additional formatting
Interactive Partners receives the data feed from Carsales. It arrives with zero formatting (despite numerous requests - they do not wish any other company other than Carsales'subsidiaries to be provided with formatting)
Here is an example of the data we receive, basically one long block of text.
Cayenne Diesel has only had one local owner. It was supplied and serviced by us at Porsche Centre South. It is finished in Carrara White metallic paint with a beige interior. It has only covered 49345 km from the new and is beautifully appointed with the following factory-fitted options: 20-inch RS Spyder Design wheels Metallic Paint. 14-way power seats with memory. Light comfort package Sport Chrono Package Deletion of model designation Coloured wheel centre caps. Power steering Plus. Panoramic roof system. Porsche Entry & Drive Porsche Crest on headrests. Lane Departure Warning with Lane Change Assist. Bi-Xenon light system incl. PDLS Tinted LED taillights. The Porsche Approved commitment means that the pre-owned Porsche you are considering buying has been returned as close to its original condition as possible. Using only Genuine Porsche parts, each vehicle is meticulously prepared by our Porsche-trained technicians. Porsche Approved provides a minimum of 12 months Porsche Approved Factory Warranty and Porsche Roadside Assistance. Our dealership is conveniently situated within minutes of Kingsford Smith airport and 15 minutes from CBD. We offer an airport collection and drop-off service for interstate clients. We can also arrange nationwide delivery in covered transporters, and tailored finance and insurance plans with Porsche Financial Services.
We do our best to work with this and the solution we provide is designed to make formatting as fast and easy as possible. Usually, the text above can be reformatted in 1-2 mins and only has to be done at the time of the first listing.
Below is the same text above edited in under 1 minute, shown on your website. How to do this is explained above.
Once turned on, it takes 1-2 minutes and only needs to be done at the time of first listing the vehicle, the same as you do now via Autogate.
The formatting is persistent and stays with the vehicle stock code for the length of time it appears on the website - regardless of multiple daily feed updates. Links are also able to be included (i.e. Porsche Financial Services)
To show you the difference between the plain text above and the formatted test, here is the HTML that creates the formatting on the page (as seen above)
Important note: Whoever adjusts the formatting does not need to use HTML - this is just to show you how complicated it is under the covers.
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This MY15 Cayenne Diesel has only had one local owner. It was supplied and serviced by us at Porsche Centre South.
It is finished in Carrara White metallic paint with a beige interior. It has only covered 49345 km from new and is beautifully appointed with the following factory-fitted options:
- 20-inch RS Spyder Design wheels Metallic Paint
- 14-way power seats with memory
- Light comfort package Sport Chrono Package Deletion of model designation Coloured wheel centre caps
- Power steering Plus
- Panoramic roof system
- Porsche Entry & Drive Porsche Crest on headrests
- Lane Departure Warning with Lane Change Assist
- Bi-Xenon light system incl.
- PDLS Tinted LED taillights
The Porsche Approved commitment means that the pre-owned Porsche you are considering buying has been returned as close to its original condition as possible. Using only Genuine Porsche parts, each vehicle is meticulously prepared by our Porsche-trained technicians. Porsche Approved provides a minimum of 12 months Porsche Approved Factory Warranty and Porsche Roadside Assistance.
Our solution enables Milena (or whoever), to quickly adjust the car description and add links to the Finance department etc. Whilst it is not perfect - ideally, we’d all like to receive the description beautifully formatted from Carsales - it is quick, easy and effective for the web life of the vehicle.