Your eBay description must be accurate, factual and directly related to the item or your sale terms. Remove anything else: scripts, contact details, outside links and decorative symbols. State the exact condition, every flaw and everything included in the box. If you are unsure about a claim, replace it with a measurable fact, such as a size, a model number or a photographed defect.
TL;DR:
- List the exact condition, every known flaw, included and missing parts, measurements, and model or serial numbers; tie defects to numbered photos.
- Remove scripts, contact details, QR codes, outside links, and decorative symbols; even nonclickable text resembling a web address can violate eBay’s rules.
- When an item arrives damaged, faulty, or significantly not as described, eBay typically requires a return and full refund, often with a prepaid label.
- AI can draft descriptions, but sellers remain responsible for every claim; verify facts about the specific item and avoid copied descriptions without written permission.
What does eBay require in an item description?
The rule behind the eBay listing policies is simple: listing content must relate to the item or your terms of sale, and it must be accurate and not misleading. eBay’s own seller guidance on descriptions asks you to describe the item completely and to include your terms of sale, even if they appear elsewhere in the listing. The full wording sits in the official item description policy.
In practice, a compliant description does these things:
- States the exact condition and lists every known defect, including scratches, stains, missing buttons and worn corners.
- Gives precise measurements, plus model or serial numbers where they exist.
- Lists what is included: charger, box, manual, spare parts.
- Uses factual language. “Mint, flawless, best on the market” invites a dispute. “No visible scratches on the screen; light scuff on the left edge, shown in photo 4” does not.
Vague, optimistic wording is the main driver of disputes, because buyers treat your description as a binding statement of what they will receive.
Which formatting and content will get a listing flagged?
eBay bans active content, so no JavaScript, Flash, plug-ins or scripts. They create security risks and a poor experience for buyers, and a listing that contains them can be removed. Stick to plain text and standard HTML where the editor allows it.
Contact details and outside links are the other big trap. The links policy forbids web addresses or links to non-eBay sites that promote off-eBay transactions, and even non-clickable text that looks like a web address can cause a violation. Third-party explainers such as this links policy overview add that email addresses, phone numbers, social links and QR codes should stay out too.
- Remove phone numbers, email addresses, QR codes and any off-eBay purchase link.
- Replace decorative symbols (stars, arrows, rows of exclamation marks) with normal punctuation.
- Keep fonts readable and spacing consistent.
Pro Tip: Paste your description into a plain-text editor before you list. If anything looks like a web address, delete it. Your brand name written in words is fine; “www” anything is not.
How should images and video support your description?
Photos are part of the description, so they must tell the same story as your text. The images, videos and text policy is the page to check when you are unsure.
- Use original photos of the exact item you are sending, not a generic picture.
- Add close-ups of faults, wear and serial numbers wherever they matter to the buyer.
- Avoid stock or staged images when they would hide the real condition of a used or damaged item.
- Never put links, phone numbers or other contact details inside an image to dodge the text rules.
A good habit is to number your photos and refer to them in the text (“crack on the lower corner, see photo 5”). That ties each flaw to visual proof and removes any room for argument later.
What does “significantly not as described” mean for you?
SNAD stands for significantly not as described. Under the eBay Money Back Guarantee policy, if an item arrives damaged, faulty or SNAD, you are typically required to accept the return and issue a full refund. SNAD returns generally override the return policy you set, and you will usually need to provide a prepaid return label.
Your best defence is a description that leaves nothing to interpretation:
- Say exactly what is included, and say plainly when parts or accessories are missing.
- Disclose any repairs, refurbishment or replaced components.
- Photograph the item’s condition before packing, and keep those images with your sale records.
- Save messages and listing versions, so you can contest a false claim with evidence.
Can you use AI to write eBay descriptions?
Yes. eBay does not prohibit AI-generated descriptions, as long as the final text is accurate, reflects the specific item you are selling and does not infringe intellectual property. You stay fully responsible for the truth of every line. Copying another seller’s description without written permission is prohibited, and it can lead to removals.
- Check the AI draft against the item: measurements, condition, included parts and provenance.
- Delete any claim you cannot prove, however polished it sounds.
- Keep your edits and notes, so you can show due diligence if a buyer disputes the sale.
If you want to understand how search engines treat machine-written copy more broadly, this explainer on AI-generated content and SEO is a useful read.
Pro Tip: Give the AI your facts first (size, flaws, contents) and ask it to format them, rather than asking it to invent a description from a photo.
What does a compliant description look like? A checklist and template
Work through this list for every listing:
- Write a short, accurate title.
- State the condition honestly.
- List what is included, and what is not.
- Add model and serial numbers.
- Give exact dimensions or sizes.
- Describe every known fault.
- Add shipping and return terms.
Then copy this template into the editor:
- Item: brand, model, colour
- Condition: new, used or for parts, plus one sentence of detail
- Included: every part, accessory and piece of packaging
- Measurements: length, width, height, weight
- Flaws: each one, with its photo number
- Terms: shipping method, handling time, returns
A used camera might read: “Used camera body. The shutter count is recorded in the listing. Light wear on the grip, shown in a photo. Includes battery, charger and strap; no lens, no box.” For more layouts, see our guides to product description structure and copy-and-paste description templates, or our walkthrough of mobile-first eBay listing descriptions.
How do you fix or appeal a description violation?
Act quickly, and keep the fix factual.
- Edit the listing to remove the offending element (the link, the script, the contact detail), then relist with clear, factual copy.
- Gather evidence: the original listing text, your photos and your sale records.
- Contact eBay support through the notice you received, and open an appeal if you believe the takedown was a mistake.
- Accept the takedown when the violation is plain, such as a phone number in the text. Contest it when your documentation shows the listing was accurate and compliant.
Why facts beat marketing language every time
After years of watching sellers lose disputes over adjectives, my view is simple: buyers do not sue your tone, they dispute your claims. A measurable fact and a photo beat any phrase like “excellent condition”. Run the same short checklist on every listing, without exception, and most SNAD disputes never start.
— Jamie Moss
How do we keep your descriptions compliant and fast?
We built MerchUp AI as an AI product manager for your store: it turns a photo, barcode or trading-card scan into a full listing and writes the description into a designed template. Our templates keep formatting plain and give you set fields for measurements, condition and included parts, so nothing essential gets left out.
- Template-designed descriptions from a photo, barcode or card scan.
- Structured fields that prompt for condition and what is in the box.
- Available now for Shopify, with a free plan and paid plans from £12.99 a month.
See the plans on our pricing page.
FAQ
What are the rules for item descriptions on eBay?
Descriptions must be accurate, relevant to the item or your terms of sale, and free of active content and off-eBay links. State condition, flaws and contents clearly. The item description policy has the full wording.
What happens if an item is not as described on eBay?
If an item is significantly not as described, the buyer is typically entitled to a return and full refund under the Money Back Guarantee. That outcome generally overrides your own return policy, so accurate descriptions protect you.
Why can’t I see item descriptions on eBay?
Descriptions sometimes load inside a separate frame, so a slow connection, an ad blocker or an outdated browser can hide them. Try refreshing, switching browsers or using the eBay app. If a seller left the description empty, ask them a question before buying.
Can I use AI to write my own eBay descriptions?
Yes, provided the final text is accurate, matches your specific item and does not infringe intellectual property. You remain responsible for every claim, so check measurements, condition and included parts before publishing.
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