How to write an eBay listing description.

eBay lists a detailed description as one of five steps in creating a listing, next to the title, photos, item specifics and price.¹ Its advice for the description itself is short: include the item's brand name, style and model numbers, along with any unique qualities.¹ Everything else on this page is how to turn that into something a buyer can read in ten seconds.

The description is not the title. The title is what a buyer searches against, and eBay says its system finds listing titles that closely match a search.¹ The description is where a buyer who found you decides whether to buy. Put search words in the title and the facts in the item specifics, then use the description for the detail those two fields cannot hold.

eBay does not publish a required length or format for descriptions on the pages we read. We have no sourced figure for how long a description should be, so aim for as long as the item needs and no longer.

This structure is our suggestion, not an eBay rule. It puts the most useful facts first and keeps each block short enough to scan on a phone.

1. One line on what it is. Item type, brand, model or edition, and the main use. Example: "Hardcover cookbook, third edition, spiral binding removed for photography."
2. Condition, in plain words. Say what you see: scuffs, stains, tears, scratches, missing parts. eBay asks sellers to be accurate and transparent about condition, and says describing the item accurately helps buyers know what they are getting and can reduce the chance of a return.¹
3. Measurements and details. Size, weight, capacity, color name as printed, year or edition. Only list what you measured or read.
4. What is included. Box, cables, manual, tags, extra pieces. If something is missing, say so here.
5. Testing or use notes. "Powers on, tested with a new battery" is useful. "Works great" is not.
6. A short close. Anything about your shipping or packing that a buyer should know. Keep your policies in your business policies rather than retyping them.

Leave out any block that does not apply. A short, true description beats a long one padded with generic lines.

Both samples below are made-up items, written to show the difference.

The clear version answers the buyer's likely questions before they ask: what it is, whether it works, what is wrong with it, what is in the box, and how big it is. It also points to photos, because eBay says showing every angle and any imperfections makes buyers more confident in what they are getting.¹

Three eBay policies are worth knowing before you paste anything into the description box.

• Write your own text. eBay says to take your own images and videos and write your own descriptions. You may also use images and product details from the eBay product catalog.² Content you use must be truthful and accurate, and must not infringe anyone's rights.² eBay specifically says you cannot use images or videos from a manufacturer's website, even if they are public, and that copying content from other sites may count as copyright infringement.²
• No active content. eBay does not allow active content in new listings, and gives scrolling item pickers, embedded feedback, social sharing icons and currency conversion widgets as examples. It explains that such content can create a poor experience, particularly on mobile, and adds load time and security risks.³ If you try, eBay shows an error that reads "Disallowed JavaScript/HTML Syntax" and you cannot list the item until you remove it.³ eBay also offers an active content checker for existing listings.³
• Catalog details must match your item. If you pre-fill a listing from eBay's catalog, choose the product only when it is an exact match. eBay says it is against its search manipulation policy to use catalog details for a product you are not listing.⁴

The policy pages we read do not list which formatting tags are allowed, so we do not claim a list. If you format a description with HTML, check the result in a preview before you publish. For the rules on keywords that have nothing to do with your item, see the title guide.

If you list the same kind of thing often, eBay lets you create up to 50 listing templates in Seller Hub, so you do not start from scratch each time.⁵ Our list faster guide covers how templates work. A practical rule: reuse the structure, never the facts. Brand, model, condition and what is included belong to the item in your hand, so rewrite those blocks every time.

Before you publish, read it once as a buyer. Does it say what is wrong with the item? Does it match the condition you selected and the item specifics you filled in? Does it name the model in the same words as the title? If you are weighing a price, run it through the eBay fee calculator and check what your shipping supplies will cost, since a clear description also tells you the box size you will need.

When you photograph an item, Strooply drafts a description as HTML with a condition paragraph, feature bullets and what is included, based on your photos and any condition notes you give it. You pick the condition yourself. You review and change every field before anything is published, and you can redraft the description on every plan. Strooply does not know your item as well as you do, so check the model, the measurements and every flaw it mentions. Details are on the AI listing generator page and in how Strooply works. Picking the right category is a separate step, covered in our category guide.