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eBay title formula: using your 80 characters well

· SnapList AI team

The eBay title is widely cited as 80 characters, so check the listing form for the exact limit before you rely on it. We could not confirm the figure on an official page, but the habit this post describes works at any length: put the most useful words first and cut everything that does not earn its place.

The basic formula

A dependable structure for clothing and shoes is:

Brand + item type + key detail + size

Add colour or a style name if there is room. Say you are listing a wool coat. A title might read: “Burberry wool trench coat mens 40R navy belted”. Every word is something a buyer might search for or something that tells them what they are getting.

The order matters because buyers skim. Put the words they would type first, then the narrowing details.

Where the words come from

Take them from the item, not from memory or guesswork.

  • Brand: read it from the label, not from the style of the garment.
  • Item type: what you would call it in a search: “trench coat”, “ankle boots”, “hoodie”.
  • Key detail: a material, a model name or a style, but only if it is printed on the tag or clearly visible.
  • Size: exactly as it appears on the label, including the system. “UK 10” and “US 10” are different sizes.

If you are not sure of a model name or a fabric, leave it out of the title. A wrong word in a title is worse than a missing one.

Cut the filler

Words like “wow”, “rare” and “L@@K”, along with rows of punctuation, spend characters without adding information. “Rare” in particular is a claim you would have to be able to support. A good habit is to read the title aloud and ask of each word: would a buyer search for this, or does it tell them something concrete? If not, delete it.

Do not add brand names that are not on the item, even as “similar to” terms. Buyers dislike unrelated keywords, and eBay’s help centre is the place to check its current policy on keyword use.

Item specifics do part of the job

Brand, Size and Material are named item specifics on eBay. eBay states that apparel and footwear listings with missing or unclear size values may be hidden until updated, so fill these fields in properly rather than relying on the title alone.

That also means the title does not have to carry everything. If Material is in an item specific, you can use the title space for something else. Whatever you enter should match across the title, the description and the specifics.

Condition must agree everywhere

eBay’s clothing conditions, since January 2025, are:

  • New with tags
  • New without tags
  • New with imperfections
  • Pre-owned - Excellent
  • Pre-owned - Good
  • Pre-owned - Fair

eBay states that condition must be consistent across the title, description and item specifics. So if you pick “Pre-owned - Good” and your title says “mint”, you have a mismatch. Either change the word or change the condition.

A tidy approach is to keep condition language out of the title unless it is a plain fact like “NWT” and make sure the description spells out any flaws. If there is a stain, a missing button or a faded collar, say so in the description and show it in a photo.

For a deeper look at grades, see our post on how condition wording works across marketplaces.

Checking your title against sold listings

Before you finalise a title, it can help to see how similar items were described. eBay has a “sold items” filter on search. Use it to look at titles of items that actually sold, and compare like with like: same brand, similar size and similar condition. We cover the method in researching sold prices yourself. Do not copy another seller’s title word for word; use it to notice which details buyers seem to care about.

Different marketplaces, different habits

Each marketplace treats titles differently. Some have a separate title field, and some do not. If you sell in several places, the same item usually needs a differently shaped opening. Per-marketplace formatting is one way to handle that, and a plain text file of your own templates works too.

A worked example

Hypothetical item: a pair of leather boots with a clear label inside.

  • Label reads: brand, “EU 41”, “UK 7”.
  • Visible: black, leather-looking upper, side zip.

A reasonable title: “Dr Martens black ankle boots side zip UK 7 EU 41”. It uses the label for brand and size. It says “leather” only if the tag or lining says so, and otherwise leaves the word out.

Quick checklist

  • Check the title limit on the listing form; treat 80 as the commonly cited figure.
  • Start with brand and item type.
  • Add one or two real details, taken from the label or photos.
  • Write the size as printed, with the system.
  • No filler words, no unrelated brand names.
  • Fill in Brand, Size and Material item specifics.
  • Condition matches across title, description and specifics.
  • Every flaw is in the description and visible in photos.

You can build titles by hand or with a drafting tool such as SnapList AI. Either way, read the result before you paste it into eBay yourself.

Marketplace rules change. Check the current rules in the app or help centre before you rely on a limit. Last reviewed 29 October 2026.