Listing
An 80-character eBay title, in the order buyers search
eBay gives a title 80 characters. Written in the right order, brand, product type and details make every word work in search; repeats, capitals and empty phrases just take up space. Step by step, with an example.
What do buyers search for on eBay? Usually a brand, a product type and a detail, like "Anker wireless earbuds black". When your title follows that order, it has a better chance of showing up in search. eBay gives a title 80 characters and won't accept a longer one.
The order of a good title
- Brand (if it's unbranded, leave it out; "Unbranded" belongs in the item specifics, not the title).
- Product type: in the word a buyer would type.
- Details: model, color, size, material, quantity.
- Compatibility: if it's used with another product, which one (like "for iPhone 15").
- Condition: for used or refurbished items, when buyers need to tell them apart.
On a phone, the results list shows only the start of a title. That's why putting the most important words first pays twice: in search, and in the line a buyer skims with their eyes.
What takes space and doesn't help
- Writing the same word twice: it helps search only once.
- Words in all capitals: eBay advises against them and they're harder to read.
- Phrases nobody searches for, like "L@@K", "WOW" or "hot sale".
- Symbols and exclamation marks.
- Other brands' names: writing "like Apple" or "Nike style" puts you in the wrong searches and can count as a brand infringement.
Example: from a weak title to a good one
Before: "WOW!! NEW Wireless Earbuds BLUETOOTH Earbuds Headphones L@@K" (60 characters). One word appears twice, there's no brand or model, and capitals and symbols take up space.
After: "Anker Soundcore Wireless Earbuds Bluetooth 5.3 Charging Case Black" (66 characters). The brand comes first, the product type in the word a buyer would type, then the details; every word answers a search, and 14 characters are still free.
A title isn't enough on its own
Buyers narrow results with filters such as brand, color and size. Those filters are fed by the item specifics, not the title. A missing specific means your listing doesn't show up at all in a filtered search. Each category has its own list of specifics; some are required, some recommended. Filling in the recommended ones too puts your listing in more filters.
SellerLibrary's Listing Studio fills these fields from the source listing, checks the category's required fields and names any that are still missing; you build the title on the same screen.
Build your own title in the title builder; choose a category to also see the phrases new listings in it use most.
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