How to write eBay listing titles that get found
Most buyers find an item by typing words into eBay's search box. Your title is the main thing eBay matches those words against, and you get 80 characters. This guide covers what to put in them, what to leave out, and how titles work with item specifics, with examples from the kinds of things that turn up at estate sales.
The 80-character limit
An eBay title can be up to 80 characters. Spaces and punctuation count. You don't have to use all 80, but every relevant word you leave out is a search you won't appear in. A title of "Vintage Lamp" matches almost nothing a serious buyer types.
Fill the space with words that describe the item. Don't fill it with padding. "L@@K", "WOW", "RARE!!!" and "Must See" are words nobody searches for, and they push real keywords out.
What to include, in order
Lead with what the item is and who made it. Buyers scan the first few words in search results, and on a phone the end of the title is often cut off.
- Brand or maker, if known (Pyrex, Lane, Fenton, Stiffel)
- What it is, in the words a buyer would use (floor lamp, mixing bowl, cedar chest)
- Pattern, model or line name (Butterprint, Acclaim, Hobnail)
- Material and color (brass, walnut, milk glass, turquoise)
- Size or capacity, when it matters (1.5 qt, 58 inch, size 8)
- Era or style (1960s, mid century, Art Deco)
- A condition word only if it helps (working, tested, for parts)
If you don't know the maker, don't guess. Lead with what the item is, then describe it by material, style and era.
Before and after
| Weak title | Stronger title |
|---|---|
| Vintage Lamp | Stiffel Brass Floor Lamp 58" Mid Century 1960s 3-Way Switch Working Vintage |
| Old Pyrex bowl blue | Pyrex Butterprint 403 Mixing Bowl 2.5 Qt Turquoise on White Amish Vintage |
| Beautiful antique chest!!! | Lane Cedar Chest Walnut Mid Century Hope Chest Blanket Trunk 1950s with Key |
| Milk glass vase | Fenton Hobnail Milk Glass Vase 8" Ruffled Crimped Edge White Vintage |
Each stronger title answers the questions a buyer would otherwise have to open the listing to check: who made it, which one it is, how big it is and roughly how old.
Words to skip
- Opinions: beautiful, gorgeous, amazing, stunning
- Attention-getters: L@@K, WOW, rare (unless it truly is and buyers search that way)
- All capitals. They're harder to read and don't help search
- Punctuation used as decoration: asterisks, repeated exclamation marks
- Brands the item isn't. "Like Pyrex" or "Tiffany style" on an unbranded item can break eBay's rules on misleading titles and brings the wrong buyers
Titles and item specifics work together
Item specifics are the structured fields under the title: Brand, Material, Color, Era and so on. When a buyer narrows a search with the filters on the left of the results page, eBay uses these fields. A listing with empty specifics can drop out of filtered results even if the title is perfect.
Fill in every specific you can, especially the ones eBay marks as required or recommended for the category. You don't need to repeat every specific in the title. Use the title for the words buyers type and the specifics for the details they filter by.
Find the words buyers use
Search eBay for your item and tick "Sold items" in the filters. Look at the titles of the ones that sold for the most. The words they share are the words buyers are searching for. If sold listings say "credenza" and you wrote "sideboard", consider using both.
The search box's suggestions help too. Start typing what the item is and note what eBay offers to complete.
A quick checklist
- Maker and item type in the first few words
- Pattern, model, material, color and size included where known
- Era or style included
- No filler words, all-caps or decoration
- Nothing claimed that you can't see or verify
- Spelled correctly. A misspelled brand won't match searches
- Item specifics filled in
Where LegacyList fits
LegacyList drafts a title, description, category, condition and tags for each item from your photos, and keeps titles within eBay's 80-character limit. You review and edit every draft before you list it.