eBay Listing Tips — How to Write Titles That Rank

eBay has over 1.7 billion listings. Getting your item seen — let alone sold — depends almost entirely on how well you write your title. eBay's search engine, Cassini, uses your title as the primary ranking signal. This guide covers everything you need to write eBay titles and descriptions that rank higher and sell faster.

1. How eBay Search Works — Cassini Explained

eBay's search engine is called Cassini. Unlike Google, which ranks pages based on authority and backlinks, Cassini ranks listings based on relevance and seller performance. That means two things matter most: how well your listing matches the buyer's search, and how good your selling history is.

Cassini looks at your title first, then your item specifics, then your description. Your title carries the most weight — it is the single most important thing you can optimise. A strong title with the right keywords can outrank a competitor with more sales history.

Cassini also considers sell-through rate — how often your listing results in a sale compared to how often it appears in search. A listing with great keywords but poor photos or a bad price will have a low sell-through rate, which drags it down in rankings over time.

2. Writing the Perfect eBay Title

eBay gives you 80 characters for your title. Use every single one. Most sellers waste 20–30 characters with vague words that buyers never search for. Here is the formula for a strong eBay title:

Always include the brand if it is known — buyers search by brand constantly on eBay. Include the condition (new, used, refurbished) because buyers filter by this. Include size, colour, or model number where relevant — these are the details that match specific buyer searches.

Avoid words like "amazing", "look", "L@@K", "wow", or "must see" — buyers never search these and Cassini ignores them. Every character in your title should be a word a buyer might actually type.

3. Item Specifics — The Hidden Ranking Factor

Item specifics are the structured fields eBay asks you to fill in — brand, colour, size, material, style, and so on. Most sellers skip half of them. This is a big mistake.

Cassini uses item specifics to match your listing to filtered searches. When a buyer searches for "blue denim jacket size 12", eBay filters by the colour, material, and size fields — not just the title. If you have not filled in those fields, your listing is invisible to that buyer even if your title is perfect.

4. Writing eBay Descriptions That Build Trust

eBay descriptions matter less for search ranking than titles and item specifics — but they matter a lot for conversion. A buyer who is unsure will read your description before deciding to purchase. A thin or confusing description loses the sale.

A good eBay description covers four things: what the item is, what condition it is in, what is included in the sale, and any important details the buyer needs to know before purchasing. For used items, be honest about any flaws — this reduces returns and protects your seller rating.

5. Pricing Strategy for eBay Sellers

Pricing on eBay is more dynamic than on other platforms because buyers can see competing listings instantly and sort by price. Before setting your price, search for your item on eBay and filter by "Sold listings" — this shows you what buyers actually paid, not just what sellers are asking.

For fixed price listings, price within 5–10% of the median sold price. Going lower gets sales faster but eats your margin. Going higher is fine if your photos and description are significantly better than competitors.

For auction listings, starting at 99p or $0.99 creates urgency and can drive competitive bidding — but only works reliably for items with proven demand. For unique or rare items, a fixed price with Best Offer enabled gives buyers a way to negotiate without you committing to a low starting price.

6. Photos and Seller Rating — The Trust Signals

eBay allows up to 24 photos per listing for free. Use as many as you need to show the item completely. Buyers on eBay are often purchasing second-hand or unfamiliar items — the more photos you provide, the more confident they feel.

Shoot on a plain white or neutral background. Show the item from multiple angles. For used items, photograph any flaws clearly — this shows honesty and dramatically reduces disputes and returns.

Your seller feedback score is visible on every listing. A high positive feedback percentage (98% or above) is a powerful trust signal. Respond to messages quickly, dispatch promptly, and resolve any issues generously — these habits compound into a strong seller reputation that boosts your rankings and conversion rate over time.