eBay not as described claims: how accurate listings stop them before they start

What does eBay not as described mean?

An eBay not as described claim is a return request in which the buyer says the item they received does not match the listing. eBay's Money Back Guarantee covers purchases paid through eBay checkout for items that do not match the listing, and buyers can request a return for this reason within 30 calendar days of delivery, or within your longer return window if you offer one. You must respond within 3 business days, after which the buyer can ask eBay to step in.

Not as described claims cost more than other returns. eBay's help page on return postage says that when an item is damaged, faulty or does not match the listing, the seller pays the return postage, even if the returns policy says the seller does not offer free returns. You also lose the sale, the fees on it and your time. That is why the cheapest place to deal with them is before the item sells: in the listing itself.

Most claims come from a gap between what the listing promised and what arrived. This guide goes through a listing part by part, so you can find and close those gaps. For handling a claim that has already arrived, see our guide to preventing and handling eBay item not as described claims.

Which parts of a listing cause not as described claims?

Buyers compare the item in their hands with everything on the listing page, not only the description. The table below lists the usual mismatches.

How to make the title and condition match the item

The title

The title is the first promise you make. An eBay title can be at most 80 characters, and sellers often squeeze words in that do not apply: a model number for the next version up, a capacity the item does not have, or 'set' when only one piece is included. Every word should be true of this item. Pack quantities need special care: 'pack of 2' and 'twin pack' should only appear when two units are in the box.

The condition

Pick the condition from eBay's list that describes the item as it is now, not as it was when it was made. Opened but unused, display models, returned items and items with damaged packaging are not the same as brand new in sealed packaging. eBay sets out what each condition means by category, and when in doubt, choose the lower grade and explain why in the description. A buyer who gets better than they expected does not open a claim.

Photos that show what the buyer will receive

eBay's picture policy says photos must accurately represent the item and that placeholder images are not allowed. Stock photos are not allowed for used, damaged or defective items. Photos must be at least 500 pixels on the longest side, and added borders, added text, artwork or marketing material, and watermarks of any kind are not allowed.

For not as described claims, the most common photo problem is a photo of a different version: a black kettle pictured when you send white, a bundle pictured when you sell the item alone, or an older packaging design. Use these rules:

• For used items, photograph the actual item, including every mark, scratch or missing part you mention.
• For new items, make sure the photo shows the same colour, version and pack contents as the stock you send.
• Do not show accessories that are not included. If a photo shows them, say clearly in the description that they are not part of the sale, or use a different photo.
• Show the label, model number and any size tag where they help the buyer confirm the version.

Our guide to eBay listing photos that sell has a full shot list.

Item specifics and measurements: the details buyers check

Item specifics are the structured details such as brand, model, size, colour, material and compatibility. Buyers use them to filter searches, and they check them when the item arrives. A wrong value here is as much part of the listing as a wrong word in the description.

Fill specifics from the product, not from a template

Templates and catalogue matches speed up listing, but they can carry values from a different product. After eBay fills in specifics from its catalogue, read each one against the item. If you list from a supplier's data, compare it with a sample or the supplier's spec sheet; supplier data often lists the whole range's colours or sizes. Our guide to filling in eBay item specifics explains which fields matter most.

Give measurements, not just sizes

Sizes vary between brands and countries. A UK dress size and its US and EU equivalents are meant to match, but cuts differ from brand to brand. For clothing, shoes, furniture and anything that must fit a space, give the real measurements in centimetres or inches, and say how you measured: chest flat across, inside leg, or outside dimensions including handles. Buyers who check measurements before buying rarely say the item is the wrong size.

Compatibility must be specific

For parts, chargers, cases, filters and accessories, list exactly which models it fits, and which it does not if there is a common confusion. 'Fits most phones' invites claims. 'Compatible with model A and model B; not compatible with model C' does not.

A description that answers the buyer's questions

A good description tells the buyer what they are getting, what they are not getting, and anything that would change their mind if they knew it. These are the lines that prevent the most claims:

• What is in the box. List every item included, and say plainly when something usually included is not (no charger, no original box, no manual).
• Flaws and wear. Describe them in words and show them in photos. eBay's feedback policy says it removes negative or neutral feedback when the buyer raises an issue that was correctly disclosed in the listing; disclosure protects you there too.
• Plugs, voltages and regions. For electrical goods, state the plug type and voltage. For media and games, state the region and format.
• Expiry and batch dates for anything that has them.
• Who it is for. Age ranges, skill levels or 'for adults' where it matters.

Keep the description consistent with the title and specifics. If the title says 'blue' and a line in the description says 'colour may vary', a buyer who gets green has a fair claim. Remove copied text that does not apply, especially from a supplier's general product page. Our guide to writing an eBay product description gives a full layout.

Variations: one listing, many chances to get it wrong

Multi-variation listings put several options under one title. Each option is, in effect, its own product, and each needs to be described correctly:

1. Give every option its own photo, so the picture changes when the buyer picks a colour.
2. Check that each option's item specifics (size, colour, material) are right, not copied from the first option.
3. Link each option to the right stock. If the medium sells out and the buyer is sent a large instead, that is a not as described claim waiting to happen.
4. Before posting, check the variation on the order, not just the listing title.

Worked example: what one wrong word costs

Example: suppose you sell a set of storage boxes at £24.00 and the title says 'set of 4', but the stock you send is a set of 3. The buyer opens a not as described return. Assume, for this hypothetical, that a tracked return label costs you £3.50. How much of your selling fee comes back after a refund depends on eBay's fee credit rules, so check eBay's fee pages for your site.

• You refund the buyer £24.00.
• You pay £3.50 return postage, because a not as described return is the seller's cost.
• You get back a set you may need to relist with a corrected title.
• You spend time on messages and on the return.

Fixing the title before the sale would have cost nothing. Across a catalogue of hundreds of listings built from the same template, one wrong word can repeat in every listing.

A pre-publish accuracy checklist

Run through this list before any listing goes live, and on your best sellers every few months, since stock and packaging change.

• Does every word in the title match this item, including model and pack size?
• Is the condition the one that fits the item today?
• Do the photos show this item, or this exact version, with nothing extra?
• Have you read every item specific after a catalogue match?
• Are measurements given for anything that must fit?
• Does the description list what is included, what is not and every flaw?
• Does each variation have its own photo and specifics?
• If a supplier changed the product or packaging, has the listing been updated?

Read eBay's full Money Back Guarantee policy and its picture policy for the current rules on your site.