How to Write an eBay Listing Title Under 80 Characters
eBay titles die in two ways. They overflow the 80-character cap, or they invent condition, authenticity, and brand when the seller only had used, untested, no box. Models pad with authentic and rare because those words rank. The listing then eats a policy strike you did not budget for.
The matching generator is the eBay Listing Title and Item Specifics (80-Char Cap) prompt. Browse related cards in the PromptDig library (Browse more prompts). When a filled run survives, share the version you actually use (Share a prompt).
Honesty ledger before the 80-character line
List facts you can claim from the object in hand: brand if the mark is on the item, model if the plate is readable, size, color, quantity, condition as you will select it in the form, what is missing (box, manual, charger). Proof on hand: photos, serial photo, receipt, appraisal. If proof is none, the title cannot say authenticated.
Print the character count on every title attempt. 80 is a hard cap, not a vibe. Item specifics are a separate artifact: key/value pairs that match eBay fields for that category, filled only from Facts. Empty fields stay empty or not specified. Do not guess a year, a factory, or a limited-edition run.
Banned words belong on the card: best, guaranteed, number-one, replica-as-authentic, celebrity, invented percent off. The compliance pass should quote hits and cut them.
Title variants, then specifics, not a novel
Two or three title variants, each with a count, one marked recommended. Lead with identity (what it is), then condition, then a true differentiator that is on the ledger (size, lot of 3, untested). Do not spend the 80 on shipping theater or wow deal.
Condition must match the dropdown you will actually pick. If you are listing Used, the title cannot say New. If you have not tested power, say untested. Do not let the model upgrade you to fully tested, works great.
Item specifics: brand, type, size, color, style, country of origin only if you have it. Compatibility notes only from Facts. Fits-this-phone when you did not measure is a return.
Description can be longer, still from the ledger. Flaws go in the description even if they did not fit the title. Photos you can shoot belong in an asset note. Do not invent a scale or a lab measurement.
Gaps, category, and what you will not claim
If category is unnamed, list it as a gap. Title style differs for parts, clothing, and collectibles, but the cap does not. Authenticity: unless Proof has a receipt, COA, or a mark you photographed, omit authentic, genuine, and real. Looks-like is not a brand.
Returns, shipping, and location: only if Inputs have them. Do not mint a 24-hour ship window.
This is listing copy, not legal advice, not an appraisal, and not an authenticity certificate. Strip buyer names if you paste a prior message thread.
Fill the card, then run
Replace every bracket with what you can see on the bench. Then read the counts. If a variant is 81, it is not a candidate.
Product / offer: [What it is, quantity]
Audience: [Who shops this category]
Facts I can claim: [Brand, size, condition, flaws]
Proof on hand: [Photos, receipt, or NONE]
Limits: [80-char title; item specifics fields I must fill]
Banned words: [authentic if unproven, best, guaranteed]
Voice: [plain / parts-counter / collector]
When a run prints 74 characters, leaves authenticity off, and marks year NOT IN INPUTS, share that filled card. The next lot will tempt the same fake rare line.
Keep a tape of counts next to the live listing. If eBay later adds a field you did not fill, that is a gap for the next run, not a reason to backfill a year you still do not have. Re-run when condition or quantity changes. Do not keep a title that assumed a box you already sold separately.