eBay will be enforcing a policy requiring all sellers to follow strict picture requirements, as of July 1st, which will leave thousands of sellers with vanishing listings. eBay recently sent out a flurry of emails to everyone with non-compliant images as a reminder of the new requirements.
The subject line of the email said, “MC999 Selling Practices policy violation alert ,“ and the email warned that if the listings were not updated to meet the requirements right away that they would be removed and blocked from re-listing.
Although eBay gave over a year’s notice to the changes, sellers with thousands of listings are frustrated by the boatload of work this new policy has dumped on them. Many sellers are having difficulty meeting the new photo requirements with their digital cameras and lack-of studio lighting.
The following picture requirements were given in the email sent to sellers with non-compliant images:
Minimum Photo Size
eBay now requires all images to meet the minimum photo size of at least 500 pixels on the longest side of each picture. That means that sellers whose photos are too small may have to retake all of their product photos. In addition, borders are no longer allowed on any photos listed on eBay.
Watermark Policy
Watermarks are still allowed for ownership and attribution; however, they will no longer allow any watermarks that are placed over the main part of an image. Also, the watermark can be no larger than 5% of the total image area or have opacity of no more than 50%.
No Text Or Artwork On Photos
Photos cannot have seller-added text or artwork on the image. For example, overlaying the words “Free Shipping” on an item will not be allowed.
Each Listing Must Have At Least One Photo
Sellers on eBay can no longer list any items without an accompanying photo. Photos without a copyright can be used with listings that are not something you can photograph, such as a vacation.
Stock Photos Can Only Be Used For Brand New Items
Sellers can no longer use the eBay catalog stock photos in the primary photo position. When listing a used item outside of books, movies, music, and video games, in order to be compliant with these new policies, sellers must upload your own photo.
Although the new requirements are causing many sellers to be flustered about their listings being compliant, the concept that eBay is enforcing is a good one. As eBay states on their website, “Higher quality photos increase the likelihood your item will sell by 5%.” If you are selling online with bad lighting, small images, or distracting backgrounds, it is likely that potential customers are passing you by due to the seeming lack of quality your images portray. eBay understands that “Better Photos Sell Better.” Along those same lines, larger photos make for a better user experience.
Whether you sell on eBay or Miva Merchant, it is always good to remember the importance of optimizing your product photos for mobile customers. At least 20% of eBay buyers use their mobile phones to purchase, and high-quality images are an important aspect of those sales. As the ecommerce landscape evolves, it is inevitable that the quality of products listing pictures must also evolve.
At the end of the day, the new requirements for listing on eBay are good reminders of best practices that should always be used while listing products anywhere online.
Note: New GTC (Good ‘Til Canceled) listings created after July 1 will need to adhere to the new image requirements, but according to eBay, “Existing Good ‘Til Cancelled listings that automatically renew (without revisions) will not be impacted at this time.” So if you are a seller who has a GTC listing in place before July 1, it will be exempt from the new requirements.
Miva