The words and photos that get eBay listings taken down
Brand names, copy wording, health claims, banned phrases and borrowed photos: what gets eBay listings removed, and how to write listings that stay up.
Updated · 6 min read
Most takedowns aren’t random. They come from a short list of things rights owners and eBay look for, and most of them can be caught before a listing goes live.
Brand names you’re not selling
Through eBay’s Verified Rights Owner (VeRO) programme, brands report listings that use their names or images without permission. Some do it often, including big names in electronics, toys, fashion and characters.
- If the item is genuine and you can show where it came from, the brand name belongs in the listing. Keep proof of purchase from an authorised source.
- If it isn’t, say what it fits, not what it is: “case compatible with iPhone 15”, not “iPhone case”.
- Keep other brands’ logos out of your photos, even as props.
Words that say “copy”
“Dupe”, “1:1 copy”, “AAA quality”, “mirror quality” and “replica” tell a rights owner, and eBay, that an item copies a branded one. Even “inspired by” draws attention. Describe the item on its own terms.
Claims you can’t prove
Claims that a product cures or prevents a disease, or that a regulator approved it, get listings removed. Softer claims like “clinically proven”, “medical grade” or “kills 99.9% of bacteria” need evidence you can show. If you don’t hold the paperwork, leave them out.
Phrases eBay forbids
eBay’s listing policies forbid search tricks and some sales wording outright, such as “L@@K”, and words like “replica” or “knock-off”. They also limit what you can say about your other listings or about selling elsewhere.
Photos that aren’t yours
- Supplier photos often carry watermarks or another shop’s branding.
- Brand photography is owned by the brand.
- Photos of characters and logos invite reports even when the item is generic.
Your own photos, on a plain background, avoid all three.
A pre-publish routine
- Read the title for brand names, and check each one is either genuine or “compatible with”.
- Search the description for copy wording and claims.
- Look at every photo for logos, watermarks and characters.
- Make sure the listing describes the item you’ll actually send.
Paste a listing into our free takedown word checker to do the first two steps in seconds. In SellerDesk the same checks run on every listing, with a closer read of photos and wording, and blocking risks hold up publishing until they’re fixed. See how listing health works.