AI Seller Listing
Summary: The discussion revolves around using AI for creating seller listings, particularly focusing on the speed to first draft rather than the final description. awcdesignshop provides insights on how to improve listing descriptions by starting with AI-generated drafts from photos and then manually adding specific details important to buyers, such as condition, flaws, measurements, and included accessories. It is advised not to rely solely on the AI-generated paragraph, as it might lack specificity. awcdesignshop also discloses their affiliation with LazyLister.net and emphasizes keeping sellers in control of the final wording and condition notes.
Trying to turn on AI Seller Listing so I can take pictures and it spins up a title and description. Googled and it said go to Seller Hub and create listing but it doesn’t give me the drop down menu to select AI it goes to a screen telling me to scan a barcode
awcdesignshop
·3 months ago · EditedThe useful part of these AI listing flows is speed to first draft, not the final description. If eBay’s built-in flow is inconsistent on your account, I’d still keep the same process: - get a draft from photos if available - then manually add the things buyers actually care about - especially condition, flaws, measurements, included accessories, and anything that would affect returns That tends to work better than relying on the stock AI paragraph, which often sounds polished but leaves out the exact details that matter most. My general advice either way is to use AI for draft generation and field prefill, but keep the seller in control of condition notes and final wording.
awcdesignshop
·4 months agoThe safest way to use photo-first listing is to treat the AI output as a draft, not the final listing.
What tends to work best is:
1. Let the tool create the first pass.
2. Rewrite the title around the exact item and condition.
3. Replace the paragraph with short bullets for measurements, flaws, included parts, and anything a buyer could dispute later.
4. Double-check item specifics, because the description usually inherits mistakes from there.
That keeps the speed benefit without turning the listing into a liability. Full disclosure, I work on LazyLister.net, so I spend a lot of time thinking about this workflow. The biggest quality jump usually comes from using AI to remove blank-page friction, then having the seller add the condition-specific facts only they know.
duffy4444
·8 months ago@suka_3210 :
Don't be lazy, especially here at eBay.
Take the time to write your own accurate item descriptions that buyers can trust. Using AI descriptions are the easy, lazy way out, and it opens wide the door to a lot of INAD returns and negative FB. It also causes buyers to glance over stupid description word salads that say nothing helpful.
A lot of buyers, myself included, will automatically NOT buy your item when AI states absolutely nothing really meaningful about it.
Cheers, Duffy
tarotfindsandmore
·8 months agoA couple of clear, concise descriptive sentences that accurately describe the item and its condition is all you need in the description section. Focus on good pics and making sure your items are cleaned up properly for resale. For example, the puffer coat (32 Degrees) is filthy. You want to make sure you either 1) wash it or 2) include the fact that it is need of a good washing in the description.
I'm not a clothing seller, though I do occasionally sell NWTs clothing on Poshmark, but I can tell you that I wouldn't buy obviously unclean clothing or shoes (at least wipe down the bottoms and get rid of the dust) from anyone. No description in the world is going to change my mind, AI or not.
redmodelt
·8 months agoWhile AI might be used for "NEW" items, I am of the opinion that it should "NEVER" be used for used or preowned items.
cozycornertreasures01
·8 months agoI agree with what everyone is saying about the Ebay AI for descriptions, it is redundant useless words that in the end can cause INAD problems for a seller.
The only thing I would suggest is if you feel you are not good at writing or describing things use it to get the writing process going and take out all the redundant phrases like "this would be a perfect addition to your collection" nonsense.
Use Ebay's AI for an outline only, and proofread it to check that AI isn't taking any of the words you put in "item specifics" then use them to made up a description that isn't relevant to your item.
I don't use Ebay's AI it's a useless piece of crap that has no business being called AI. Personally, I keep my descriptions as bullets points with measurements, condition, flaws or damage, and if there are any special features I want to bring to the attention of a buyer. As a closing seller I imagine there are probably more details that you would need to include but if you use bullet points it is easier to point them out. I might write a sentence or two depending on how creative I'm feeling that day but I try to keep it as simple as possible.
Good luck with your sales
kibble-net
·8 months agoI'm going to echo the "don't use AI" comments here.
Maybe in the future AI will be helpful, but for now it's complete slop. I've never read a description written by AI that provided any meaningful or useful information. It's just pointless word salad that does zero to convey any useful details about what you are selling. It's like listening to POTUS talking---albeit slightly more coherent.
Use your words. Write them yourself. Describe what you have for sale. Customers will appreciate it. You'll appreciate it too, because you'll have fewer "item not as described" returns. If you can't take the time to do this, or don't have the time to do this, then maybe consider donating your item to a local thrift store instead, or hiring someone on consignment to do the work (depending on the value of the item).
inhawaii
·8 months ago@suka_3210
In case you're not getting what everyone is trying to tell you...
Don't use AI for your description! It sucks!
Buyers don't like it. Sellers don't like it.
Some buyers have said they refuse to buy if the description looks like it was written by AI.
christworks
·8 months agoAI is just another tool in the tool belt. I'm all for using as many tools are available.
eBay's AI tool is not good. I have tested it for extended periods a couple of times. Most of the time it could not accurately figure out what I was listing, and it would not select any category. This meant nothing else was filled in. I'm an AI user for many of my listings, but I do not use eBay's tool.
If you want to use AI to help with listing, I recommend ChatGPT if you want something free. You can upgrade (I pay $20/month) and you get more bang for your buck. Once you upgrade, you have more options and it will learn how you type, and how you word things, so that eventually the descriptions it provides will match very closely to how you would have written it. It takes a little time to get it set up to your liking, but once you do, it is a time saver. For the first time yesterday, ChatGPT did an excellent job at providing price recommendations. Out of 20 listings, I only changed the price it recommend on two of them. This is a marked improvement.
I also use a 3rd party AI program that is specifically meant for eBay. It works well when you have large batches of similar items. I have listed around 100 items at once using it. Again, takes a little time to set up, but once you do, there is very little to change other than the price. On that one, I do not use its AI description. I just copy and paste the condition, which I've pre-set, and paste it into the description along with the title and the yada yada blurb that goes in all of my listings.
hartungcards
·8 months ago"...it doesn’t give me the drop down menu to select AI..."
Consider this your lucky day.
roccotacodad54
·8 months ago"The jacket is designed with pleated accents, a strap detail, and a polka dot pattern"
That is from one of your listings. The jacket is a solid one color (light beige/off white). Nowhere on or inside it did I see polkadots.
If you like getting returns for "Item Not As Described" then keep using AI descriptions. Otherwise maybe at least carefully read them first to insure they are accurate.
I'll just assume you don't want the returns................................
pickapaper
·8 months ago@roccotacodad54 wrote: " "The jacket is designed with pleated accents, a strap detail, and a polka dot pattern". That is from one of your listings. The jacket is a solid one color (light beige/off white). Nowhere on or inside it did I see polkadots."
These descriptives are also in the Items Specifics so both places are incorrect. The title says "Linen" but it is not linen; it is polyester. Items Specific also states that the jacket is insulated; I believe it is lined but is not insulated. OP calls it a rain jacket but doesn't say if it is waterproof.
@suka_3210
These are the kinds of things we are talking about when we say that you have to make sure your listings are correct or you could be looking at an "item not as described" claim. I have a feeling you used the "sell similar" feature of another seller's listing and did not check the Items Specific to make sure yours were the same as that other seller's. You have to check everything.
my-cottage-books-and-antiques
·8 months ago@suka_3210 What type of item are you trying to list?
Are you trying to list on a PC or phone/laptop?
suka_3210
OP8 months agoUsing the app on my phone. My brother used the AI tool on his phone and it is so easy. He said he never set anything up but it works. I googled it and it says go to Seller Hub but on the phone, it doesn’t provide the dropdown menu to select AI. Will try on a PC tomorrow to change the setting
my-cottage-books-and-antiques
·8 months ago@suka_3210
What does your brother sell?
I think there is some confusion on this thread about what you are talking about. If a seller goes to the "description" section of a listing, ebay has an option to use AI to write the description for the seller. As many have been telling you, these descriptions are , and I'm being kind, not very good at all, and you are probably better off without them.
But my impression is, you are not talking about that tool.
You are talking about something ebay has been talking about for quite a while: you upload photos, and ebay does the rest: item specifics, description, price , etc (which you can then revise).
As far as I know, and despite ebay's statements to the press, this feature has only really launched for a few categories, such as trading cards (and maybe not even all trading card types). So, if that is what your brother is selling, it makes sense that he has that ability.
If your brother is selling , say, clothing, and he has the feature, then either ebay has finally started a slow roll out of the feature into other categories, or is running some tests, and your brother is in the test (ebay does not tell you if you are in a test or not)
As @christworks has posted, there are third party AI tools, including some developed for ebay, using ebay's API, that have become available to do what you are trying to do: upload photos and the tool creates the entire listing (again, subject to your review). But ebay itself is way behind on this.
So, I'll ask again, what does your brother sell? That could be helpful information.
my-cottage-books-and-antiques
·8 months ago@suka_3210 A little more info, which might or might not be up to date: It appears some ebay stores/phones have the feature, and some don't. At least one person said his newer store had the feature on the app, but his older store did not.
Also, there is a way to do this with multiple items with your PC, but even if you get to it on your PC, I'm not sure it is working properly. I haven't really tried it recently.
There are third party apps dedicated to ebay such as "List Easier" that can do what ebay's Magical Listing Tool claims to be able to do, but I haven't tested any of them so far (and I don't believe they are free). And of course you can probably set up something like Chat GPT to do what you are asking here. I have prompted ChatGPT (free version) to provide descriptions and , while not all were great (I only tried a few), they were FAR better than ebay's awful AI description tool.
lisa5768
·8 months ago@suka_3210
Go to your seller hub overview page https://www.ebay.com/sh/ovw
Near the top is a blue button - create listing - On the next page you will see the option to start your listing with photo upload
When using AI you need to double check that all the information that is generates is 100% correct as you are responsible for the content of your listing.
njtoyreseller
·8 months agoA suggestion!
Create your own title and description. The AI generated ones will be vague and more like commercial or advertisement. Where as if you create your own stating the items condition, any damage or missing parts, if it works or doesnt, etc. This is what buyers want to see and what the AI will not be able to provide.
eoma689485
·8 months agoInstead of tapping “Sell†on the app home screen, try:
Tap My eBay
Tap Selling
Tap List an item
This sometimes bypasses the forced barcode flow.
itsjustasprain
·8 months agoI know this is not the answer you were looking for - but you should seriously reconsider using an AI process to generate your listing. All you will get are two paragraphs of a vapid word-salad description in which the phrase 'must-have' is used at least once and no useful details are given beyond what you have put in for Item Specifics. Even then it can manage to get things wrong so you end up spending as much time proofreading and correcting mistakes as if you had simply written it yourself to begin with.
Add as much detail as possible to each listing and write your own description. Buyers are not looking to read War and Peace but you can put it in your own words and talk about what you think the buyer would need to know. AI has no idea what the buyer would need to know and will simply generate the same glop used by too many other sellers of the same thing.