Images - need 100% correct answer

[autoelectricalaccessories]

Hi all,

I have had a look at eBays image policy and it seems pretty clear cut in relation to images - no borders / text / additional logos etc etc. Why is it then that every other seller in my industry has listings with borders / backgrounds / text / logos that clearly have been edited - both in gallery images and main listing images?  I have heard if you host the images yourself you can do what you like - is that what everyone is doing? I would love to have a clear cut answer to this one. Thanks.

[davewil1964]

Short answer - ask eBay. Which the boards are not.

Longer answer - whatever you can get away with. if your images are accepted, they are acceptable.

Stop sweating the small stuff.

[screamingdemon_2007]

Hi, between my 3 stores I have around 25,000 items listed. Many have words or modified backgrounds etc. I have never had any issues or complaints and it seems most sellers do it anyway...

Don't stress about it.. its really not an issue.

[trailer-board-paradise]

I agree. I saw the update (was it a year ago now?) requiring all images to have no data written on them/logos, etc. I complied but many people continue. There is no point of having a policy if it is not taken seriously by both sides.

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

there was a thread some time back about this.  I recall finding in an eBay policy that although the rule applies it IS NOT enforced.

Those that are still including text and borders will not be sanctioned by eBay.  I will try to dig up the old thread and post a link on this one.

[jensmanchester-australia]

At one stage ebay intended to bring in this policy but then backed down on making it compulsory - they recommend to avoid borders, texts etc in photos but it is not against any ebay policy if sellers do use borders etc.

http://pages.ebay.com.au/help/policies/picture.html

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

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@autoelectricalaccessories wrote:

Hi all,

I have had a look at eBays image policy and it seems pretty clear cut in relation to images - no borders / text / additional logos etc etc. Why is it then that every other seller in my industry has listings with borders / backgrounds / text / logos that clearly have been edited - both in gallery images and main listing images?  I have heard if you host the images yourself you can do what you like - is that what everyone is doing? I would love to have a clear cut answer to this one. Thanks.

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I hope this post meets your "100% correct answer" criteria, let me know if it does not and I will be sure to think twice before proffering advice in the future.

I found on this page http://sellercentre.ebay.com.au/selling-on-ebay/pictures (in the seller centre).  Here is a screengrab with a nice red box around the section that says they are not enforcing the recommendations:

[book-of-hezekiah]

I remember when they first brought the rule in and did enforce it. The enforcement was very hit and miss - the photos that were the cause for the rule were ignored and some photos that contained an object with writing, such as a book or a t-shirt, got rejected because the image bots thought they images didn't comply.

Quite the farce that took far too long to resolve.

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

I used to sell camera lenses on another ID when we had to pay a fee for every listing.  I would print the lens characteristics and serial number on a piece of paper and then sit the lens on the paper for the gallery pic.  This gave me what amounted to a subtitle for the listing without having pay the extra charge for a subtitle.  I guess this is why eBay introduced the rule . . . . . which later became a recommendation.

[trailer-board-paradise]

Aha...good to see that but depednding where you look Ebay does stress the following in the Seller Centre hence general confusion - http://pages.ebay.com/sellerinformation/how-to-take-product-photos/ebay-photo-requirements.html

• Borders aren’t allowed on any of your photos.
• Watermarks are allowed for ownership and attribution, but not for marketing information, specific details about your item, or customer service
• No text or artwork (such as “Free shipping” or seller logos) may be added to the photo.