eBay Listing Title Best Practices: 80 Character Limit (2026)

Your eBay listing has 80 characters to convince both the search algorithm and human shoppers to click. Waste those characters on "L@@K" or "WOW!!!" and you've already lost.

eBay's search system—often called Cassini by sellers—reads your title to decide where your listing appears. Meanwhile, Google Shopping pulls eBay listings into its results, giving you a second chance at visibility. This guide shows you how to write titles that perform in both places.

Why eBay Titles Matter More Than You Think

Your title pulls triple duty on eBay. It determines where you rank in search, whether buyers click, and what they expect when they land on your listing. Descriptions get skimmed. Titles get scrutinized.

The 80-Character Constraint

eBay caps your title at 80 characters. That's roughly 10-15 words, depending on your product. Every character needs to earn its place. Filler words cost you visibility—literally.

How eBay's Search Differs from Google

eBay's search prioritizes exact keyword matches and buyer behavior signals. If someone searches "vintage Nike running shoes size 10," your title needs those words—ideally in that order—to compete. Google Shopping works similarly but displays only the first 70 characters, making front-loading doubly important.

Understanding eBay's Search Algorithm

eBay doesn't publish the exact formula for ranking listings. But experienced sellers have tested, tracked, and identified patterns that work consistently.

What the Algorithm Prioritizes

Based on community best practices and eBay's own guidance:

• Keyword relevance: Does your title contain the words buyers search?
• Keyword position: Are important terms near the front?
• Click-through rate: Do shoppers click your listing when they see it?
• Conversion rate: Do clicks turn into purchases?
• Item specifics completion: Have you filled in all the structured data fields?

Sellers consistently report that listings with complete item specifics and clear, front-loaded titles outperform those with keyword-stuffed or gimmicky titles.

Why Item Specifics Amplify Your Title

Your title works alongside eBay's item specifics—those structured fields like Brand, Size, Color, and Condition. When a buyer filters search results by "Brand: Nike" and "Size: 10," your listing only appears if you've filled those fields, regardless of what's in your title.

Think of item specifics as mandatory, and the title as your opportunity to add context and long-tail keywords that filters can't capture.

Anatomy of a High-Converting eBay Title

High-performing eBay titles follow a predictable structure. No mystery here—just a formula that works.

The Optimal Keyword Order

Front-load your most important keywords. eBay's search appears to weigh the beginning of your title more heavily, and mobile truncation cuts off anything after 50-60 characters.

Structure that works:

Brand → Product Type → Key Attribute → Condition/Details → Size/Color

Example:

"Nike Air Max 90 Running Shoes Mens Size 10 White Vintage 1995 Original"

The most searchable terms—brand, product type, size—appear first.

What to Include vs. What Wastes Characters

Include:

• Brand name (if applicable)
• Product type (what is it?)
• Model or style name
• Key differentiator (vintage, handmade, limited edition)
• Size, color, or quantity
• Condition (new, used, refurbished)

Waste of characters:

• "L@@K" or "WOW" (nobody searches these)
• Multiple exclamation points (!!!)
• "Great gift" or "Must have" (vague, unsearchable)
• "Fast shipping" or "Free returns" (belongs in listing details)
• Words like "Beautiful" or "Amazing" (subjective, adds no search value)

Mobile Display Considerations

On mobile devices and in eBay's app, titles often truncate around 50-60 characters. That "..." cuts off whatever comes after, so your critical keywords must appear before the cutoff.

Test this yourself: search eBay on your phone and see how your titles display. If the product type or key details get cut off, restructure.

Step-by-Step: Writing Your Optimized eBay Title

Let's walk through the actual process.

Step 1: Research What Buyers Actually Search

Type your product into eBay's search bar and watch the autocomplete suggestions. These represent real searches from real buyers.

For a vintage leather jacket, autocomplete might suggest:

• vintage leather jacket mens
• vintage leather jacket womens black
• vintage leather jacket 80s

These phrases should form your title's backbone.

Step 2: Structure Your Title Template

Start with this framework and customize:

[Brand] [Product Type] [Key Feature] [Condition] [Size/Color] [Additional Detail]

Leave out any field that doesn't apply. Don't pad with filler.

Step 3: Check Character Count

Paste your title into a character counter. If you're over 80, cut the least important words. If you're under 60, consider adding a relevant long-tail keyword—but only if it adds value.

Step 4: Read It Out Loud

Does your title sound like something a person would search? Or does it sound like a robot wrote it? Natural-sounding titles tend to attract more clicks, which feeds back into better ranking.

eBay Title Examples: Before and After

Electronics Example

Before (poor): "L@@K!!! AMAZING Apple iPhone 12 GREAT DEAL Fast Ship WOW!!!"

After (optimized): "Apple iPhone 12 128GB Unlocked Black Excellent Condition iOS Smartphone"

The "after" title contains searchable keywords. The "before" title wastes 20+ characters on noise.

Clothing Example

Before (poor): "Nice Dress, Beautiful, Must See, Great for Parties, Fast Shipping!!!"

After (optimized): "Zara Black Midi Dress Size M Cocktail Party Evening Wear NWT"

The optimized version includes brand, color, size, use case, and condition (NWT = new with tags)—all searchable terms.

Collectibles Example

Before (poor): "RARE!! Pokemon Card Charizard VINTAGE COLLECTIBLE L@@K"

After (optimized): "Pokemon Charizard Holo 4/102 Base Set 1999 Rare Card Near Mint"

Collectors search by set name, card number, year, and condition grade. The optimized title hits all those terms.

Common Mistakes That Kill Visibility

Avoid these patterns that hurt your search ranking.

Fluff Words That Add Nothing

Words like "L@@K," "WOW," "Must Have," and "Great Gift" are invisible to search because no buyer types them. Every character spent on fluff is a character not spent on keywords.

Keyword Stuffing and Repetition

Repeating keywords unnaturally—"Nike Shoes Nike Running Nike Athletic Nike Mens"—makes your title look spammy. It may also signal manipulation to eBay's search system, which tracks buyer satisfaction.

One mention of each keyword is enough. Use that space for additional relevant terms instead.

ALL CAPS and Excessive Punctuation

Writing in ALL CAPS or adding !!!!! appears unprofessional and may reduce click-through rate. Only capitalize brand names and acronyms that are naturally capitalized.

Abbreviations Buyers Don't Search

Using "NIB" instead of "New In Box" or "BNWT" instead of "Brand New With Tags" limits your visibility. Some buyers know these abbreviations; many don't. When space allows, spell it out.

Testing and Refining Your Titles

Title optimization isn't set-it-and-forget-it. Here's how to keep improving.

Monitor Your Listing Quality

eBay's Seller Hub includes listing quality reports that identify optimization opportunities. Check these regularly to spot underperforming titles. You can also run your listing through our free Listing Grader to get an instant quality score with specific improvement suggestions.

When to Update Existing Listings

Update titles when:

• You notice low click-through rates relative to impressions
• New keyword trends emerge (seasonal, cultural)
• You've identified better-performing competitors

Avoid constant tweaking—frequent changes may temporarily affect visibility while eBay re-indexes your listing.

A/B Testing Approach

If you sell multiple units of the same item, try different title structures and compare performance. Document what works for future listings.

eBay Title Compliance Checklist

Run through this before publishing:

Do This

• Use all 80 characters productively
• Front-load brand and product type
• Include size, color, and condition
• Spell out abbreviations when space allows
• Complete all relevant item specifics
• Match title keywords to what buyers actually search

Avoid This

• Fluff words: L@@K, WOW, Must Have, Amazing
• Promotional claims: Best Deal, Hot Item, Sale
• Contact info or URLs
• ALL CAPS (except brand acronyms)
• Excessive punctuation
• Keyword repetition
• Irrelevant terms to game search

How This Connects to Google Shopping

eBay listings can appear in Google Shopping results, expanding your reach beyond eBay's marketplace. Google typically displays the first 70 characters of your title, reinforcing why front-loading matters.

For Google visibility:

• Avoid promotional language (Google Shopping has its own policies)
• Use clear, descriptive titles without gimmicks
• Include product identifiers (brand, model numbers, SKUs when relevant)

A title optimized for eBay's search tends to perform well on Google too—both systems reward relevance and clarity.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many characters can an eBay title have?

eBay allows exactly 80 characters in listing titles. While you don't need to use all 80, wasted characters mean missed keyword opportunities.

What is the eBay Cassini algorithm?

Cassini is the informal name sellers use for eBay's search and ranking system. While eBay doesn't publish algorithm details, the community has identified best practices through testing and observation.

Do keywords at the beginning of the title rank better?

Many sellers report that front-loaded keywords correlate with better visibility. This also helps with mobile truncation, where only the first 50-60 characters may display.

Should I include "free shipping" in my eBay title?

No. Shipping information belongs in your listing settings, not your title. Using title characters for "free shipping" wastes space better spent on searchable product keywords.

How often should I update my eBay titles?

Only update when you have evidence the current title underperforms—low impressions, poor click-through rate, or new keyword research. Constant changes can temporarily hurt visibility.

Write Better eBay Titles, Faster

Good eBay titles balance keyword placement, character limits, and mobile display—while still sounding like something a human would click. The more listings you write, the faster this becomes.

For more eBay optimization, see our beginner's selling guide, guides on how Cassini ranks listings, character limits for every field, item specifics, image SEO, and description compliance.

Try our free eBay Title Generator to create optimized titles that follow current best practices, so you can focus on sourcing and selling instead of SEO research.

Sources

• Mastering eBay SEO in 2026 - Frooition
• eBay SEO and Cassini - 3Dsellers
• eBay Title Optimization Guide - ZIK Analytics
• Title Length Discussion - eBay Community
• Listing Best Practices - eBay Seller Center
• eBay Product Titles - DataFeedWatch
• Optimize Listings for eBay & Google Search - 3Dsellers
• Why eBay Item Specifics Are Crucial - Frooition