eBay product photos: size, background, and what's allowed for new vs. used items

eBay product photos follow a looser set of rules than Amazon's, but there are still real limits: a minimum size, a cap on how many photos a listing can have, things you can't add to a photo, and one rule that matters a lot if you sell used goods. Here's what eBay's own help pages say, and an honest note on where ShopShot Studio fits.

The short version

• Size: at least 500 pixels on the longest side; eBay recommends 1600 pixels. Up to 12MB per file.
• Count: up to 24 photos per listing.
• Background: clean and uncluttered is eBay's advice. There's no exact white-background rule like Amazon's.
• Not allowed: added borders, added text or marketing, watermarks, placeholder images, and photos that don't accurately represent the item.
• Used items: no stock photos. Used, damaged, or defective items need photos of the actual item.

Background and style: what eBay asks for

eBay's help page on adding pictures recommends keeping images clean, with no text or borders, on an uncluttered background. eBay's own listing tool can even swap a photo's background for solid white. But that's advice and a convenience, not a strict rule: eBay's picture policy doesn't specify an exact background colour, and it doesn't have a separate main-image standard like Amazon's pure white rule (covered in our Amazon main image guide). A plain light background is a safe, common choice, especially for the first photo, which buyers see in search results.

What eBay's picture policy does rule out is anything added on top of the photo: borders, text, artwork or marketing material, and watermarks of any kind, including ones meant to show ownership. Placeholder images, and photos that don't accurately represent the item, aren't allowed either.

Size: the 500 to 1600 pixel range

Every photo needs to be at least 500 pixels on its longest side; that's eBay's minimum. eBay recommends 1600 pixels on the longest side, which its help page ties to photos looking good on mobile. Each file can be up to 12MB. Most phone cameras shoot well above 1600 pixels, so the more common problem is a photo that's been cropped hard or shrunk by a messaging app before upload. For how eBay's numbers sit alongside other marketplaces, see our guide to product photo size requirements.

How many photos eBay allows

eBay's help page says you can add up to 24 pictures to a listing. That's a ceiling, not a target. A clear front view, the back, close-ups of labels or details, and a scale shot cover most items well, and used items usually need extra photos of wear. For how photo counts compare across marketplaces and which ShopShot package covers which count, see our guide to how many product photos you need.

New vs. used: when stock photos are allowed

This is the eBay rule that matters most. eBay's picture policy allows stock photos only for new items. It doesn't allow stock photos for used, damaged, or defective items: those listings need photos of the actual item being sold, so the buyer can see its real condition, including scuffs, wear, and flaws.

ShopShot doesn't use a stock library. Every order starts from a photo you upload of your own item, and the images we make are generated from that photo. That's a different thing from a stock or catalog photo. But they are still AI-generated images of your item in a new setting, and eBay's rule for used items exists so buyers can see the actual condition of the exact unit they'll receive. If you sell used goods, your own straight, unedited photos of the item, including any wear, are what show that condition. Whether AI-generated images belong in a used listing alongside them is a judgement for you to make against eBay's current policy.

eBay product photos and AI

eBay's published picture policy doesn't currently ask sellers to label AI-generated or AI-edited photos, but it does require every photo to accurately represent the item. Our guide to AI photo disclosure rules by platform covers eBay's stance alongside Etsy, Amazon, and TikTok Shop.

Where ShopShot Studio fits

ShopShot turns one phone photo of your product into studio-style images, with every result checked against your original before delivery and one free redo if something doesn't match. We work with bags, clothing, home & ceramics, and skincare products. For an eBay listing, the "Clean studio" style, described as a bright, simple background for shop listings, is the closest fit to eBay's advice. We don't guarantee that any style matches what eBay prefers for your listing, and we don't upload or list anything on eBay for you; checking the final set against eBay's current rules stays your step. Packages start at $15, delivered within 1 business day:

Questions

Related guides

• AI photo disclosure rules by platform
• Product photo size requirements by platform
• How many product photos do you need?

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