eBay Condition Description Template to Reduce Returns

A copy-ready eBay condition description template for resellers who want clearer flaw notes, better buyer expectations, and fewer preventable returns.

By Chris Taylor, founder of FlowLister and active eBay reseller.

I write condition notes the same way every time because I sell a lot of pre-owned shoes and clothing, and bad condition notes cost me money. A buyer expecting NWT and getting a faint heel scuff will return the item, leave a neutral, and I'll eat the shipping both ways.

Below is the exact note I used on a real sold listing this week. Then I'll show you the template I work from.

Why I write them this way

When a buyer opens a return case, eBay reads the condition note. So do I. If I named the scuff and pointed at photo 3, the case usually goes my way. If I wrote "great condition!" and the buyer found a scuff, I'm refunding.

Specific flaws also reduce returns I never see, because the people who didn't want a scuffed shoe didn't buy it in the first place.

Write in buyer order

Buyers want to know: what is it, what's wrong with it, will it fit/work, and what comes in the box. That's the order. Don't bury the scuff at the bottom of a paragraph of sales copy.

For clothing and shoes, measurements and visible wear. For electronics, model number, what works, battery health, charger included or not. For vintage and collectibles, authenticity markers, packaging, and any damage.

Real condition word first ("Pre-owned" beats "Good").
Flaws before anything that sounds like marketing.
Measurements when fit isn't obvious from the size tag.
Exactly what's in the box, exactly what isn't.
Tell buyers which photo numbers prove which flaws.

Letting AI draft the note

FlowLister drafts the condition note from my photos and a few quick seller notes. If it can't see a flaw in the photos, it won't make one up. If I tell it the right shoe has a scuff above the toe box, it'll write that line and reference the photo.

What I don't let it do is guess. If the AI isn't sure whether the watch is working, it asks me instead of writing "tested working." That's the line I care about.

Fill-in template

My actual draft template. I keep this in a text file and copy it for every pre-owned listing.

Condition: Pre-owned. [Item] in [overall state].
Flaws: [Each flaw, where it is, which photo number shows it].
Measurements/tested: [Insole length, chest width, battery tested, etc].
Included: [Every piece in the box].
Not included: [Missing original box, charger, etc].
Photos: All visible wear is shown in photos [X through Y].

Real example — Brooks Brothers loafers, sold $69.99

Condition: Pre-owned. Brooks Brothers monk-strap loafers, brown leather, mens size 9 D.
Flaws: Outsole shows wear at heel and ball of foot but is not separating. Right shoe has a faint scuff above the toe box (shown in photo 3). Insole has the Brooks Brothers logo with light heel wear. Leather uppers are clean with no cracking.
Measurements: Insole measures 10.75 inches from heel to toe. Width across ball of foot 3.5 inches.
Included: Shoes only. No original box, no dust bag.
Not included: No shoe trees, no extra laces.
Photos: All visible wear is shown in photos 3 through 7. Please review before purchasing.

Template to fill in

Condition: pre-owned / new with tags / open box / for parts — plus one sentence summary.
Flaws: every visible flaw, where it is, and which photo number shows it.
Measurements: anything where sizing varies (clothing, shoes, vintage).
Included: every piece in the package.
Not included: what's missing (original box, accessories, manual).
Photos: tell buyers which photos to look at for the flaws.

Relevant Reads From Around the Web

eBay Seller Center: Take great photos: Official photo advice for visibility, buyer confidence, and returns.
eBay Canada Seller Centre: Item specifics: Official explanation of why item specifics help eBay match listings to buyer filters.
ListingForge: eBay selling best practices: Useful external checklist for optimization, descriptions, photos, shipping, and buyer trust.

How to use this guide

Use this page as a practical checkpoint inside your eBay listing workflow. Start with the section that matches your bottleneck, follow the related FlowLister reading, then use the template or video path before your next listing batch.

Use the videos when you need to see the workflow in motion.
Use the internal links when you need deeper listing guidance.
Use the outside reads to cross-check eBay rules and seller best practices.
Use FlowLister when you are ready to turn item photos into review-ready drafts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Short answers to common seller questions about this workflow.

The real condition word, every visible flaw (with photo numbers), measurements when fit varies, what's included, what's not, and a line pointing buyers to the photos.

Yes, for the preventable ones — wrong size, surprise scuff, missing accessory. It won't stop buyer's-remorse returns, but those are different.

AI can draft it from my photos and notes. I still read the final version before publish. If a line says "tested working" and I never tested it, that line comes out.