eBay Australia Introduces Minimum Photo Requirements For Sneakers & Handbags
Australian eBay sellers will soon have more stringent listing requirements for sneakers and handbags as mandatory photo minimums go into effect this month.
The new policy went into effect June 18th for some sellers and is expected to rollout to all new listings in those categories on eBay Australia by June 30th - but interestingly, listings created using third-party tools are exempt.
From 30 June 2025, all new listings for sneakers and handbags must include a minimum number of photos: 5 for sneakers and 4 for handbags.
Why this matters
We know how important it is to align expectations with reality. That's why we're making it mandatory to provide multiple photos to help tell the full story of your item’s condition. This requirement aims to improve transparency, help boost buyer confidence and reduce post-sale issues and returns.What you need to know
We’ll start rolling out the new photo requirements from 18 June 2025 to new listings created by selected sellers. The minimum photo requirements will be implemented to all new listings created in the handbag and sneaker categories from 30 June 2025 onwards.
- This requirement will only apply to new listings. No action is required for your active listings.
- The minimum photo requirements will not apply to listings created using third-party platforms.
Sneakers and Handbags are currently the only categories for which eBay offers Authenticity Guarantee in Australia, so it's no surprise that these are the categories the company has selected for this image mandate.
ebay
The authentication process is supposed to confirm not just the authenticity of the product, but also that the item and accessories are consistent with the listing title, description and images - with even authentic items rejected if the inspection discovers any significantly not as described details or undisclosed defects/ differences in condition.
Requiring a minimum number of images will in theory force sellers to take pictures from multiple angles and include accessories, boxes etc as well, which should in turn make it easier for the authenticators to judge whether the items they receive match the listing details.
Multiple images could also provide eBay with more data they would need to integrate automation into the authentication process - particularly AI tools that could take pictures of the item received at the authentication facility and compare them against the pictures in the original listing to identify both authenticity markers as well as defects and overall item condition.
eBay often uses Australia as a testing site for new policies and initiatives, so if they find this minimum image count requirement helps improve the buying experience and/or makes the authentication process more efficient, I will not be surprised to see if expand to the US and other markets in the future.
What do you think of eBay mandating how many pictures sellers most provide in certain categories? Let us know in the comments below!
