What sellers must know about allowed overlays, banned elements, automated removals… and how to brand safely.
Product photos are one of the most regulated parts of an eBay listing. To keep the marketplace consistent and buyer-friendly, eBay enforces strict rules around what may, and may not, appear on your images. While the policy seems simple at first glance (“no watermarks”), the details matter: what type of text is allowed? When does a logo become a violation? And how does eBay’s automated cleanup system interpret overlays?
This guide explains what’s allowed, what’s banned, how detection works in 2025, and how sellers can maintain brand identity without risking listing suppression.
Inside this article
1. Allowed vs. Banned Overlays in eBay Photos
✅ Allowed Elements (Safe)
These are typically accepted by eBay’s automated and manual review systems:
1. Plain product-identifying text
Short, neutral identifiers that help buyers understand what the item is… as long as they are minimal and non-promotional.
Examples:
- Model numbers (eg. “X2000”)
- Variant identifiers (eg. “Blue – 128GB”)
- Part numbers or OEM references
- Subtle size indicators (“Size L”)
2. Packaging or labels that physically exist on the item
If the box or product naturally contains text or a logo (eg. Nike logo on a shoe box), it is allowed.
Rule of thumb: If you didn’t digitally add it, it is fine.
3. Background elements that happen to include text
Such as:
- A clothing tag visible in the photo
- A serial number sticker
- Natural branding on equipment
As long as it’s not deliberately inserted or promotional, it passes.
❌ Banned Elements (High Risk)
1. Watermarks of any kind
Whether it’s a subtle transparent brand mark or a big bold overlay, eBay treats all digital watermarks as violations.
This includes:
- Photographer name or studio name
- Store or company logo
- Seller’s website URL
- “Do not copy” overlays
2. Promotional text or graphics
eBay bans any text designed to market, persuade, or redirect.
Disallowed examples:
- “Free Shipping!”
- “Best Price!”
- “New for 2026!”
- “Buy 2 Get 1 Free”
- “Visit our website for more”
3. Contact information
This is an instant violation.
Includes:
- Phone numbers
- Email addresses
- Social handles
- QR codes
- URLs of any kind
4. Logos added digitally
If it was added in post-processing, it’s considered a watermark and will either be:
- compressed/removed automatically
- or trigger a listing downgrade
5. Borders, frames, badges
Even “nice-looking” elements often used on other marketplaces (eg. badges on Amazon) are not allowed on eBay.
2. How eBay’s Automated Watermark Removal Works
eBay introduced automated watermark detection several years ago. Images may be rejected, replaced, or suppressed. Nowadays, the system is far more aggressive than many sellers realize.
❓ What the system does:
- Scans images for added text, shape overlays, and semi-transparent logos
- Flags images that appear promotional or distracting
- Rejects, suppresses, or requires replacement of non-compliant images
- Affected images may disappear or be replaced with placeholders
🎯 Common triggers include:
- Repeated branding or logos across images
- High-contrast text over background
- Badge-style graphics (starbursts, labels, callouts)
- Promotional elements not physically part of the product
👎 False positives can occur with:
Sellers sometimes report false positives with images containing reflective surfaces, complex textures, or prominent packaging text.
Because enforcement is automated, even small or “clean-looking” overlays can still trigger action.
3. How Watermark Violations Affect Your Listings
eBay doesn’t always remove a listing outright. Instead, you may experience:
🌒 1. Reduced search visibility
Listings with non-compliant images often see reduced visibility in Best Match, largely due to suppressed images and lower engagement.
🚫 2. Suppressed gallery images
In some cases, the main photo is hidden in search results until compliance is fixed.
📉 3. Weaker performance in Promoted Listings
Promoted Listings may deliver fewer impressions if the listing or its images are restricted or under review.
🕑 4. Listing review delays
In some cases, automated checks can delay publishing or trigger additional review.
⚠️ 5. Lower buyer trust and conversion
Even if your listing technically remains live, buyers tend to avoid photos that look promotional or cluttered.
4. How to Maintain Brand Identity Without Breaking the Rules
You can protect your brand and present professional photos, without violating eBay policy.
Here’s how.
🖼️ 1. Use branded backgrounds (not overlays)
You may use:
- A branded backdrop
- A studio setup that includes your logo on a physical card
- A model holding a branded tag in real life
As long as the branding physically exists in the photographed scene and is not added digitally, it is generally allowed.
🥈 2. Include branding in secondary images… subtly
eBay is stricter on gallery images.
If you want small branding elements:
- Keep them real, physical, and very subtle
- Place them in the corner of a scene
- Avoid any promotional language
🎁 3. Brand the packaging, not the image file
eBay allows branding that appears naturally on packaging or the product itself.
- Branding on actual packaging is allowed
- Inserts, labels, tags are common and accepted
This preserves brand identity without violating overlay rules.
📸 4. Use professional photography instead of text
Clean, consistent, well-lit images create brand identity better than any watermark.
🏪 5. Add branding in your eBay Store design, not the image
Safe areas include:
- Store banner
- Store logo
- About page
- Seller profile
- Cross-promotion pages
Keep branding where it belongs: outside the photo.
🧹 6. For bulk sellers: clean images before uploading
Use editing or bulk-processing tools to remove your own text overlays or logos from images so your library stays compliant long-term.
5. Quick Compliance Checklist
Before uploading, ask:
- ✔️ Is every overlay physically present in the photo?
- ✔️ Is there zero digital promotional text?
- ✔️ Is there no photographer or store watermark?
- ✔️ Is there no URL, email, phone, QR code, or social handle?
- ✔️ Does the image look natural, clean, and “unmodified”?
If you can answer yes to all of the above, your images are very likely to comply with eBay’s image policies.
Conclusion
eBay’s photo rules aim to create a cleaner, more consistent shopping experience… and the enforcement systems are more automated than ever. While the platform heavily restricts watermarks, promotional overlays, and added text, sellers still have plenty of room to maintain a strong brand presence through packaging, store design, and high-quality photography.
Understanding and following these rules protects your listing visibility, reduces enforcement issues, and ultimately improves sales.
If you need a reliable way to host clean, compliant product images for eBay, platforms like Img.vision make it easy to store, organize, and deliver marketplace-friendly images.
