How to Write eBay Titles That Rank (With Real Keyword Examples)

Search visibility on eBay is becoming harder to secure as competition intensifies and Cassini — the platform’s search engine — places more weight on relevance, buyer engagement, and behavioral signals. For sellers trying to stand out, the title is the single most influential component of an eBay listing. It determines whether the algorithm understands the product, whether buyers click, and ultimately whether the item sells.

A well-constructed title helps Cassini match your listing with high-intent queries. A poorly written title pushes your product into the long tail of search results where impressions and conversions collapse. Understanding how to structure titles, select the right keywords, and match buyer intent is now a core skill for any eBay seller operating at scale.

Below is a data-informed look at how eBay titles work in 2026 — and how to write titles that actually rank.

Why eBay Titles Matter More Than Ever

eBay allocates 80 characters for listing titles, and almost every top-performing listing uses that space fully. Cassini scrapes titles to determine relevance, identify product attributes, and match listings to buyer queries. In competitive niches electronics, apparel, collectibles, home goods, highly optimized titles gain disproportionate exposure.

The platform now evaluates title relevance alongside behavioral results such as click-through rate, time on listing, and sell-through performance. This creates a feedback loop: a stronger title improves visibility, which leads to stronger engagement, which leads to higher ranking.

For sellers operating in multi-product niches, the title is effectively your first line of SEO defense.

Understanding Buyer Intent in eBay Search

Most buyers on eBay search with commercial intent. Their queries tend to include structured keywords like:

• Brand + model
• Condition signals (New, Used, Open Box, Refurbished)
• Attributes (size, color, material, quantity)
• Use-case terms (gift, replacement, home, office)

A buyer looking for “Dyson V11 Absolute vacuum cleaner” will not convert on a vague title like “Powerful cordless vacuum.” Cassini penalizes listings that underperform on click-through and engagement because it interprets them as irrelevant.

Understanding the types of words buyers use is the foundation of ranking well.

Building a Strong eBay Title: The Data-Backed Formula

In 2026, most top-ranked listings follow a predictable structure:

Brand + Model + Key Attribute + Variant + Condition

This formula aligns with how eBay parses data and how buyers search. It prioritizes clarity over creativity.

Examples:

• “Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Gen – MagSafe USB-C – New Sealed”
• “Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 256GB – Factory Unlocked – Excellent Condition”
• “Nike Air Max 270 Black/White – Men’s Size 10 – New”

None of these titles use filler words. None use symbols or buzzwords. They focus on the exact phrases buyers type into the search bar.

Using Real Keyword Examples to Build Better Titles

Consider a seller listing a gaming keyboard. Searches typically include:

• “mechanical keyboard”
• “RGB keyboard”
• “gaming keyboard wired”
• “Redragon K552 keyboard”

A strong title incorporates multiple high-intent phrases without keyword stuffing:

Example Title

“Redragon K552 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard – RGB Backlit – Wired – New”

This title hits: brand, model, attributes, condition — and includes high-volume keywords (“mechanical,” “gaming keyboard,” “RGB,” “wired”).

Contrast that with a weak title:

“RGB Keyboard Gaming – Best Deal – Fast Ship”

Even though it contains “gaming keyboard,” it lacks brand, model, and specifics. Cassini cannot confidently categorize it against competing listings.

Should You Use All 80 Characters? Almost Always.

eBay’s own documentation and independent tests from top sellers show that longer titles generally perform better — as long as they remain relevant. More characters allow you to capture more keyword variants and descriptive attributes.

But the title must remain readable. Cassini penalizes listings that use:

• Keyword stuffing
• ALL CAPS
• Symbol spam (★★★, !!!, @@@)
• Unrelated keywords

Buyers also tend to avoid listings that look artificial or low-trust, which affects click-through rate and ultimately search rankings.

How to Use Keyword Research Tools for Better Titles

Keyword research for eBay is less about volume and more about exact-match buyer phrasing. Sellers use several methods:

• eBay’s own autocomplete suggestions
• Competitor analysis on high-ranked listings
• Marketplace keyword tools
• Google Trends for seasonal products
• AI tools like Easync.io’s eBay Title Builder (ideal for fast, automated keyword generation)

These tools help sellers identify which keywords buyers search most frequently — and more importantly, which modifiers convert.

For example, “vintage jacket men’s large” outranks “men’s vintage jacket L” in many apparel categories because the former aligns more closely with common search patterns.

Structuring Titles Around Condition: A Critical Ranking Factor

eBay treats item condition as a high-weight attribute. Titles that include condition terms often rank higher because Cassini can match them directly to condition filters.

Top-performing condition keywords include:

• New
• Used
• Refurbished
• Open Box
• Like New

A listing that does not display condition in the title often appears below those that do, especially in electronics and collectibles.

Real Examples of High-Ranking Title Structures

For Collectibles

“Pokémon TCG Charizard EX – Scarlet & Violet – Ultra Rare – Mint – 2024”

For Fashion

“Adidas Samba OG White/Black – Women’s Size 7 – New With Box”

For Electronics

“GoPro HERO12 Black – 5.3K Video – Waterproof – New Sealed”

These titles follow the same pattern: brand, model, attributes, condition, variant.

Why User Engagement Matters for SEO

Cassini promotes listings that generate better engagement. Even the best title cannot compensate for a listing with poor photos or slow shipping. When a title attracts clicks, and the listing retains the buyer’s attention, eBay interprets this as relevance.

This is why titles must accurately reflect what the buyer sees. If the title clicks well but the listing fails to meet expectations, engagement metrics fall and ranking drops.

When to Rewrite Titles (and When Not To)

Frequent title changes can reset parts of the listing’s SEO history. Sellers should revise titles only when:

• the product fails to rank for core keywords,
• competitors shift to new keyword formats,
• the seller identifies a mismatch between title and buyer search terms.

Small changes — such as adding color or adjusting order of terms — are safe. Full rewrites should be tested carefully.

Conclusion: Good Titles Are About Precision, Not Creativity

The sellers who dominate eBay search are those who understand how buyers think. Titles that include the brand, model, attributes, and condition consistently outperform vague, creative, or overly promotional titles. Cassini rewards clarity, relevance, and buyer engagement and the structure of the title is the foundation of all three.

In a crowded marketplace, the sellers who master keyword patterns and craft informative, data-backed titles will maintain ranking advantages long after their competitors fade into the second page of search results.