eBay UK Spring Seller Release: Renaming the New – Other item condition

In June 2019, eBay’s the “New – other (see details)” item condition label will be renamed Opened – never used.

Renaming to “Opened – never used”

When selling on eBay, item condition options vary between different categories to appropriately describe the type of item. “New – other (see details)” is used in some categories to describe items which are as close to brand new as possible but suffer from slight imperfections, such as not coming with the original packaging.

However, eBay say that the naming of this label has sometimes led to misunderstandings between buyer and seller, resulting in “Item not as described” returns which can impact your Service Metrics.

In June 2019, any items currently listed as “New – other (see details)” in certain categories will be automatically updated to the new “Opened – never used” item condition label. As announced in the US in February 2019, any of your items listed directly on eBay.com were already updated in March.

Applicable categories for New – other to opened – never used

The item condition options available for listings vary by category and this change applies to the following only. Please note that if the “New – other (see details)” item condition wasn’t available for a category, the “Opened – never used” label won’t be available either:

• Electronics:
  

  • Sound & Vision
  • Computers, Tablets & Network Hardware
  • Mobile Phones, Smart Watches, Accessories & Communication
  • Video Games & Consoles
  • Cameras & Photography Equipment
• Musical Instruments

The item condition options available for listings in other categories won’t be changing.

“Opened – never used” defined

The official definition for “Opened – never used” is:

“An item in excellent, new condition with no wear. The item may be missing the original packaging or protective wrapping, or may be in the original packaging but not sealed. The item may include original accessories. The item may be a factory second (i.e. it has a small flaw that does not affect the operation of the item such as a scratch or dent). See the seller’s listing for full details and description.”

What do you need to do?

This change is automatic and eBay will update your listings for you. If you believe the “Opened – never used” label is no longer appropriate for your listing, you should amend it to an alternative item condition such as “Used” or “Seller refurbished”. Just remember that the labels vary by category.

NB For sellers who source returns these probably shouldn’t be described as “Opened – never used”, so if you have been using New – other to describe them it’s time to be a little more specific and describe them as used or refurbished.