eBay vs Etsy: new listing rules for product IDs and unedited photos

eBay sellers shipping from outside the EU to EU buyers must add product identifier (PID) data to their listings and carrier information from 1 November 2026^2,3. Etsy published its listing-photo rule on 22 October 2026. It requires at least one unedited photo of the actual item, and Etsy's announcement gave no compliance deadline or grace period for existing listings^4,5,7. The two rules check different things, so meeting one does not meet the other.

Two rules, two different checks: a listing can pass one and fail the other

The eBay requirement is a customs-data rule with an effective date of 1 November 2026, set out in eBay's seller notice and in EU guidance^2,3. Etsy's photo rule was published on 22 October 2026, the date of its update to the Seller Handbook⁴. That is a publication date, not a compliance deadline.

The EU guidance defines the declarant, the party that pays the duty, as the seller or importer of the good³. eBay's notice covers the same PID change for sellers². For the duty itself, see our earlier report on the EU €3 parcel duty¹.

The checks are different. eBay's identifiers help customs authorities identify the specific product being shipped². Etsy's rule asks whether the image shows the item buyers will receive⁵. In our view, a sharp photo does not supply a manufacturer code, and a complete identifier record does not supply the unedited photo Etsy requires.

A separate US rule is also in force. A USPS rule effective 19 October 2026 lets the USPS send merchants bills for unpaid foreign duties, taxes and import fees, and the merchant must pay the invoice even while disputing it¹. It is not part of either listing rule covered here.

What eBay requires for EU-bound shipments

eBay says the EU Commission mandates Product Identifier information from 1 November 2026 for all items shipped from outside the EU to buyers in the EU, regardless of item value². The EU guidance says product identifiers can be declared voluntarily from 1 July 2026 and become mandatory from 1 November 2026³.

eBay names three identifiers²:

• M-PID (Merchant Product Identifier): eBay says this is the eBay Listing ID, available for all listings under the “About this item” section. Every eBay listing therefore already carries one^2,6.
• NS-PID (Non-Standardized Manufacturer Product Identifier): a code assigned by the manufacturer, producer or supplier, such as a manufacturer part number (MPN).
• S-PID (Standardized Product Identifier): a globally recognised code such as a GTIN, EAN, UPC or ISBN. Where an S-PID exists, it can also be used as the NS-PID.

eBay asks sellers using eBay International Shipping (eIS) to keep listings updated and to provide manufacturer or standardised product IDs where available, so inventory stays visible to EU buyers². Sellers who self-ship or use SpeedPak must pass the PID information to their carrier. eBay warns that failure may cause delivery disruption, increased processing time or other customs clearance delays².

Our checklist, matching the diagram above:

1. Open each listing that ships from outside the EU to EU buyers.
2. Check the M-PID (eBay Listing ID) under “About this item”².
3. Add manufacturer or standardised product IDs where available².
4. Give PID information to your carrier if you self-ship or use SpeedPak².
5. Record a gap where no manufacturer-level identifier exists, and ask eBay in writing what to enter.

What Etsy requires for listing photos

Etsy's Listing Image Requirements say that for most products, a listing must include at least one unedited photo of the item against a real background⁵. Sellers must not use photo editing software or AI tools to alter that photo⁵.

Other listing images can still be edited, including with AI tools, as long as the final result accurately represents the physical product⁵. Allowed edits include adjusting lighting, exposure or colour balance to match real life, cropping, resizing or straightening, and cleaning up or replacing the background. Prohibited edits include changing the product's actual colour, texture or condition, and digitally removing or hiding defects, cracks or damage⁵. Etsy has not explained how it will tell intentional edits apart from automatic processing by cameras, phones and other software⁷.

Etsy's rule carves out exceptions by product type, which narrows its reach for print-on-demand, digital and made-to-order sellers⁷:

• Print-on-demand: sellers who use production partners to print their designs on standard products such as t-shirts or mugs can keep using authorised stock photo mockups⁷.
• Digital downloads: most need a visual preview or excerpt of what the buyer will receive. Digital products without visual content, such as audio files, may use representative imagery, including AI-generated images, if it is not misleading⁷.
• Customised or made-to-order items: sellers making customised products themselves should show real examples of previous work⁷.
• Craft patterns, recipes, seeds and similar products: sellers must include at least one real, unedited photograph of a finished result made or grown with the product⁷.

Existing listings that do not meet the new image requirements must be updated⁷. If a buyer opens a case because the item is materially different from the image, Etsy may issue a refund, and the seller may be responsible for the refund amount. Etsy may also remove misleading listings, and repeated violations may lead to further enforcement, up to and including shop removal⁵.

Side-by-side: what each rule requires and who it affects

The sources disagree on value scope. The EU guidance sets the €3 duty for consignments up to €150³. It also says the rules apply to distance sales of imported goods³, and it points to a Q&A document for common questions³. Value Added Resource reports that the new PID fields appear in customs declaration datasets H1, H6 and H7, so the requirement is not limited to packages worth €150 or less⁶. eBay says the requirement applies regardless of item value². We could not settle the point from the sources, so check the EU Q&A before relying on either reading.

Sellers of used, vintage and one-of-a-kind goods appear most exposed on the identifier side. Value Added Resource reports that older clothing, vintage collectibles, replacement parts, handmade goods and other secondhand items may have no obvious manufacturer identifier⁶. eBay has not explained what to enter when no manufacturer-level identifier exists⁶.

Who each rule suits, and what to do this week

The two rules affect different sellers, so neither is the more important for everyone. Sort your catalogue by channel and by product type before you act.

• eBay sellers shipping into the EU from outside it: eBay's requirement covers eIS, self-shipping and SpeedPak, and needs PID data in both listings and carrier information².
• Etsy sellers of physical items: each listing needs a photo workflow that keeps at least one unedited photo of the actual item⁵. In our view, shoot that photo before any editing and keep the original file.
• Etsy sellers of print-on-demand, digital, customised or made-to-order items: check the exception for your product type rather than assuming it applies⁷.
• Sellers of used, vintage or one-of-a-kind goods on eBay: ask eBay in writing what to enter when no identifier exists. The sources do not settle this⁶.

We checked the sources on 26 October 2026. Rules can change, so confirm against eBay's EU Customs page and Etsy's Listing Image Requirements page before you act.