eBay to Add AI-Powered Image-Based Listing Tool

eBay will be adding an image-based listing tool to its range of offerings powered by artificial intelligence (AI).

This tool will allow sellers to simply take or upload a photo within the eBay app and watch as AI automatically fills in item information details, the company said in a Thursday (Sept. 7) article posted on its website. From a single photo, AI can generate titles, descriptions and vital information such as product release dates, detailed categories, sub-categories, and suggested listing prices and shipping costs.

The image-based listing tool has already been released as an employee beta, with plans to make it available to the public in the coming months, according to the press release.

This image-based listing tool addresses the “cold start” issue faced by first-time sellers, eliminating the overwhelming amount of information required to create a competitive listing, the release said. eBay said that its AI technology can provide a more efficient way for sellers to provide extensive information, making the selling process smoother and more efficient.

This new tool builds upon the online marketplace’s initial AI description tools, according to the press release.

For example, eBay has already deployed AI to simplify and enhance the process of listing items on its platform, the release said. The initial version of the tool allowed sellers to input minimal information, such as a title and category, and AI algorithms would automatically generate detailed descriptions for their listings.

With the introduction of this initial AI-powered listing tool, the online marketplace has seen positive feedback from users, with approximately 30% of U.S. sellers trying out this feature, per the release. Over 95% of sellers who tried the AI-generated descriptions opted to use them.

eBay has been integrating various forms of AI into its platform for years, according to the press release.

Traditionally, there was a trade-off between providing detailed and accurate listings and making it easier and faster for sellers to create them, the release said. However, with the help of AI, eBay can achieve both objectives. AI has the capability to generate comprehensive listings that provide buyers with more information while streamlining the listing process for sellers.

eBay CEO Jamie Iannone said in the company’s most recent earnings release that the online marketplace is in the midst of a “tech-led reimagination” that includes its acquisition of Certilogo, an AI-powered authentication provider for fashion.

“Now, we’re raising the bar for innovation and have evolved our mission — to reinvent the future of eCommerce for enthusiasts, only at eBay,” Iannone said at the time.