So you want to find loving homes for your used clothes?  eBay is a GREAT place to do it -- once you figure out the rules for your listings!  It CAN be a little difficult at first, the rules are impossible to find unless you break them and have your listing removed for Miscategorization or some other policy violation. 

Oftentimes the form email that is sent by eBay to let you know that your listing has been removed (and fees refunded) will say that your item should have been listed under the Mature Audiences category.  This can be hard to find if you don’t know where to look.  It is under the Everything Else category.  If you feel that is the place you should place your listing, please go ahead and list them there.  If you are under 18 years of age, or are easily offended, I do not suggest even browsing that category.

This guide is to help you figure out how to conform to eBay’s unwritten policies on how to keep your items in the general category.  Since this guide focuses on selling socks, stockings, and shoes, the two general categories I suggest are:

1. Clothing, Shoes & Accessories - Women's Clothing - Intimates - Hosiery, Socks
2. Clothing, Shoes & Accessories - Women's Shoes

Obviously, you should be able to figure out what goes where.  Now, on to the rules!

There are three areas that I have repeatedly come across that you can violate eBay policies and cause your listing to be removed.  They are the Description, Images, and the Actual Item.

The Description

1. Extraneous information is not allowed in the general category.
2. You may make NO references to the seller, previous owner, or image model in your description. – Avoid the personal pronouns I, me, you, your, her, his, we, our, etc.  This includes referring customers to the seller’s ME page.
3. You may make NO references to the item’s scent or any stains that it may have.

Images of Item

1. Images of the item up for bid must be of the item up for bid. 
2. This means they must be pictures of the item, not of the model. 
3. They must be pictures that only display from BELOW THE KNEE.  This does not mean ½ inch above the knee to show that they are knee high.  It means BELOW THE KNEE, even if it cuts off a large portion of the item up for bid.  This also means that any part of the knee or even the back of the knee cannot be pictured.  Crop it!  NOTHING ABOVE THE KNEE MUST SHOW!

The Actual Item

1. Items of used clothing must be washed according to the manufacturer’s instructions. I’d suggest putting a note in your description that states that the used item will be washed before shipping.
2. You may not sell previously worn undergarments on eBay.  Even though some people refer to full-length pantyhose as “stockings”, they are not allowed on eBay.

I want to thank the following eBay Customer support members for their patient and well-mannered help in answering my questions: James, Jenna, Molly, Marino, & Charmie.

Why am I going out of my way to help newcomers and current competition in the well-worn socks, stockings, and shoes category?  I say educate everybody.  If these rules had already been posted somewhere, I’d have been grateful for the help!  Thriving competition is healthy for business.  It culls those that don’t have what it takes to survive, including those with poor business practices.  It makes the trolls work a little harder to keep control of their bridge.

If anyone else has anything to suggest that I add to these unwritten rules, please let me know!