2 min article

eBay Authenticity Guarantee

The eBay Authenticity Guarantee helps buyers shop for luxury or collectible items with confidence. Eligible purchases are physically inspected by experts before being shipped to the buyer or returned to the seller.

What items are eligible for eBay Authenticity Guarantee?

Authenticity Guarantee is currently available for watches, jewellery, sneakers and handbags on ebay.co.uk. 

Watches

Only watches sold in the Wristwatches category for £1500 or more are currently eligible. (Smart watches, pocket watches, watch parts and watch accessories are not currently eligible.)

  • Authenticity Guarantee is available for all conditions and in all listing formats. However, if an item sells for under £1500 in an Auction listing, it may not be eligible for authentication
    • Watches specified as "Customised" are currently not eligible for authentication. A watch is deemed to be customised if the original brand parts have been replaced with non-brand parts or parts not original to the model or era, or if components have been modified from the original design, e.g. adding a diamond to the bezel or dial

There are some exceptions for vintage watches:

  • Vintage watches which are verified as authentic by the authentication partner may contain replacement parts that are not from the original manufacturer if the original manufacturer no longer makes that part
  • Vintage watches with commonly replaced aftermarket parts, such as a strap, bracelet, crystal, spring bars, or gaskets will be eligible for the programme

To be eligible, watches must be sold on ebay.co.uk to a buyer with a delivery address in the UK. 

 

Jewellery

To be eligible for Authenticity Guarantee jewellery must be:

  • from one of the following brands (Cartier, Tiffany & Co, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bvlgari, Chopard, or Chanel) or unbranded (no attributable designer, brand, or logo)
  • listed at £500 or more, or sold in an auction for £500 or more
    • if the Buy It Now price is £500 or more but you sell for a best offer or auction price of less than £500, it will still be eligible for authentication
  • listed in any Jewellery category except: Antique & Vintage, Loose Diamonds & Gemstones, Jewellery Care, Mixed Lots, Loose Beads or Watches (watches may be eligible for Authenticity Guarantee for Watches)
  • contain at least one component from each of the following criteria:
    • A fine metal: Sterling Silver (925+), gold (9K+), palladium (500+) or platinum (850+)
      • For plated metal, base metal composition must be fine as listed above
      • If the item falls under UK hallmarking law, it must have a valid hallmark
    • If it has a main/side gemstone (0.20ctw or more/per stone), it must be one of the following:
      • Diamond
      • Ruby 
      • Sapphire
      • Mother of Pearl/Shell
      • Malachite
      • Carnelian
      • Agate
      • Aquamarine
      • Aventurine
      • Bloodstone
      • Blue Chalcedony
      • Brecciated Mookaite
      • Cat's eye Chrysoberyl
      • Chrysoprase
      • Emerald
      • Garnet
      • Jasper
      • Morganite
      • Moss Agate
      • Onyx
      • Peridot
      • Tanzanite
      • Tiger's Eye
      • Topaz
      • Tourmaline
    • If it has a secondary/melee stone (less than 0.20ctw/per stone), it can be any stone except for the following ineligible stones:
      • Akoya pearl
      • Amber
      • Amethyst
      • Ametrine
      • Black Opal
      • Boulder Opal
      • Citrine
      • Doublet Opal
      • Fire Opal
      • Freshwater Cultured Pearl
      • Freshwater Pearl
      • Green Amethyst/Prasiolite
      • Jade
      • Jade Jadeite
      • Jadeite
      • Jadeite Jade
      • Lemon Quartz
      • Mabe Pearl
      • Nephrite
      • Opal
      • Pearl
      • Pearls
      • Quartz
      • Rhinestones
      • Rock Crystal
      • Rose Quartz
      • Rutilated Quartz
      • Smoky Quartz
      • South Sea Pearl
      • Tahitian Pearl 
      • Tiger's Eye
      • Turquoise
      • Welo Opal

Jewellery must be sold on ebay.co.uk by a seller located in the UK to a buyer located in the UK to be eligible. Jewellery shipped to addresses outside of the UK will not be covered by the programme. Listings where the delivery is local pickup, in-store pickup, or postage to a P.O. box will also not be eligible. 

 

Sneakers

The following sneaker brands are eligible for Authenticity Guarantee:

  • A Bathing Ape
  • Adidas
  • Alexander McQueen
  • Alexander Wang
  • Amiri
  • AND1
  • Android Homme
  • Asics
  • Atmos
  • Axel Arigato
  • Balenciaga
  • Balmain
  • Bape
  • Bottega
  • Burberry
  • Buscemi
  • Chanel
  • Christian Loubotin
  • Chuck Taylor
  • Chunky Dunky
  • Comme Des Garcons
  • Common Projects
  • Converse
  • Crocs
  • Diadora
  • Dior
  • Dolce & Gabbana
  • Dsquared2
  • Ermenegildo Zegna
  • Fear of God
  • Fendi
  • Fila
  • Filling Pieces
  • Giuseppe Zanotti
  • Givenchy
  • Golden Goose
  • Golf Wang
  • Gucci
  • Hender Scheme
  • Hermés
  • Hoka
  • Hugo Boss
  • Isabel Marant
  • Jeremy Scott
  • Jimmy Choo
  • John Geiger
  • Jordan
  • Junya Watanabe
  • K-Swiss
  • KangaROOS
  • Kenzo
  • Kith
  • Kobe
  • Lacoste
  • Lanvin
  • Lecoq Sportif
  • Li-Ning
  • Louis Vuitton
  • Maison Kitsune
  • Maison Margiela
  • Mallet
  • MCM
  • McQ
  • Mizuno
  • Moncler
  • Moschino
  • New Balance
  • Nike
  • Nike Air
  • Nike Dunk
  • Off-White
  • On Running
  • Onitsuka Tiger
  • Palace
  • Palm Angels
  • Patta
  • Philipp Plein
  • Prada
  • Puma
  • Raf Simons
  • Reebok
  • Rhude
  • Rick Owens
  • Sacai
  • Saint Laurent
  • Salomon
  • Salvatore Ferragamo
  • Saucony
  • Stella McCartney
  • Stone Island
  • Stussy
  • Supreme
  • Undefeated
  • Under Armour
  • Undercover
  • Valentino
  • Vans
  • Versace
  • Vetements
  • Visvim
  • Vivienne Westwood
  • Y-3
  • Yeezy
  • Yohji Yamamoto
  • Yves Saint Laurent

To be eligible sneakers must be:

  • listed at a Buy It Now price of £100 or more, or sold in an auction for £100 or more (postage excluded)
  • If the Buy It Now price is £100 or more but you sell for a best offer price of less than £100, the sneakers will still be eligible for authentication
  • listed in a New or Used condition
  • listed in Men’s or Women’s Trainers categories or Kids' Shoes categories (Boys, Girls, Baby or Unisex)
  • sold on eBay.co.uk to a buyer address inside the UK
  • sold by a seller using managed payments

Select in-demand models from the above brands in the Men’s or Women’s Trainers categories may also be eligible for Authenticity Guarantee at a lower price threshold.

Sneakers specified as customised will not be authenticated.​

  • A sneaker is deemed to be "Customised" if it has been modified from its original state
  • Examples of this include shoes with personalised elements, custom artwork, or any modifications that did not come with the original sneaker

Accessories such as laces will not be authenticated if they are noted in the listing as replacements.​

  • In such cases, the condition of accessories would instead be verified against the listing

Posting sneakers with Authenticity Guarantee:

UK buyers pay a flat £8.95 eBay postage fee when purchasing sneakers that qualify for Authenticity Guarantee. We'll then send sellers a pre-paid DPD postage label so they can post the sneakers to the authentication centre, free of charge.

  • Please note that each postage label is unique and is for single use only. Sellers will be responsible for losses should duplicate labels be used.

To be eligible, sneakers must be sold on eBay.co.uk by a seller located in the UK, to a buyer with a UK delivery address.

Currently, authenticated sneakers cannot be posted to:

  • P.O. boxes and armed forces (BFPO or BF)
  • Listings where the delivery is local pickup or in-store pickup
 

Handbags

The following handbags wallet and select accessory brands are eligible for Authenticity Guarantee:

  • Louis Vuitton
  • Chanel  
  • Gucci  
  • Hermes 
  • Yves Saint Laurent  
  • Celine  
  • Dior   
  • Prada   
  • Fendi   
  • Goyard  
  • Burberry 
  • Chloe  
  • Valentino  
  • Givenchy 
  • Balenciaga
  • Bottega Veneta 
  • Mulberry
  • MCM
  • Salvatore Ferragamo
  • Dolce & Gabbana
  • Versace
  • Alexander McQueen
  • Stella McCartney
  • Proenza Schouler
  • Delvaux
  • Miu Miu
  • Mark Cross
  • Marni
  • Lanvin
  • Jil Sander
  • Judith Leiber
  • Christian Louboutin
  • Alexander Wang
  • Balmain 

To be eligible for authentication, brands of handbags, wallets and select accessories must also be: 

  • sold for £500 or more
  • in New or Pre-owned condition
  • listed in one of these categories:
    • Women's Bags & Handbags
    • Women's Accessories > Handbag Accessories
    • Women's Accessories > Organisers & Day Planners
    • Men's Accessories > Bags 
    • Women's & Men's Accessories > Wallets
    • Women's & Men's Accessories > Key Chains, Rings & Finders 
    • Women's & Men's Accessories > ID & Document Holders
    • Women's & Men's Accessories > Belts
    • Women's & Men's Accessories > Hats
  • sold in a fixed price or auction listing
  • sold on ebay.co.uk to a buyer with a UK postage address

Handbag listings that only offer local pickup or postage to P.O. boxes will not be eligible for Authenticity Guarantee.

 

Tip
Remember to choose the item condition that best matches the condition of your item. If the authenticator determines your item's condition doesn't match the item condition you provided in the listing, we'll refund the buyer and return the item to you.  

How eBay Authenticity Guarantee works

If your item is eligible for eBay Authenticity Guarantee, it will be automatically added to the programme, free of charge. There is no opt in or opt out option.

Items included in the eBay Authenticity Guarantee programme display a blue tick badge. Buyers will see the badge in the search results page, the view item page, the checkout page and their Purchase history page.

When you make a sale, you have to send the item to the authenticator's address provided by eBay. Once the authenticator receives the item, the inspection is processed within 2 business days.

If the authenticator confirms the item is consistent with the listing title, description, and images, they perform a physical authentication inspection. If the inspector cannot determine that the product is authentic, or if the product is not as described in the listing, the item will be returned to you and the buyer will receive their money back. If the item passes inspection, it will be sent to the buyer with fast and free, tracked delivery. Items sold for £450 or more will have signature-required delivery.

Returns with Authenticity Guarantee

If a buyer wants to return an authenticated item, your return policy as stated in the listing will apply. Authenticated items are covered by eBay Money Back Guarantee, assuming all other eligibility criteria are met. For full details, read our eBay Money Back Guarantee policy.

When returning an item, the buyer will send it back to the authenticator who will check that the item is still in the same condition and has all relevant accessories. Once the item has been re-authenticated, it will be returned to you and the buyer's refund will be processed.

To learn more, see our detailed Authenticity Guarantee help pages:  

Frequently asked questions

Why can't I offer combined postage?

Authenticity Guarantee items will not be eligible for combined postage promotions since each authenticated item is split into a separate order.

 
Why can't I see the buyer's postage address?

Items in the Authenticity Guarantee programme need to be sent to the authenticator. Once the item has passed inspection it will be sent to the buyer.

 
What if my item doesn't pass authentication, but I have evidence that confirms it's authentic?

Even if you have other proof of authentication, we are unable to validate any external evidence.

 
How can buyers search for Authenticity Guarantee items?

Buyers can narrow down their item searches using the filters on the left-hand side of the eBay search results page. To filter by Authenticity Guarantee items only, simply scroll down to the Show only section and tick the Authenticity Guarantee box.

If your item is eligible for eBay Authenticity Guarantee, it will be automatically added to the programme, free of charge. There is no opt in or opt out option.

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