What is Authenticity Guarantee?
eBay's Authenticity Guarantee is a service designed to help buyers shop with confidence, while protecting sellers. Eligible purchases are physically inspected by professional authenticators before being posted to the buyer or returned to the seller.
How does Authenticity Guarantee work?
If your item is eligible for the Authenticity Guarantee service, it will be automatically added to the programme, free of charge. There is no opt in or opt out option.
Items eligible for Authenticity Guarantee display a blue Authenticity Guarantee tick. Buyers will see the tick in the search results page, the view item page, the checkout page and their purchase history page.
For items qualifying for Authenticity Guarantee, the seller is required to post the item to the authentication facility. There, the item goes through a multi-step inspection process.
Once verified, the item is carefully packed and posted to the buyer’s address at checkout via tracked, next day delivery, paid for by eBay. Please note, there is no grading or re-grading in this process. Our authenticators verify the raw card or sealed plastic holder as part of the inspection process.
Will I be charged a fee for Authenticity Guarantee?
No. For eligible items priced at £350 or more, eBay covers the cost of authentication and fast, tracked delivery from the authentication facility to the buyer.
What items are eligible for Authenticity Guarantee?
Authenticity Guarantee is available on eligible items only. Eligible items must meet the following conditions:
- Category: Collectable card games, sports trading cards and non-sports trading cards
- Card Type: Single cards only
- Price: Eligible items listed or sold at £350 or more (exclusive of postage) Grading Type: Ungraded and graded cards
- Grading Brands: Only cards graded by the following graders will be accepted: Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA); Sportscard Guaranty Corporation (SGC);
- Certified Collectibles Group's affiliates, CGC Trading Cards, Certified Sports Guaranty (CSG); and Beckett Grading Services (BGS)
The following items are not eligible for Authenticity Guarantee:
- Items not bearing the Authenticity Guarantee badge
- Trading cards listed in categories not named above
- Sets, lots, kits, decks, boxes and packs of two or more cards
- Miscategorised items e.g. other types of cards listed in eligible categories
- Art cards
- Redemption cards
- 1980s Star Company Basketball cards
- Additional cards that are gifted to buyers as a bonus and free of charge
- Items purchased using an offline payment method
- Listings that offer local pickup are not excluded from Authenticity Guarantee but will be excluded if a buyer chooses this option at checkout
- Items shipped to P.O. boxes
- Items in breach of the Prohibited Items policy
Only items purchased on eBay.co.uk are eligible for Authenticity Guarantee. Items to be delivered to a buyer address outside the UK are not eligible for the service at this time.
How can I confirm my item qualifies for Authenticity Guarantee?
A blue badge with “Authenticity Guarantee” will automatically appear on your item’s listing page. Upon making a sale, you can also check your order details in the Seller Hub sold section. If eligible, you will receive a confirmation email indicating your item sold with Authenticity Guarantee.
If I list my card for £350 and accept a Best Offer below £350 will it be eligible for Authenticity Guarantee?
Yes. Your item will be eligible for Authenticity Guarantee and sent to the authenticator for inspection. Items with a Buy It Now price of at least £350 with either auction format or Best Offer are also eligible.
How do you determine Authenticity Guarantee eligibility for auction-style listings?
All auction-style listings that sell for over the eligible price point are eligible for Authenticity Guarantee, regardless of the starting price.
What happens at the authentication facility?
After the authentication facility receives the card, the authenticator will first perform a multi-point inspection.
- For ungraded cards, this involves checking the corners, edges, surface and overall condition of the card to confirm that it is consistent with the listing title, images and listing description. Then, they will perform a physical authentication inspection.
- For graded cards, this involves inspecting the sealed plastic holder for signs of tampering and verifying that the case and label are authentic to the grader.
Finally, the card will be packaged in custom packaging with a tamper-proof sticker seal. The card also receives a QR code sticker detailing the process.
Who is providing the authentication services?
Our partners at Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) are our official authenticators for trading cards. For ungraded cards, PSA experts verify authenticity through a multi-point inspection, and then carefully review listing details for consistency. For graded cards, PSA experts authenticate each case and label. No re-grading is performed.
Can I get my card graded during the Authenticity Guarantee process?
No, PSA does not offer card grading or re-grading as part of the Authenticity Guarantee service.
Can I offer combined postage?
Authenticity Guarantee items are not eligible for combined postage promotions since each authenticated item is put into a separate order for processing. Please post all orders individually.
What is the estimated delivery time for Authenticity Guarantee items?
The estimated delivery date shown to buyers on your listings is based on various factors. For Authenticity Guarantee items, this includes the estimated time authenticators take to inspect the item once receiving it. Once authenticated, it will be posted directly to the buyer with tracked, next day delivery.
How do I track the status of my item?
You can track the status of your item throughout the process in the View Order Details section of your Seller Hub.
Can a buyer choose not to have the item authenticated?
For eligible items priced at £350 or more, you cannot choose to bypass the authentication service. eBay's Authenticity Guarantee is a service designed to protect both buyers and sellers.
What should I do if I need to cancel the order?
If you need to cancel the order, you can do this by locating the sale in Seller Hub or the “My eBay” tab and following the cancellation process. The buyer will be notified of the order cancellation immediately. For more information refer to Order Cancellation Policy.
Where am I posting the item?
eBay will provide you with the address of the authentication facility along with the buyer's name and an eBay Virtual Tracking Number in the format 'ebay:xxxxxxx'. Be sure to use the exact delivery address eBay provides including the authentication code, as the authenticators need that to process your order.
The item must be posted to the address provided, sellers cannot drop off or deliver items to the authentication facility in person. Once your item is verified and authenticated it will be forwarded on to the buyer’s address at no extra cost to you.
For labels purchased via the eBay site or Simple Delivery, the authentication facility address and code will already be on the label.
How do I provide tracking information?
Once you've posted the item, you'll need to upload tracking information through My eBay. Providing tracking information helps ensure your item will be processed smoothly at the authentication facility and that seller protections cover you. It also allows buyers to track the progress of their purchases through each step of our authentication process.
For labels purchased via the eBay site or via Simple Delivery, tracking is automatically uploaded to your orders.
Can buyers return items purchased with Authenticity Guarantee?
Buyers can return an item if you accept returns, as stated in the listing, and the return takes place within your return window, or in the unlikely event the item is ultimately found to be not as described. Please note that both business and consumer sellers are required to offer certain types of returns options in the UK. Learn more about setting up return policies here.
How does the return process work with Authenticity Guarantee?
When a buyer decides to return an item in accordance with the seller's return policy or if the item is not as described, they will be instructed to send the item back to the authentication facility. eBay will provide the buyer with a return postage label once the return request has been generated.
Who pays for return postage – you or the buyer – depends on the reason they're returning the item and your return policy. Once the item is received, the authenticator will verify that the returned item matches the authenticity and condition in which it was originally sent to the buyer. If the item passes the authenticity and condition inspection, the buyer will be refunded and the item will be returned to you with fast, tracked delivery.
Why would my item be returned to me by the authenticator?
Your item will be returned to you if the item condition is not consistent with your photographs and item description. You will not be charged for the cost of posting such a return and a refund will be issued to the buyer immediately. If the item's authenticity cannot be verified, we’ll ask you to remove the item from marketplace circulation.
What will happen if my item is damaged or lost while in possession of the authenticator?
In the unlikely event your item is lost or damaged while in the possession of the authentication facility, eBay will cover such loss or damage of the item. Should the item be lost or damaged before reaching the authentication facility, the seller is responsible. If your item is posted using Simple Delivery, refer to the page here for more information.
What will happen if my item is damaged or lost in transit when the authenticator ships it to the buyer?
In the unlikely event your item is lost or damaged, please notify eBay Customer Support.
What automated protections does eBay have for sellers?
We have protections for sellers who send their items to the authenticator within their stated handling time. Once the item goes through inspection and is sent to the buyer, sellers are fully protected against any negative or neutral feedback. The Item Not Received cases will be removed from the Service Metrics dashboard before the next evaluation cycle. Should an Item Not Received case be closed and a refund issued to the buyer, the seller will not be responsible for that refund as long as eBay has tracking confirming delivery to the authenticator, which can be found in View Order Details.
Can I choose which authenticator my card goes to?
No. PSA is our official authenticator for both ungraded and graded cards.