Two used products of the same model can represent very different purchases. One has a mark on its back; the other has a loose connection. Calling both “good condition” leaves a visitor from a ChatGPT ad without the information needed to choose. The model’s original specifications do not explain how this particular item looks or works.
A useful condition description makes those differences visible before purchase. It records what the seller observed, how that affects use and what remains unknown. This article concerns the current state of an individual item. Work performed to restore a product belongs in the separate guide to refurbished products.
Establish identity before assigning a grade
First confirm that photographs and notes belong to the same stock item. An internal item reference can connect the records even when it is not the customer’s main heading. If several units share a product page, explain whether photographs show the selected unit or represent a broader category.
For a unique item, carry its own photographs and description through to the order. Do not silently substitute a different unit after the photographed one sells. Where stock is sold by defined condition grades, explain the boundaries of each grade and label images according to what they actually represent.
OpenAI describes a row per product item or variant in Product Feeds. Identification of individual used units still needs a decision in your own catalogue. The product feed guide helps connect catalogue identity, product description and destination consistently.
Write an observation the buyer can interpret
Replace general judgements with location, extent and visibility. “Normal wear” is less informative than a description of scratches along a seat’s front edge. Give measurements when they help and have actually been checked. Avoid precise figures that imply measurement where none took place.
Consider a hypothetical used bookcase. “Good used condition” might become “two visible marks on the right side panel and a lighter patch on the top shelf”. If photographs show both details, buyers can judge whether the marks will be visible in their intended position. The description does not need to decide how much every buyer should care.
Separate surface wear from issues affecting use. A stain underneath a chair and an unstable leg are different kinds of information. Describe known limitations concretely and make them as easy to find as the features emphasised by the ad. The customer needs both to assess suitability.
Preserve three distinct states of knowledge
An internal record can separate observed appearance, checked functionality and features not examined. This prevents an empty field becoming a positive claim. No note about a connection does not establish that the connection works. The published page should preserve the boundary between knowledge and uncertainty.
For example, a hypothetical older camera may have visible scratches on its body. Describing the scratches requires an observation. Claiming that every function works requires different evidence. If some functions were not examined, avoid including them in a sweeping promise. Put the uncertainty beside the relevant feature information.
The product page does not need to reproduce a long technical report. Select information that could change the purchase decision, with a clear contact route where more detail exists. If the business does not have the information, say so. Do not invite the customer to assume the most favourable possible condition.
Make photographs comparable with the wording
Use an overview image to show where a detail sits on the product, followed by a closer image of the mark itself. An extreme crop without context can exaggerate its importance, while poor lighting can make it disappear. Aim for an image the customer can assess, rather than a dramatic or flattering presentation.
Number observations in the working record and connect each image to its note. Customers do not need the internal number, but the editor should be able to verify the relationship. Where a model has multiple colours or stock units, that connection helps prevent a photograph of the wrong unit entering the sequence.
Keep important information in text even when a photograph shows it. Someone viewing on a phone may struggle to see the detail, and an image does not automatically explain its effect on use. Place a material limitation near the product selection when it determines what the customer is actually ordering.
Four kinds of information about one item
- Observed wear
State where the mark is and what it looks like.
- Known functional effect
Describe anything the customer must accommodate during use.
- Not examined
State what remains unknown.
- Photograph of the item
Connect the detail image to the correct item and written description.
Compare the advertising description with the condition
Words such as “like new”, “faultless” and “perfect” imply more than “used”. If the ad uses such language, the destination needs to substantiate the same meaning for the advertised item. A broad brand message should not obscure a significant limitation in the particular unit being sold.
The destination is part of OpenAI’s Campaign Management documentation. Review the address actually used, including any preselected item. The landing page guide covers the broader alignment of ad and destination. The narrower question here is whether customers encounter the condition the advertisement leads them to expect.
Assign responsibility for the condition record
Save the observations with a review date and the person or team able to resolve a discrepancy. If the item is moved, displayed in a shop or damaged later, the description should be updated before another sale. An old photograph should not override a newer verified observation.
Compare the stock item, image sequence, written description and order selection one final time. Then read the page without looking at the physical item. Can you identify the known defects, their locations and any unresolved uncertainty? A clear account lets the customer assess this particular purchase against their own requirements for appearance and use.
Sources and scope
Help advertisers disclose the individual used item’s condition, known defects and remaining uncertainty before purchase.
Working methods and examples are editorial suggestions. Check current platform requirements and available features before implementation.