On this label
- Amazon titles must not exceed 75 characters and may not repeat a word more than twice.
- Etsy listings must disclose production partners and AI use where they apply.
- An unqualified “Made in USA” claim requires the product to be all or virtually all made in the U.S.
A listing has two jobs. It has to be found, which depends on the title and the words buyers search for. Then it has to persuade, which depends on the description answering every question before the buyer has to ask. Both jobs are bound by rules: each marketplace’s listing policies and federal rules against misleading claims.
Titles: short, specific, front-loaded
Amazon’s product title requirements for the United States are stricter than many sellers realize. Many older guides still quote a 200-character limit, but Amazon’s current help page sets the limit at 75 characters including spaces, noting that mobile screens truncate long titles.
| Amazon title rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| 75 characters maximum | Lead with what the product is; move extra detail to the Item highlights field |
| No promotional phrases | No “free shipping” or “100% quality guaranteed” |
| Restricted special characters | No !, $, ?, _, {, }, ^, ¬ or ¦; symbols like # and < only in identifiers or measurements |
| No word more than twice | Prepositions, articles and conjunctions excepted; brand names count |
| Recommended order | Brand, flavor or style, product type, key attribute, color, size or pack count, model number |
Amazon warns that non-compliant titles may be corrected automatically or may not appear in search, and that changes take 24 to 48 hours to show. Etsy is more flexible about length, but the same principle holds: the first few words should tell a buyer scrolling on a phone exactly what the item is.
Tip: Write the title as a buyer would search, not as you would name the product in your studio. “Personalized Ceramic Mug, Hand-Painted Name” beats “The Juniper Mug”.
Descriptions: answer the questions in order
- What it is and who it is for, in one or two sentences.
- Size, weight and capacity, with units.
- Materials and how it is made.
- Options: colors, sizes, personalization and how to request it.
- Care instructions.
- Processing and shipping time.
- Return or exchange policy, or a link to it.
Keep paragraphs short and put measurements in a list. Buyers skim, and on a phone the description may be collapsed behind a “more” link.
Disclosures Etsy requires
Etsy’s help center says that if you work with a production partner to make or print your design, you must disclose that partner in the relevant listings, and seller-prompted AI creations must disclose the use of AI. Items listed as made by you must use your own photographs. These disclosures are part of the listing, not optional extras.
Claims you must be able to prove
Made in USA
The Federal Trade Commission’s Made in USA Labeling Rule and policy statement say an unqualified Made in USA claim requires the product to be all or virtually all made in the United States: final assembly or processing in the U.S., all significant processing in the U.S. and all or virtually all components made and sourced in the U.S. You need a reasonable basis, meaning competent and reliable evidence, before making the claim. Do not imply a whole product line is made in the U.S. if only some of it is.
Sale prices
If your listing shows a former price, the FTC’s Guides Against Deceptive Pricing say it should be a price at which the item was openly offered for a reasonably substantial period, not an inflated figure created to make a discount look larger.
Reviews and endorsements
Do not put fabricated reviews or testimonials in your listing or images. Amazon also bans images of customer reviews, five-star graphics and claims such as free shipping in product images. The FTC’s review rule is covered in Handling Returns and Reviews: Platform Policies, FTC Rules and Replies That Help.
Children’s products
If a product is designed primarily for children 12 and under and is subject to Consumer Product Safety Commission safety rules, it needs third-party testing and a Children’s Product Certificate before sale. Describe such products accurately, including the intended age.
Before you publish
Amazon’s title rules also say what a title must contain: at least the minimum information that clearly describes the product, as in its own examples “Columbia Hiking Boots” or “Sony Headphones”, and no restricted phrases such as “FSA/HSA eligible”. When 75 characters are not enough, Amazon points sellers to a separate Item highlights field for additional descriptive information rather than a longer title.
On Etsy, the description is also where you make clear how the item fits Etsy’s rules, since reselling is not allowed in the handmade category.
- Title says what the item is in the first few words and meets the platform’s length limit.
- Measurements and materials are stated, with units.
- Processing time matches what you can actually ship; see Shipping and Packaging for Small Sellers: USPS Services, Box Sizes and the 30-Day Rule.
- Every claim, from origin to “was” price, can be backed up.
- Photos match the description; see Product Photos That Sell: Meeting Etsy and Amazon Image Rules With a Simple Home Setup.