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	About authentication and grading services Authentication companies Misrepresented items

Authentication and grading services can help you evaluate an item. For a small fee, an independent, experienced evaluator can help examine a listing on eBay and point out potential problems.

About authentication and grading services

Buyers can get an item evaluated before purchasing it or get an evaluation of a recently purchased item. Sellers can boost bidder confidence by having items pre-authenticated before listing an item. Sellers can promote the fact that an independent expert has approved the item, which lets bidders know that the item has been examined by an experienced professional who has pledged to provide an unbiased opinion.

• Authentication services : Authentication helps determine whether an item is genuine and described appropriately. Experts can often detect counterfeits from subtle details. However, two expert authenticators can have different opinions on the authenticity of the same item.  

• Grading services: Grading is a way of determining the physical condition of an item. The grading system depends on the type of item being graded.  

Authentication companies

The authentication companies listed here are professional, independent evaluators. We’ve obtained a pledge from these evaluators that they will offer their services to both buyers and sellers, and that they will maintain independence from any individual party. The authenticators have pledged not to buy or sell on eBay's core site, keeping them out of competition with the buyers and sellers they are serving. They have also promised to provide eBay users with competitive prices.

Misrepresented items

If an expert says that an item on eBay is not accurately represented, we reserve the right to remove it if we believe that its sale might create liability for the buyer, the seller, or any third party. If this happens, we’ll refund the listing fee to the seller.