# Is it Okay to Use AI Images in My Listing? Canonical URL: https://www.sellraze.com/blog/is-it-okay-to-use-ai-images-in-my-listing Markdown URL: https://www.sellraze.com/blog/is-it-okay-to-use-ai-images-in-my-listing.md Published: 2026-06-02T23:00:50.000+00:00 Updated: 2026-06-02T23:00:51.000+00:00 Authors: Jasmin Mipaña Reading time: 5 min > Cynthia is one of the resellers who turned from selling her clothes casually on Depop and Poshmark into a full-time business. From taking photos with clothes sprawled over the bed, she now has a dress figure where she puts on clothes when she shoots for listings. Now Cynthia has seen listings that look more polished than usual, as if shot from a studio. But something feels off; the items look too posed, too perfect. Curious, Cynthia probed further. It was AI-enhanced photos of the items a certa ![A woman editing a listing photo](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e9/2c/e92c0268-0a3c-45b5-8c3a-b81ee6ef33fd/content/images/2026/06/pexels-liza-summer-6347731.jpg) Cynthia is one of the resellers who turned from selling her clothes casually on Depop and Poshmark into a full-time business. From taking photos with clothes sprawled over the bed, she now has a dress figure where she puts on clothes when she shoots for listings. Now Cynthia has seen listings that look more polished than usual, as if shot from a studio. But something feels off; the items look too posed, too perfect. Curious, Cynthia probed further. It was AI-enhanced photos of the items a certain seller uploaded. Even when shot in bad lighting, the item looks great and photographed as if worn by a real person. If you’re like Cynthia, you might get tempted to join the bandwagon of sellers considering AI-enhanced photos for their listings. We don’t blame you; photographing listing items takes time and skill to master. But is this ethical? What is the stance of popular reseller platforms towards AI images? What does this mean for you as a seller? We discuss this comprehensively below. ## AI-enhanced vs AI-generated ![Example of clothing on an AI model.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e9/2c/e92c0268-0a3c-45b5-8c3a-b81ee6ef33fd/content/images/2026/06/medium-shot-young-man-posing-outdoors.jpg) _[Image by freepik](https://www.magnific.com/free-ai-image/medium-shot-young-man-posing-outdoors_94941792.htm?ref=sellraze.ghost.io#fromView=search&page=1&position=6&uuid=d6f4eb8e-c4ee-4530-b1c9-099354a1f794&query=ai+clothing)_ AI editing tools are readily available for resellers to use, with some even embedded in reseller platforms. So when a photo is edited with AI, it is just AI-enhanced; photos of the original items that are placed on AI models fall in this category. There will be some imperfections that give away AI use, like blurred edges or slight distortion. At times, only the background is removed, the lighting improved to showcase the item better. AI-generated photos are created using a prompt. These are least likely to appear like the original item in the listing. AI-generated photos have some indistinct parts or the opposite, too unreal, too perfect. AI-generated photos may include virtual models with no original photos whatsoever and items with details that are not present in the original. ## Photo requirements of reseller platforms ![Taking photos of clothing listings](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e9/2c/e92c0268-0a3c-45b5-8c3a-b81ee6ef33fd/content/images/2026/06/medium-shot-specialized-photographer-taking-photos.jpg) _[Image by freepik](https://www.magnific.com/free-photo/medium-shot-specialized-photographer-taking-photos_39695848.htm?ref=sellraze.ghost.io#fromView=search&page=1&position=2&uuid=7602574d-4799-4d6b-a8fb-e1b6961fc969&query=taking+photos+of+clothing+with+a+camera)_ Reseller platforms differ in the number of photos they allow sellers to upload. Depop, for example, allows you to upload up to eight images of one listing. [**Mercari**](https://www.mercari.com/us/help_center/topics/listing/guides/creating-a-listing/?ref=sellraze.ghost.io) allows up to 12 photos; Poshmark lets you upload up to [**16 photos**](https://support.poshmark.com/s/article/894455911?language=en_US&ref=sellraze.ghost.io). These numbers are provided so a seller can provide photos that cover all the angles of an item. Ideally, there should be one photo of the front, back, the label, the tag (especially for [**NWT items**](https://www.sellraze.com/blog/blog-nwt-meaning-reselling?ref=sellraze.ghost.io)), and the flaws. It’s also a great practice to take photos of the hardware in bags and purses, and the stitching. With these photo requirements, sellers really need to take better photos that are able to stand out visually versus other listing photos. Aside from sourcing skills, sellers need also to brush up their knowledge in [**basic photography**](https://www.sellraze.com/blog/accidentally-professional-a-lazy-resellers-guide-to-photos-that-actually-sell?ref=sellraze.ghost.io)to sell. ### The stance of reseller giants [**eBay’s picture policy**](https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/listing-policies/picture-policy?id=4370&ref=sellraze.ghost.io) prohibits the use of stock photos. They do have an option that helps with [**editing the background**](https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/listings/adding-pictures-listings?id=4148&ref=sellraze.ghost.io) with AI for listings. Depop has also teamed up with [**Photoroom for basic AI photo editing**](https://news.depop.com/company-news/depop-partners-with-photoroom-to-bring-ai-powered-photo-editing-to-millions/?ref=sellraze.ghost.io)rather than allowing wholly AI-generated listing photos. Poshmark recommends using original photos but none has been mentioned about AI-generated photos of listing items. Stock photos are discouraged because they can easily misrepresent the item. For example, a stock image of a white tank top can be designed with geometric prints from another stock photo. These edits can easily be done with AI tools. ## Why resellers resort to AI images [**DALL-E**](https://openai.com/index/dall-e-2/?ref=sellraze.ghost.io) is OpenAI’s first text-to-image generator that generates realistic images based on the prompt. Now, numerous generative image models are accessible, which generate realistic-looking images especially when prompted with both text and an existing image for benchmarking. Sellers see this as an opportunity to skip trying to take good photos of their items, as with a few tweaks, AI can edit photos that would take hours before with image editing applications. A background edit is made easier; shadows are gone, lighting gets better. Clothes look like they are worn by real models, except that they aren’t. The caveat here is when the images look nothing like the original item; buyers are quick to file a dispute by then. ## What AI images are doing to your business ![An Ai-generated image of a hoodie with no mannequin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e9/2c/e92c0268-0a3c-45b5-8c3a-b81ee6ef33fd/content/images/2026/06/vibrant-yellow-jacket-mannequin-no-people-generated-by-ai.jpg) _[Image by vecstock on Magnifi](https://www.magnific.com/free-ai-image/vibrant-yellow-jacket-mannequin-no-people-generated-by-ai_43273036.htm?ref=sellraze.ghost.io#fromView=search&page=1&position=27&uuid=27d9f26d-f73d-48ac-9c20-a0dc7eb7e838&query=AI+clothing)_ Online resellers are divided in their opinions of using AI-enhanced images. A reseller in the [**Resellers Connected Facebook Group**](https://www.facebook.com/groups/resellersconnected/posts/1446925990091910/?comment_id=1448262233291619)reports using AI in their listings along with their original photos, and indicates in the listing that there is AI use. Another reseller uses AI to model items periodically for Poshmark, but still uploads the original photos of the item. The benefits resellers share about AI usage are having better-looking photos, faster listing process, especially in bulk and during crosslisting, plus there is a less need for an expensive camera or smartphone to capture photos. A Reddit user mentions in the[**r/Etsy subreddit**](https://www.reddit.com/r/Etsy/comments/1syvbl5/comment/oix1qw4/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) that they can’t be sure if the true product is the one being shown in the photo. Several other users agree; one even talked about hoping to block sellers who use AI in their listings and another reportedly scrolls past listings that look like it was AI. Using AI in this context may lead to several issues, including inaccuracies in color and fabric texture, as well as failing to show flaws or damage. These in turn may lead to negative reviews for resellers. Statistics and research support these discussions. In one article, [**95% of buyers as reported by Clutch**](https://clutch.co/resources/ai-photos-brand-usage-consumer-trust?ref=sellraze.ghost.io#key-findings) are on the fence when it comes to AI images. A [**2025 study by Zhang and Hur**](https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3387/15/10/395?ref=sellraze.ghost.io)also reported that consumers react more positively to human-made images compared to those enhanced or created with AI. While AI does speed up the listing process by improving photos, it can also create issues with buyer trust. ## Using AI Images in Listings AI images of original items make listing photos more visually appealing to buyers, though some are discouraged by it. Should you decide to include AI-enhanced images in your listings, observe the following practices: - **Original photos first:** Use the original image as the cover image. AI-enhanced images, especially on models, should only supplement the real photos, just to help buyers visualize the fit and texture of the item. - **No excessive editing:**Be careful not to edit the flaws or damage. Show them as is. Better yet, stick to altering the background and shadows instead of the item photo itself. - **Disclose AI use**: Always tell which images have been enhanced and which haven’t. ## Could AI-enhanced listing images be the norm? With the growth of AI tools in e-commerce, this is a possibility in the future. We even have lots of virtual try-on technology for clothes and makeup nowadays, with AI models replacing mannequins, so the idea of AI listing photos becoming more mainstream in reselling is not far-fetched. In the meantime, maintaining authentic images along with these enhanced ones is better than solely relying on edited photos that might misrepresent your listing. ## The Verdict So is it okay to use AI-enhanced images in your listings? Considering current trends, none of the platforms clearly stated that AI-enhanced photos are not allowed. Our conservative answer is yes, but use them sparingly. If AI images do not do your listing justice, then feel free to upload your original photos instead. Watch how your buyers react to these listing images and adjust accordingly. AI listing images should not make up the entirety of your item listing photos. Authenticity should always come first, and AI listing images should complement—not replace— the photos of the item you’re selling.