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What is grading?
What is authentication?
I'm a seller. How do authentication and grading benefit me?
I'm a buyer. How do authentication and grading benefit me?
Will eBay act if an expert says that an item on eBay is not accurately represented?
What has eBay done to ensure that these companies are truly good services?

What is grading?
Grading is a way of determining the physical condition of an item, such as "poor quality" or "mint condition." The actual grading system is dependent on the type of item being graded.

What is authentication?
Authentication is a way of determining whether an item is genuine and described appropriately. Because of their training and experience, experts can often detect counterfeits from subtle details. However, you should know that two expert authenticators may differ on the authenticity of the same item.

I'm a seller. How do authentication and grading benefit me?
Sellers can boost bidder confidence by having items pre-authenticated by an independent authenticator before listing an item. Sellers can promote the fact that an independent expert has approved the item which will let bidders know that the item has been examined by a highly qualified, experienced professional who has pledged to provide an unbiased opinion. eBay's authentication program makes independent, highly qualified experts available to sellers at reasonable prices.

I'm a buyer. How do authentication and grading benefit me?
Buyers can use these authentication and grading services to evaluate an item before bidding on it. For a small fee, an independent, experienced evaluator can help examine a listing on eBay and point out potential problems with an autograph. Buyers can also use these authentication and grading services to get a thorough evaluation of a recently purchased item.

Will eBay act if an expert says that an item on eBay is not accurately represented?
It depends on the situation. However, eBay reserves the right to remove any item listed at our discretion if we believe that its sale might create liability for the buyer, the seller, or any third party. If this happens, eBay will refund the listing fee to the seller.

What has eBay done to ensure that these companies are truly good services?
The authentication companies listed on this page are all professional, independent evaluators. eBay has reviewed the credentials of these authenticators and each has a good reputation in their field. eBay has obtained a pledge from these evaluators that they will offer their services to buyers and sellers, and maintain independence from any individual party so that they can evaluate an item without a conflict of interest. The authenticators have also pledged not to buy or sell on Bay's core site, thus keeping them out of competition with the very buyers and sellers they are serving. They have also promised to provide eBay users with very competitive prices.