Avatar

v1.1.0

Avatars are visual representations of users and stores.

Considerations

Human

Avatars help humanize the product experience by connecting users with the product and to each other.

Personalized

Avatars are meant to be personalized and work most efficiently when they are representative of the customer, user, or brand.

Types

Avatars appear across our experience as helpful assets that indicate functional states and user interactions. They become more visually representative as users personalize them. We use 4 core avatar variations.

Types of avatars. Number 1 points to signed-out, number 2 to yellow dynamic, number 3 to image, number 4 to eBay bag avatar.
  1. Signed-out
  2. Dynamic
  3. Image
  4. eBay

Signed-out

We use signed-out avatars when a new user comes to eBay for the first time or when a current user completely signs out. This variation has no personalized attributes since there’s nothing to display without access to user information.

A signed-out avatar used at the top of a mobile layout for My eBay. Text next to the avatar asks the user to sign in.

Dynamic

We automatically assign a dynamic avatar when a new user signs up for an account without uploading a custom image. The avatar’s color is assigned from our 8 color combinations based on user ID. Within the avatar is the first character of the user ID. The characters A–Z, <>’*”, 0–9 can be used. When letters are placed, they should always be uppercased. This avatar follows the user throughout their experience until they upload a custom image.

A variety of colorful dynamic avatars in yellow, kiwi, and blue displayed in store and live video cards in a mobile layout.

User selected image

Users can personalize their avatars to better represent their authentic selves. We use the image avatar for photos, logos, and artwork to provide customization for users. These customized avatars help improve comprehension by facilitating identification through imagery instead of just text.

A variety of selected image avatars displayed in store and live video cards in a mobile layout.

eBay

We use the eBay avatar to let users know they’re communicating directly with eBay through their shopping experience. This avatar typically appears within the messaging experience and through email correspondence.

The colorful eBay bag avatar highlighted next to messages from eBay in a mobile layout.

Properties

Size

Since we use avatars across native and web experiences, they’re displayed in various sizes. Our avatars are designed at 48px and are scaled up or down from there. Our 7 core avatar sizes are 32, 40, 48, 56, 64, 96, and 128 pixels. The character in the avatar does not scale up or honor larger font-size settings. It's treated more like an "icon."

Color

Our dynamic avatar uses a balanced family of 8 color combinations. Learn more about these color combinations in the Color pairing tool.

Behavior

While users usually upload and adjust their avatars, there are instances where system-level adjustments are necessary. Cropping and scrim application are the two most beneficial aspects in these situations.

Image cropping (square and 4:3)

Square, 4:3, and aspect ratios in between are set to "fill." These dimensions allow images to fully occupy the avatar’s shape with minimal cropping of the original content.

Three image ratios: square, 4:3, and 3:4. Each image fills the circular avatar shape.

Image cropping (below 4:3)

Crops narrower than a 4:3 aspect ratio, such as 16:9 or more extreme formats, are adjusted to “fit.” This ensures that logos and other important areas of an image are not inadvertently cut off.

Two image ratios: 9:16 and  16:9. Each image is set to fit. The images have a chopped look, and a light gray scrim fills the empty space around the images.

Image scrim

The avatar component uses the image component, which automatically applies a subtle scrim over the image. This scrim helps maintain a clear visual outline, even when extreme or unexpected cropping occurs or when a white background is used.

An traditional image and a logo image inside of the avatar circle shape. Each have a light gray scrim applied over the images.

Best practices

Sizing

Do use the provided avatar sizes.

A dynamic kiwi-colored avatar with a pink box indicating its size is 48px.

Don’t create arbitrary sizes.

A dynamic kiwi-colored avatar with a pink box indicating the original size is 48px and a blue box indicating it was resized to 38px.

Styling

Do use the 8 color combinations provided for the dynamic avatar.

Eight dynamic avatars in blue, teal, kiwi, avocado, yellow, orange, pink, and lilac.

Don’t create custom color palettes for the dynamic avatar.

Eight dynamic avatars in unapproved color combinations.

Do use a single character within the dynamic avatar.

A dynamic yellow avatar with an uppercase “E”.

Don’t use more than one character within the dynamic avatar.

A dynamic yellow avatar with an uppercase “EA”.

Do use uppercase for the character within the dynamic avatar.

A dynamic pink avatar with an uppercase “E”.

Don’t use lowercase for the character within the dynamic avatar.

A dynamic pink avatar with a lowercase “e”.

Do use a circle shape for avatars.

A dynamic teal avatar in a circle.

Don’t use other shapes for avatars.

Three dynamic teal avatars in square, hexagon, and diamond shapes.

Do use approved characters (A–Z, <>’*”, 0–9) in the dynamic avatar.

A dynamic avocado avatar with the letter “L” inside placed in a store card with 3 images of sneakers.

Don’t use emojis or other unapproved characters in the dynamic avatar.

A dynamic avocado avatar with an emoji inside placed in a store card with 3 images of sneakers.

Do use the signed-out avatar to represent signed-out users.

The signed-out avatar is used next to the words “Sign in”.

Don’t use the signed-out avatar to represent signed-in users.

The signed-out avatar is used next to a user name and member history date.

Image handling

Do follow the image cropping guidance. 16:9 ratio images are set to “fit”.

An avatar with a 16:9 ratio logo inside. The image is set to fit and the full logo is visible.

Don’t set 16:9 ratio images to “fill,” as this will result in poor cropping.

An avatar with a 16:9 logo inside. The image is set to fit and the full logo is visible.

Do use the image scrim over all image-based avatars.

A 9:16 ratio image inside of an avatar with a scrim applied. The outline of the circle can be seen.

Don’t remove the image scrim, as this can lead to a poorly cropped avatar with an unclear outline.

A 9:16 ratio image inside of an avatar without a scrim applied. The outline of the circle can’t be seen.

Specs

From left to right signed-out, dynamic, image, and eBay avatars in a row. 48px is indicated as the size at which each were designed, Title 1 uppercase is the font style, and each avatar is cropped in a circle.

Change log

VersionDateNotes
1.1.0
Aug, 2024
  • Added behavior section with image cropping and scrim guidance
  • Added image behavior best practice examples
1.1.0
Jun, 2024
  • Updated to eBay Evo
  • Changed “Default” avatar to “Dynamic”
1.1.0
Nov, 2023
  • Updated colors for the dynamic avatars
1.0.0
Dec, 2022
  • Renamed “Avatar/Photo” component to “Avatar/Image”
  • Page created