get_ebay_item

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

No annotations are supplied, so the description carries the full burden; it enumerates what is returned, which signals a read-only listing fetch. It says nothing about permissions, authentication, rate limits, or whether the call works for ended/removed listings — behavioral gaps that matter without annotations.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Two tight sentences with the payload contents front-loaded and the identifier syntax immediately after. Minor waste in the parenthetical field list (size, measurements, brand, model, MPN), which largely restates what the output schema already exposes.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Return-shape detail is redundant given an output schema, and the description omits the one genuinely non-obvious control (`description_chars` truncation) plus any failure modes for invalid or ended item ids. Adequate to call correctly for the common case, but incomplete for the schema it ships with.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

With 0% schema coverage, the description does valuable work by explaining that `item` accepts a RESTful id (v1|...|0), a numeric legacy id, or an ebay.com/itm/ URL. However, the second parameter `description_chars` (default 4000) is never mentioned anywhere, leaving a real truncation behavior undocumented.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb+resource ('Full listing details' for a single item) and the second sentence clarifies the identifier type, making it clearly distinct from search_ebay (discovery) and get_ebay_item_photos (media subset). An agent can route to it without opening the schema.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Usage is implied rather than stated: 'full listing details' suggests fetching one known listing, in contrast to the search siblings. There is no explicit when-to-use/when-not guidance and no mention that a search step is typically required to obtain the item id.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.