What's listing with variations? - (Top)
Instead of creating a number of separate listings for an item that has multiple options, you can create a single multi-quantity fixed price listing that includes all the variations you offer.
What would be considered a multi-variation listing?
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Golf balls that are the same brand but available in different colours
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A T-shirt available in different sizes and different colours
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The same brand duvet that is available in different togs and different sizes
What wouldn't be considered a multi-variation listing?
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Golf balls that are different brands
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T-shirts available in different styles (for example short/long sleeve) and made from different materials
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A listing which includes duvets, pillows and bed sheets as the variations.
What categories can have listings with variations? - (Top)
Listing with variations is available to all sellers on eBay.co.uk and eBay.ie in these categories:
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Clothes, Shoes & Accessories
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Business, Office & Industrial
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DVD, Film & TV (memorabilia only)*
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Pottery, Porcelain & Glass*
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Vehicle Parts & Accessories (Motorcycle Clothing & Helmets only)*
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*These categories carry a few exclusions.
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Cars, Motorcycles and Vehicles
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Listing your items - (Top)
After you select the category for your new listing, you'll see a pop-up window that asks whether you want to list variations. Select Yes and click the Continue button to complete these steps in the 'List your variations' tool.
Make sure you meet the requirements to list variations:
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Add variation details
Item variations are the details where buyers have choices, such as colour or size:
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Select from the list of variation details or find more variation details by clicking the Add variation detail button.
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You can select up to 5 variation details, with up to 60 values for each. While there are a large number of variations possible, only 250 vvariations are allowed in your listing.
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Example: If your product comes in small medium, and large, click the Size variation detail and select S, M and L. You could then add up to 60 different colours.
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You don't need to use all the choices you see in the list. If a variation detail doesn't apply to your items, leave it blank and it won't appear in your final listing.
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When you name variation details, use common words that buyers use when they search, such as 'size' and 'colour'. In some categories certain words can't be used for variation details, eg 'brand' and 'condition'.
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Once you've added all your variation details, click the Continue button.
Note: The first variation detail you select will be the one that's displayed in your pictures. Ensure that the first variation detail you select is one that can be seen in pictures, such as colour or sleeve style instead of size or manufacturer.
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Add item specifics
Item specifics are characteristics that apply to all the items in your listing. For example, if all of the shoes in your listing are made of leather, you'll want to add that as an item specific.
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Select item specifics such as 'brand' or 'manufacturer' from the list.
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If an item specific you need isn't on the list:
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Click the Add your own item specific button
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Enter a unique item specific name (such as 'toe type' or 'country of origin') and at least one value (such as 'open toe' or 'France')
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If an item specific doesn't apply to your listing, ignore it and it won't appear in your final listing.
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The variation details you defined in step 1 won't appear in the item specifics list, and you can't add them to the list
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Example: If you've already selected 'colour' as a variation detail, you can't enter it as an item specific
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You can add as many as 15 item specifics:
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Include as many of the item specifics as you can.
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The more specifics you use, the easier it is for buyers to find your items.
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When you're done with this step, click the Continue button.
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Create your variations
You can also create additional options, such as a unique name, custom label or stock-keeping unit (SKU) to your variations:
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Click the Create variations button. We'll automatically creates a list of all the variations of your product.
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Edit the list to remove any extra variations until the list includes only the items you're selling.
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The list we create uses the information you provided on the:
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Optional custom label or SKU
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You can also create your list of variations manually:
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Enter a name or SKU in the table.
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Select the variation details from the drop down menu until you generate a list of the items you're selling.
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When you're done with this step, click the Continue button.
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Add shared and variation pictures
Shared pictures show the general views of your items. Variation pictures help to show the differences in the items.
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For your shared pictures, you can show all the variations you're selling in a single picture (such as all the colours), a pair of your items, a close-up or other alternate views. The shared pictures are used as a default if you don't add any variation pictures:
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Example: If you don't include a picture of the pink T-shirt variation, buyers will see the shared picture that shows all the colours for the T-shirt when they select the pink T-shirt.
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Use variation pictures to show off your items' individual colours or the first variation detail you defined:
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To add pictures that show a different variation detail, click the Change variation button.
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Note: If you change the variation detail that you're showing in the pictures, you'll delete all the variation pictures you've already uploaded.
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To see how your pictures will appear to buyers, look at the What buyers see section on the right side of the page.
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To see how your pictures and variations appear in the listing, click the Preview your listing button.
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You can add as many as 12 shared pictures and as many as 12 pictures per variation detail. You don't have to add pictures for every value of the variation detail you're showing.
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When you've finished adding pictures, click the Continue button.
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Enter your quantity and price information
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To enter or revise the price for several variations at a time, select the variations you want to edit and click the Edit Fixed Price button.
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Enter the price for the variations.
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To see how this information will appear in the listing click the Preview your listing button.
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After your listing is active, you can use this page to monitor your listing, update the quantity when you add stock, and change the price of a variation.
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Click the Save button to save your variation information and continue filling out the sell your item form.
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Viewing and managing listings - (Top)
View and manage your listings that have variations in the Active selling section of My eBay. The Active selling section shows your current listings and a link to listings with variations.
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Click the Go to variations button to view your listings with variations
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When viewing listings with variations, click the Show Variations button to expand the listings to show all variations
The expanded view shows:
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Individual prices for each variation
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Variation details in the item column
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The number of buyers watching the item
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The price of each variation
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The time left for the listing
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A dropdown menu with common actions such as Sell Similar and Revise
Items are sorted from the unexpanded view only. If you sort by price, the lowest available item price is used for items with variations.
If an item needs to be restocked:
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You'll see an 'out of stock' note in the item listing and an information flag.
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The dropdown menu shows the restock option, and directs you to the Revise your item page.
You can also view your scheduled, sold and unsold listings with variations in My eBay.
Revising listings - (Top)
You can revise a listing by selecting Revise from the listing's dropdown menu in My eBay or by clicking the Revise your item link in your listing.
You can change variation details, prices, quantities and pictures.
Important: Listings with variations aren’t available in all categories. If you change the category to one that doesn’t support listings with variations, all variations you previously defined are deleted. If you choose to change back to a category that does support listings with variations, you'll need to recreate your original variations.
If you haven't sold any of the variations in your listing, you can revise, add or delete any of the item's definitions. If you have sold one or more of the variations, you can add new definitions, but you can only revise the price and quantity.
This table describes the actions you can take:
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If no variations sold
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Variation details
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Variation values
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Item specifics
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Item specific values
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Variations
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Shared pictures
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If one or more variations sold
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Variation values
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Item specifics
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Item specific values
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Variations
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Shared pictures
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If a buyer has purchased one or more variations, you can still revise, add, or delete information, and a version of the listing is created. You can see the versions on the Purchase history page, which you can access from the listing page.
You can't change the duration, category, title or format of the item if any have sold.
Best practices - (Top)
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Consider listing in only one category
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If you choose to list in 2 categories, make sure that both categories allow listings that have variations.
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Emphasise your most popular variation
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List your product so that buyers can easily see the information they're most interested in.
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For example, in most Clothing, Shoes & Accessories categories, buyers prefer to see the various colours, sizes and styles you have available.
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Remember to add plenty of pictures.
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Use variation details and item specifics that buyers are likely to search for
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Item specifics can help attract buyers to your listing. Use variation details and item specifics that your buyers are likely to use when they search:
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When you specify a colour, choose a more common colour name such as 'red' instead of a unique name such as 'cranberry'.
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Use a unique colour name only when you are certain that buyers will search for it.
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Make the most of your pictures
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Pictures help buyers decide whether to buy an item, especially in listings where there is more than one variation of your product.
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Upload at least 1 shared picture that displays all the variations in the listing and at least 1 picture for each variation.
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Try different combinations of details
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Experiment with your listings to see which approach is the most successful in helping you to sell your items.
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For example, if you wanted to list cobalt blue dinnerware. Instead of selecting colour as a variation detail (because all of the plates are cobalt blue), you could enter 'plates' as a variation detail and then specify 'dinner', 'side' and 'dessert'.
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Consider the duration of your listing and monitor your inventory
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Consider using a time frame of Good 'Til Cancelled for your listings that have variations, and keep the items listed for as long as possible. Popular multi-quantity listings can appear higher in search results, allowing you to reach more buyers.
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When you sell an item that has variations, we'll automatically deduct the item from your quantity and price list for that variation.
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If you sell out of an item, it'll show in your listing as 'out of stock' until you replenish it.
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Use the Quantity and price page to track your inventory. Check that you don't sell out of all your variations. If you sell all the variations of the item, the listing will automatically end. You'll need to relist the item to sell more.
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Use variations that are appropriate for the item
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For example, don't list a 'gloves' variation of a listing for a pair of shoes.
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Using a single listing with variations to try to sell different products in order to avoid fees is a breach of our policy on avoiding eBay fees and can also cause poor search and buying experiences for customers.
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