eBay

weyland_pubs · ‎09-23-2023

Once again I am wasting an entire half-day trying to find a workaround for an "option" that Ebay does not program correctly.

For a new listing, I copied an exisitng listing with variations.

Then I tried to change the category to my category that does not support variations, this being "sports yearbooks" and now I get an Ebay message "We can't change to this category because it doesn't support variations."

Th workaround (changing the categoty after finishing editing the listing) went through kay when I tried it last month, but now it does not. I am going to have a crippled listing in the wrong category.

Doe anyone know WHY Ebay does not allow variations in categories which are obvious candidates? Would allowing variations in more categories somehow impact EBay's bottom line?

slippinjimmy · ‎09-24-2023

Sports year books is not an obvious candidate for variation listings!

Maybe, just maybe if they were all for one team or perhaps multiple versions of the same yearbook (soft cover, hard cover etc.)

Also, what is going on with that listing? You are selling yearbooks but the Item Specifics are set up for a Reel to Reel tape by Don Ho and then the description has a list of 29 different reel to reel tapes.

Also your condition field states that "Cards in excellent condition, small edge wear"....what "cards"?

Variations are not doing you any favors, if a buyer was desperately looking for a Twins or Cardinals yearbook they will never be able to find your listing.

nobody*s_perfect · ‎09-24-2023

The Sports Yearbooks category doesn't offer variations because offering yearbooks from different years and different teams is not how the variations format is supposed to be used.

As noted in the previous post, that listing is a crazy mess. Not only does it have irrelevant category, condition, description and item specifics, it also has an inaccurate title, since none of the offered books are from the 60s and the title mentions 3 teams that do not have yearbooks in your drop-down list. And the gallery image shows books that aren't offered.

IMNSHO you should just end that listing, and list those 6 books separately.

weyland_pubs · ‎09-24-2023

@slippinjimmy wrote:
Sports year books is not an obvious candidate for variation listings!

Also, what is going on with that listing? You are selling yearbooks but the Item Specifics are set up for a Reel to Reel tape by Don Ho and then the description has a list of 29 different reel to reel tapes.

Also your condition field states that "Cards in excellent condition, small edge wear"....what "cards"?

Variations are not doing you any favors, if a buyer was desperately looking for a Twins or Cardinals yearbook they will never be able to find your listing.

Why are you wasting my time (and your time) denigrating my half-finished, crippled listing? As I explained, "I get an Ebay message 'We can't change to this category because it doesn't support variations.' " If you can't address that question, the question I posted, then go away and bother someone else

weyland_pubs · ‎09-24-2023

@nobody*s_perfect wrote:
The Sports Yearbooks category doesn't offer variations because offering yearbooks from different years and different teams is not how the variations format is supposed to be used.

As noted in the previous post, that listing is a crazy mess. Not only does it have irrelevant category, condition, description and item specifics, it also has an inaccurate title, since none of the offered books are from the 60s and the title mentions 3 teams that do not have yearbooks in your drop-down list. And the gallery image shows books that aren't offered.

IMNSHO you should just end that listing, and list those 6 books separately.

Why are you wasting my time (and your time) denigrating my half-finished, crippled listing? As I explained, "I get an Ebay message 'We can't change to this category because it doesn't support variations.' " If you can't address that question, the question I posted, then go away and bother someone else

lacemaker3 · ‎09-24-2023

Buyers often find variations listings confusing, and many buyers get upset if variations listings include out of stock items, or large price differences. They see these listings as bait-and-switch, or false advertising. There have been many complaints about this.

eBay does not agree that books with different titles and content are a good candidate for variations. Variations are intended for selling products that " are essentially the same product, but that vary in their manufacturing details or packaging". Here is the information from eBay about this.

https://developer.ebay.com/devzone/guides/features-guide/content/Development/Variations.html

Using Multi-Variation Listings
Multi-variation listings contain multiple items that are essentially the same product, but that vary in their manufacturing details or packaging.

For example, a particular brand and style of shirt could be available in different sizes and colors, such as "large blue" and "medium black".

...

eBay offers this feature in categories where sellers tend to list very similar items, such as Clothing, Shoes & Accessories. Check VariationsEnabled in GetCategoryFeatures to determine which categories support multi-variation listings. A summary of supported categories is also available in the eBay online help.

...

The link on that page includes this information:

https://developer.ebay.com/Devzone/XML/docs/Reference/eBay/GetCategoryFeatures.html#Response.Categor...

...

Multi-variation listings contain items that are logically the same product, but that vary in their manufacturing details or packaging. For example, a particular brand and style of shirt could be available in different sizes and colors, such as "large blue" and "medium black" variations.

...

biggymoe · ‎09-24-2023

@weyland_pubs wrote:

Doe anyone know WHY Ebay does not allow variations in categories which are obvious candidates?

Evidently eBay doesn't see those as obvious candidates. No one here can change that.

Your snarky comment to slippinjimmy and nobody*s_perfect

is out of line. They gave you good information. You tried to save a little work, on a listing, and ended up creating a listing, that is a totally HOT mess.

nobody*s_perfect

stainlessenginecovers · ‎09-24-2023

Well, now that you know it doesn't work in Variations, what you CAN do is

1.) Start a NEW listing, listing 1 of those- in the correct category etc.

2.) Then click 'Sell Similar' and all you would have to do is change the title and maybe just minor parts of the description.

The first listing will take you a bit, but the others will go quite fast.

kh-vince · ‎09-27-2023

Hi everyone,

This discussion has gotten a bit heated. Please remember that, while it is fine to disagree with others, discussion should always remain friendly and respectful as required by the Community Guidelines.

Thank you for your cooperation.