''watch item'' is a bit pointless if you can't tell it to watch an out-of-stock item

[pa-948719]

It's all in the title really.
It's so annoying that when you use ''whatch this item'', it seems to defeat it's own point.

Or, what I would have assumed was obvious in that one of the main reasons we'd need to use the ''watch'' feature is to know when a size, colour, or style, or type/model/style of the item is back in stock. 

Because out-of-stock items are greyed-out, you can't ''watch'' it!

It has the effect that YOU ONLY get notified when sizes, weights, colours, types/styles/models that you DON'T want, are even MORE available ? (Since it's always the choices on the page I don't want that are left in stock. Who says being ''average'' is is a walk in the park?)

I really don't think they thunk this one through. Meanwhile folk just seem to not say anything to make it a more practical function. Hopefully enough folk will agree with this if they notice my notice here, giving them notice to notice the fault in the ''watch'' sytem I've noticed.

SOLUTION?:
Maybe instead of greying-out the unavailable item, instead,  highlight, or colour it's entry in the drop-down menu differently, to signify it's currently out of stock (if permanently so, then grey it out).
But, the difference would be that the coloured/highlighted item form-entry, when clicked, will still (and only) activate the ''watch'' feature for when it is available again, or price changes (up or down), or anything relavant.
This can serve two vital functions:
A) It gives sellers a picture of what interest is still there for items, and to get more.
B) It gets the buyer notified when something the right size, colour, style, type, model as required, is available again.

It's BEWILDERING why this isn't built into the function already, or from the get-go

All those with me? Say Aaayyyy-men!

Technically, I'm really just using my ''watchlist'' as a bookmark.

[tobaccocardyahoo]

The watch function precedes the ability to maintain an out of stock listing by many years.

It was intended to be a bookmark when designed.

[pa-948719]

It's a bit bonkers that it tells you to choose an item you don't want, rather than an item you do want (which may be unavailable), to activate it.
Hence, it only really is reduced to a mere bookmark. For sure.

[mudshark61369]

@pa-948719,

"Or, what I would have assumed was obvious in that one of the main reasons we'd need to use the ''watch'' feature is to know when a size, colour, or style, or type/model/style of the item is back in stock". 

You can add the multiple variation listings to your watch list, but you have to reset the color/size/style variations back to their original order.  When you open the listing up from the watch list, you have to check the variations to see if the ones you want are back in stock.

Try to keep in mind that the Watch list was created years before you joined and well before multiple variation listings were even in use.  Many do not bother opening those listings because too many sellers use the low price as a form of search manipulation by offering an item for the lowest price that is either never in stock or in some cases is not the item listed.

Example:  Shoes that have a lowest price of £4.99 and a high price of £25.  When you open it you see the  £4.99 item is a shoe horn, or maybe an infant sized shoe.

FYI, you have posted your issue on ebay's U.S. based site (ebay.com)  community, but are located in the U.K.. While most features work the same on both sites, there are some differences, so in the future try posting issues or questions on your home site's community using the link below.

https://community.ebay.co.uk/

[soh.maryl]

Awhile back, when I searched for an item, but discovered there were none currently listed, there was a place that I could check that I wanted to be notified if/when that item was subsequently listed.  Is that not still available and wouldn't that work as a solution for the OP's issue? 

[mudshark61369]

@soh.maryl,

Using Save this search will result in all newly listed or relisted items for the product listed, having messages sent. What the OP wants is, the listing they want to buy from to be saved in the watch list with only the variation(s) of it that they want. 

[soh.maryl]

OK, I misinterpreted the OP's intent apparently.  

[simba6]

One problem would be it would be watching just that sold out  listing.  If the seller relists on another listing the watched item would not know about it  and it would only show the sold out listing.

[pa-948719]

It'll take a few reads to picture clearly the proceedure you're relating here.
But, yes, I get the idea of the functioning.
It still seems bizarre it's never been picked-up upon for turning into the usfull tool it could actually be, if the item variation drop-list ''out-of-stock'' are particularly taken into account from the get-go as I imagine this would, or even should be it's primary most needed function, should it be serving more than a bookmark, which by default, disallows the very items you most likely need bookmarks for.
It would also make system generated reminders that would be pertinant to the potential buyer. A win/win

Meantime, I'll be checking out how to perform the doo-daas you mentioned above.

And duly noted re' posting on geographically relevant forum filters.

[pa-948719]

LOL, I accidentally posted you as best answer there. Whoops! Darned button spacing.

I suppose what you're describing is really a seller issue (disregarding a listing in favour of creating new one). But, I would imagine having a modernized version of the function, would neccessarily mean 'educating' or, publicizing what these changes are, as they roll out, and how the changes might have their effect, and for sellers, how the tool can be positively exploited. Your lesson being for sellers to use a bit of wisdom before re-posting as a seperate sale when they may not need too.

It might imply ebay needs a tool for posted items or products which, when it, or a any other selected item from a drop-down menu are out of stock, asks ''list as new stocks coming'', or ''finished line'' or whatever terms. It means search, and seller know to either end the listing, or use it as the template for repeated or regular ongoing sales.

It'd help all system users, from ebay employee software geeks, and whatever logisticsy-type departmental name you'd call the folk dealing with buyer/seller proceedures and protocols, and sellers and buyers too.
Win-win-win-win?

I call it THE SMART BOOKMARKER. And, remember you read it HERE first!

So, WATCH is a fossil which may yet recieve flesh on it's old dry bones that'd actually serve a load of good perhaps?.

[pa-948719]

No, I think you might have gotten it correct: It would be good if the ''watch'' bookmark could be re-hauled to act as a reminder for when a size, colour, or other item variation is available again.
But, by default, it greys-out unavailable listings, so you have to choose any item as the bookmark instead of the relevant particular item.

Which is itself part and parcel of the unwitting culture that has grown around the proliferation of, let's call it ''orphaned listings'', instead of re-listing from a set repeating template listing for each product line (with it's sub-variations like size, colour, material) with a choice for the seller to input ''end-of-line'' or ''stocks coming soon'' for the sake of the whole system (which includes people too: employees, contractors, sellers, and buyers) , and an updated ''watch'' function?

Either that or I need to join a local bridge player group! Trainspotting, I dunno