Changing a listing to use variations

[cartermk]

I have been trying to change some of my existing listings to use variations.

If I create a listing from scratch the variation option is available.

If I try to adapt an existing unsold listing with the same category by changing to buy it now format and adding multiple quantities I get the dreaded  "Variations are unavailable for this listing" message.

My suspicion is that you cannot change an existing ended listing to include variations - though typically ebay doesn't tell you that and just let you faff around endlessly wondering why it won't work.

You cannot change a live auction listing to buy it now and have to end the listing and then edit to buy-it-now when you relist- but this doesn't allow you to add variations - only creating the listing from scratch seems to work.

[inhawaii]

You have to start from scratch -and- it has to be a category that allows variations.

[fbusoni · Accepted solution]

@cartermk 

Your suspicion is correct.  

A source of endless frustration which has led me personally to abandon listings with variations.  (You can't teach old dog some new tricks... what can I say?)

But the truth is that there are fundamental structural differences between listings with and without variations, and while it would not be a particularly difficult job for professional software engineers to enable some flexibility for those sellers who wanted to move from one to another, for eBay this would be a Herculean task -- and one that I suspect would lead to such a demand for processing power that their servers might catch fire.

"Faff around" is a charitable description, BTW.

[mam98031]

Did you refer to the policy pages on Variation Listings.  That really is the place to start.  You would have likely learned quickly that what you are trying to do is not an option.

Ebay has policies for most everything.  My personal opinion is that it is easier to Google them, it is much faster.  But don't forget, the policies can really help you when you are trying to do something you don't completely understand.

Of course we can help you here too, I'm just trying to give you another tool you can use when you want.