eBay

tweetystwades · ‎02-28-2018

They are not being answered on the 2018 update board.

I have questions about the multi variation listings. I have listings with the same item with different sizes and colors(hence the multi variations). lol

When I search those items, it shows a separate listing for each one. This is so confusing, and will be to buyers. How do I fix it?

Also, I thought our existing listings would automatically switched over, now I hear we have to do it manually. So we cancel each one and create a new listing?

Anonymous · ‎02-28-2018

@tweetystwades wrote:

@laylajames9wrote:

@Anonymouswrote:
I do have to apologize, I'm not quite understanding the concern being expressed on this thread - if a buyer is looking for a specific variation and choose to group listings, they will be shown the individual variations as the buyer has elected to see individual items and not individual listings when searching. Once they find the variation they are looking for, they can select that from search results and view the product page for the item. Various listings for the product are visible on this page, and the listing that has the variations can be accessed from this page as well.

I don't understand the concern, either.

@tweetystwades, look at it this way:

You have a t-shirt from The Gap and it comes in red, blue, or white. You also have different sizes available.

Another seller has the same shirt in Blue, and another has the same shirt in Red but only one size.

When you choose to Group items together in search, it is going to group red, size small and blue size medium, etc from all sellers. Your variation will be grouped with any of the same product from another seller. You can further filter by size on the left. Clicking through will take you to a product page where you can compare the grouped options by price.

It is pulling out your variations in search because you chose to group by the individual product specs.

If you do a general search for the Gap tee in blue, your listing would only appear once... unless you Group then it will pull out the variations by size.

I hope that helps to make sense of what you're seeing.

There does seem to be a problem, but it's on the listing end not the search end. As another poster pointed out, your variation photos do not appear to be set up correctly. When you are viewing a variation listing, the main image changes when you select a color from the drop-down. Your listing is not doing that and here's why:

On the listing click Edit Variations. When the new screen pops up you will see your photos. Your "default photos" should be the lead image. This is the image that will appear in search when your listings are not grouped.

Below that you will see Add Variation Photos. You can select "use default photos" which is what it looks like you are doing. Or you can select the variation, in the above example it would be "Color".

When you select Color the option will appear to upload photos to each individual variation. Blue for the blue tee, white for the white tee, etc.

In your swimsuit listing if I select Black from the drop-down it stays on the default photo. If you change your listing to display variation photos instead of default photos then selecting black from the drop-down would show me images for the black variation.

If you change your photos set up to variation-based instead of the default, then when you Group listings in search you will see a different image for each color variation (same image for different size variations if that is how you set it up).

Did you read the entire thread? The group search is separating my one MV listing into 6 or 7 different listing. How should that be normal? Well, mission accomplished I'm exhausted and giving up now.

Hi @tweetystwades, grouping listings will put listings for the same item together. In your Multivariation style listing, you have multiple different items. Each has a unique product identifier. It is normal and expected that in grouped listing search results, each individual variation will be grouped with other listings for that specific product. They would not be grouped together with your other products, because those products are different items with unique product identifiers. While they can be listed together in a variation style listing, they are different items since they have different sizes/colors.

What you are describing is the goal of product based search. If you review the resources I've provided, I believe you will find clarification on some of the concerns you have. The Announcement contains a video that describes the goal of product based search. Additionally, other Community Members on this thread have provided great explanations on why your experience is happening and why this is eBay's objective. If you have further questions, you are welcome to contact our Catalog team with the steps I've provided previously.

tweetystwades · ‎02-28-2018

@laylajames9wrote:
@tweetystwadeswrote:
Well, first of all it seems and what I've read, the catalog is being updated by multiple sources. There are various descriptions for each item. I would like to title my merchandise as I see fit. I describe my merchandise to optimize my search results. Those bottoms are being described in one listing as sting bikini, and they are nothing of the sort. They are also not orange, they are cantaloupe. The sellers own the merchandise, and we should allowed to describe it. If we have to contact the catalog team every time we find and anomaly, it's going to be long road. Sellers are going to get zinged right and left just for those 2 things I mentioned. Colors and accurate descriptions mean everything to online selling. Merchandise is ever changing, and I do not think the catalog team can keep up with this. You will have a catalog with millions of items that change constantly.
One of the eBay reps said that sellers will have the ability to edit product pages in the future.

They are still working out the details of how this will work which is why it is not rolling out to all categories yet, just a few specific products.

They have a lot to figure out as far as notifying sellers if product pages have been changed while they have an active listing, items that share the same UPC and a whole lot more. They are trying to sort this all out before going live.

Sellers are responsible if the product page they are tied to has information different than the item they are selling. This is made very clear in the updated User Agreement released yesterday.

It's going to be a difficult transition with sellers taking most of the hits. eBay is aware of a lot of the issues which is why they are implementing a phased roll out to try and work these things out before it has a larger impact. Submit feedback when issues arise. Change is happening whether we like it or not so the best you can do is voice your feedback while adjusting to the new system. We can't do much more than that aside from seeking out other venues.

Maybe I have just been reading so much **bleep** from here, I'm not really sure how anything is suppose to work anymore. I see that you completely understand what my issue is, and it appears that you think it's working correctly. When everything is grouped and my MV listings show individually on the product page, the customer will be able to go to MV listing and select color and size from the one listing?

goodluckselling · ‎02-28-2018

@rixstuffwrote:
@percgrabbe-0wrote:
EBAY made work for you to do. They dont care if you sell anything. They only care if someone sells the item. Not you necessarily. I wonder how many sellers dont even know yet that EBAY made scrambled eggs of their listings variations that they paid for and worked on and now they have to do the work all over? One can only assume EBAY is hoping you (a small seller) will quit because they cant be bothered. Why else would they do this? Certainly not to accomodate you or help you sell anything.
WWWeeeeellllll...I have had the same one running since Thanksgiving and it still works fine. So not sure what conspiracy you are seeing.

I have have some going for 2 to 3 years. Many have more than 1000 transactions against them a couple over 5000 and one over 10,000 transactions.

I have no idea what this person is talking about but it does not surprise me that when another user is trying to get questions answered (it is right in the title) the basic uninformed hater crowd would show up with a representive to draw blood with dirty needles.

Good Luck Selling!

goodluckselling · ‎02-28-2018

@tweetystwadeswrote:
@tweetystwadeswrote:
@Anonymouswrote:
@tweetystwadeswrote:
They are not being answered on the 2018 update board.
I have questions about the multi variation listings. I have listings with the same item with different sizes and colors(hence the multi variations). lol
When I search those items, it shows a separate listing for each one. This is so confusing, and will be to buyers. How do I fix it?

Also, I thought our existing listings would automatically switched over, now I hear we have to do it manually. So we cancel each one and create a new listing?
Hi @tweetystwades, I've been unable to recreate the issue you are describing? When I search for your item, I see listing that then allows me to view the variations without issue. I don't see multiple listings in search results. Can you share a link to the search results you are seeing? I've included a screenshot of what I am seeing below for reference:

I did a random search on the brand and attributes, and I saw the "Group-Ungroup button at the top. When I clicked "Group", a separate listing came up for each one in the variation. Now when I search, the "Group-Ungroup button is not showing up. So I can't recreate the issue at this time. Please try to do as I said searching the brand and attribute, and clicking the "Group" button.
I couldn't recreate on that one, but here's another one that it's happening to. This is one MV listing, and it's showing a separate listing for each one.
Here is the link to the MV listing.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Juniors-Hula-Honey-Side-Tie-Bikini-Bottoms-Crochet-Style-XS-S-M-L-/122453695043

See screen print.

Those all have a different title so they are not the same listing?

Good Luck Selling!

tweetystwades · ‎02-28-2018

@Anonymouswrote:
@tweetystwadeswrote:
@laylajames9wrote:
@Anonymouswrote:
I do have to apologize, I'm not quite understanding the concern being expressed on this thread - if a buyer is looking for a specific variation and choose to group listings, they will be shown the individual variations as the buyer has elected to see individual items and not individual listings when searching. Once they find the variation they are looking for, they can select that from search results and view the product page for the item. Various listings for the product are visible on this page, and the listing that has the variations can be accessed from this page as well.

I don't understand the concern, either.

@tweetystwades, look at it this way:

You have a t-shirt from The Gap and it comes in red, blue, or white. You also have different sizes available.

Another seller has the same shirt in Blue, and another has the same shirt in Red but only one size.

When you choose to Group items together in search, it is going to group red, size small and blue size medium, etc from all sellers. Your variation will be grouped with any of the same product from another seller. You can further filter by size on the left. Clicking through will take you to a product page where you can compare the grouped options by price.

It is pulling out your variations in search because you chose to group by the individual product specs.

If you do a general search for the Gap tee in blue, your listing would only appear once... unless you Group then it will pull out the variations by size.

I hope that helps to make sense of what you're seeing.

There does seem to be a problem, but it's on the listing end not the search end. As another poster pointed out, your variation photos do not appear to be set up correctly. When you are viewing a variation listing, the main image changes when you select a color from the drop-down. Your listing is not doing that and here's why:

On the listing click Edit Variations. When the new screen pops up you will see your photos. Your "default photos" should be the lead image. This is the image that will appear in search when your listings are not grouped.

Below that you will see Add Variation Photos. You can select "use default photos" which is what it looks like you are doing. Or you can select the variation, in the above example it would be "Color".

When you select Color the option will appear to upload photos to each individual variation. Blue for the blue tee, white for the white tee, etc.

In your swimsuit listing if I select Black from the drop-down it stays on the default photo. If you change your listing to display variation photos instead of default photos then selecting black from the drop-down would show me images for the black variation.

If you change your photos set up to variation-based instead of the default, then when you Group listings in search you will see a different image for each color variation (same image for different size variations if that is how you set it up).

Did you read the entire thread? The group search is separating my one MV listing into 6 or 7 different listing. How should that be normal? Well, mission accomplished I'm exhausted and giving up now.
Hi @tweetystwades, grouping listings will put listings for the same item together. In your Multivariation style listing, you have multiple different items. Each has a unique product identifier. It is normal and expected that in grouped listing search results, each individual variation will be grouped with other listings for that specific product. They would not be grouped together with your other products, because those products are different items with unique product identifiers. While they can be listed together in a variation style listing, they are different items since they have different sizes/colors.

What you are describing is the goal of product based search. If you review the resources I've provided, I believe you will find clarification on some of the concerns you have. The Announcement contains a video that describes the goal of product based search. Additionally, other Community Members on this thread have provided great explanations on why your experience is happening and why this is eBay's objective. If you have further questions, you are welcome to contact our Catalog team with the steps I've provided previously.

Hi Trinton,

You did your best, and thank you for the effort and time you put into me today. I think things are working differently then what I thought. I've been reading these threads for the last few days, trying to figure out if this will work for me. I think I was lead astray, and went to the dark side. I was just afraid that my business will fall apart and I won't be able to sell it. I love selling here, and I do not want that to end. I keep reading that my listings will get buried, and I will lose sales. So, I'm fighting and trying to make sure that doesn't happen. Something wasn't clicking for me, after more times passes hopefully I will have a better understanding how this works.

Thanks again.

Anonymous · ‎02-28-2018

@goodluckselling wrote:

@tweetystwadeswrote:

@tweetystwadeswrote:

@Anonymouswrote:

@tweetystwadeswrote:

They are not being answered on the 2018 update board.

I have questions about the multi variation listings. I have listings with the same item with different sizes and colors(hence the multi variations). lol

When I search those items, it shows a separate listing for each one. This is so confusing, and will be to buyers. How do I fix it?

Also, I thought our existing listings would automatically switched over, now I hear we have to do it manually. So we cancel each one and create a new listing?

Hi @tweetystwades, I've been unable to recreate the issue you are describing? When I search for your item, I see listing that then allows me to view the variations without issue. I don't see multiple listings in search results. Can you share a link to the search results you are seeing? I've included a screenshot of what I am seeing below for reference:

I did a random search on the brand and attributes, and I saw the "Group-Ungroup button at the top. When I clicked "Group", a separate listing came up for each one in the variation. Now when I search, the "Group-Ungroup button is not showing up. So I can't recreate the issue at this time. Please try to do as I said searching the brand and attribute, and clicking the "Group" button.

I couldn't recreate on that one, but here's another one that it's happening to. This is one MV listing, and it's showing a separate listing for each one.

Here is the link to the MV listing.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Juniors-Hula-Honey-Side-Tie-Bikini-Bottoms-Crochet-Style-XS-S-M-L-/122453695043

See screen print.

Those all have a different title so they are not the same listing?

Good Luck Selling!

Hi @goodluckselling, the titles would be the title for the product itself in our catalog. Each item would would represent the listings for that product on our site. In the photo you have quoted, we see one ginger swimsuit in small, one cantaloupe in medium and one lilac/ginger in small. These are three different products, offered by multiple sellers. Some of them may be from multivariation style listings for the OP or other sellers, but since we are looking at grouped search results, the results are for each individual product identifier from our catalog that matches the search criteria.

tweetystwades · ‎02-28-2018

@goodlucksellingwrote:
@tweetystwadeswrote:
@tweetystwadeswrote:
@Anonymouswrote:
@tweetystwadeswrote:
They are not being answered on the 2018 update board.
I have questions about the multi variation listings. I have listings with the same item with different sizes and colors(hence the multi variations). lol
When I search those items, it shows a separate listing for each one. This is so confusing, and will be to buyers. How do I fix it?

Also, I thought our existing listings would automatically switched over, now I hear we have to do it manually. So we cancel each one and create a new listing?
Hi @tweetystwades, I've been unable to recreate the issue you are describing? When I search for your item, I see listing that then allows me to view the variations without issue. I don't see multiple listings in search results. Can you share a link to the search results you are seeing? I've included a screenshot of what I am seeing below for reference:

I did a random search on the brand and attributes, and I saw the "Group-Ungroup button at the top. When I clicked "Group", a separate listing came up for each one in the variation. Now when I search, the "Group-Ungroup button is not showing up. So I can't recreate the issue at this time. Please try to do as I said searching the brand and attribute, and clicking the "Group" button.
I couldn't recreate on that one, but here's another one that it's happening to. This is one MV listing, and it's showing a separate listing for each one.
Here is the link to the MV listing.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Juniors-Hula-Honey-Side-Tie-Bikini-Bottoms-Crochet-Style-XS-S-M-L-/122453695043

See screen print.
Those all have a different title so they are not the same listing?

Good Luck Selling!

Good Luck, those are the same listing that's my issue. It took one MV listings and turned it into 6 or 7 with different titles. I'm told it's working as designed, I can't fight anymore.

Anonymous · ‎02-28-2018

@tweetystwades wrote:

@goodlucksellingwrote:

@tweetystwadeswrote:

@tweetystwadeswrote:

@Anonymouswrote:

@tweetystwadeswrote:

They are not being answered on the 2018 update board.

I have questions about the multi variation listings. I have listings with the same item with different sizes and colors(hence the multi variations). lol

When I search those items, it shows a separate listing for each one. This is so confusing, and will be to buyers. How do I fix it?

Also, I thought our existing listings would automatically switched over, now I hear we have to do it manually. So we cancel each one and create a new listing?

Hi @tweetystwades, I've been unable to recreate the issue you are describing? When I search for your item, I see listing that then allows me to view the variations without issue. I don't see multiple listings in search results. Can you share a link to the search results you are seeing? I've included a screenshot of what I am seeing below for reference:

I did a random search on the brand and attributes, and I saw the "Group-Ungroup button at the top. When I clicked "Group", a separate listing came up for each one in the variation. Now when I search, the "Group-Ungroup button is not showing up. So I can't recreate the issue at this time. Please try to do as I said searching the brand and attribute, and clicking the "Group" button.

I couldn't recreate on that one, but here's another one that it's happening to. This is one MV listing, and it's showing a separate listing for each one.

Here is the link to the MV listing.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Juniors-Hula-Honey-Side-Tie-Bikini-Bottoms-Crochet-Style-XS-S-M-L-/122453695043

See screen print.

Those all have a different title so they are not the same listing?

Good Luck Selling!

Good Luck, those are the same listing that's my issue. It took one MV listings and turned it into 6 or 7 with different titles. I'm told it's working as designed, I can't fight anymore.

Hi @tweetystwades, this search option did not take your listing specifically and break it into 6 or 7 listings. What you are seeing are the 6 or 7 different variations of this item that are available on eBay. You sell these variations, but other sellers also provide these options. When a buyer is looking for an item and they choose to group the search results, they will be shown the individual items based on product identifiers from our catalog. You and the other sellers who provide these options would have those items grouped together. Different items from your multivariation style listing would not be grouped together, because they have different product identifiers and are different items. This is Product Based search. You can review the resources I provided and the details in our 2018 Spring Seller Update to see more information about this kind of search. I apologize that we were unable to find a middle ground here today, and encourage you to contact our Catalog Team for further discussion as they may be able to explain this in a different way than what we have discussed here.

goodluckselling · ‎02-28-2018

@Anonymouswrote:
@bubbleman2010 wrote:
trinton will more categories in the near future go to grouped listings as the default when a buyer searches for a item?
Hi bubbleman2010, currently only a select group of product lines is required to use the catalog information. You can read more in our 2018 Spring Seller Update. I can't discuss timeframes for any future changes, however, I can confirm that this is Phase 1 of our goal to improve the shopping experience for our buyers. More categories will be added in the future as we expand this feature.

Trinton can I ask you this question? I understand this is for phase #1 categories but

If I have a MV listing with 32 variations all with the proper attributes assigned in the listings, but I also have individual listings for each variation, can I eliminate the 32 individual listing because and only because you are going to separate variations to show just the unique variation by itself also?

This sounds like I can save 32 active listings to use for other listing items?

I am not opposed to keeping the individual listing and using them as maybe a promoted listing. This also is a way to game the search because you base our selling on what you call our default categories based on what we have actively listed. With a little thought in this area there are great gains a seller could obtain.

Good Luck Selling!

goodluckselling · ‎02-28-2018

@Anonymouswrote:
@@bubbleman201 wrote:
trinton will more categories in the near future go to grouped listings as the default when a buyer searches for a item?
Hi bubbleman2010, currently only a select group of product lines is required to use the catalog information. You can read more in our 2018 Spring Seller Update. I can't discuss timeframes for any future changes, however, I can confirm that this is Phase 1 of our goal to improve the shopping experience for our buyers. More categories will be added in the future as we expand this feature.

Trinton. I also have another issue that I am confident at this point will become an issue. If I sell out of one of the variations regardless if it happens from the MV listing or the broken down specifc variation listing that eBay also created, if I sell out of a variations does eBay remove the eBay created listing so that I do not get out of stock defects from your actions?

Do these eBay created active listing show up in my active listing at all?

How would you advice sellers when this out of stock issue arrises from eBay actions? Please do not say just call and show the details.

Good Luck Selling!

goodluckselling · ‎02-28-2018

@tweetystwades. - I understand what you are saying and I have seen it before on the internet. I like the basic concept as it gives sellers more visability for the same active item/ s.

What I have concern about is out of stock defects that could happen because eBay took that same quantity of one from a variation and will show it in perhaps a few different listings and the chance for several buyers to buy it at the same time From the different exposure options they will have or before eBay can edit out the additional exposure they are giving sellers.

I have a lot of experience in MV listings and make many sales every day from these listings, and although I do not submit all my inventory at any one time, I can see this as an issue for many sellers who do.

Good Luck Selling!

Anonymous · ‎03-01-2018

@goodluckselling wrote:

@Anonymouswrote:

@@bubbleman201 wrote:

trinton will more categories in the near future go to grouped listings as the default when a buyer searches for a item?

Hi bubbleman2010, currently only a select group of product lines is required to use the catalog information. You can read more in our 2018 Spring Seller Update. I can't discuss timeframes for any future changes, however, I can confirm that this is Phase 1 of our goal to improve the shopping experience for our buyers. More categories will be added in the future as we expand this feature.

Trinton. I also have another issue that I am confident at this point will become an issue. If I sell out of one of the variations regardless if it happens from the MV listing or the broken down specifc variation listing that eBay also created, if I sell out of a variations does eBay remove the eBay created listing so that I do not get out of stock defects from your actions?

Do these eBay created active listing show up in my active listing at all?

How would you advice sellers when this out of stock issue arrises from eBay actions? Please do not say just call and show the details.

Good Luck Selling!

Hi @goodluckselling, definitely can clear up that eBay does not break down the multivariation style listing into a separate listing, but instead simply displays the variations under the catalog item. A purchase of your item would still be made through the variation style listing you have. Additionally, while you are allowed to have a fixed price and an auction style listing for the same item, having a product in both a multivariation style listing and a standalone fixed price listing would be considered a violation of our duplicate listing policy. If you have an item in a multivariation style listing and you also have fixed price listings for the same item, you would need to end the fixed price listings to avoid any issues. You could also eliminate your multivariation style listing if you so choose, however I believe that the multivariation style listing is provides more benefit for sellers when they have variations of the same item.

goodluckselling · ‎03-01-2018

@Anonymouswrote:
@goodlucksellingwrote:

Trinton. I also have another issue that I am confident at this point will become an issue. If I sell out of one of the variations regardless if it happens from the MV listing or the broken down specifc variation listing that eBay also created, if I sell out of a variations does eBay remove the eBay created listing so that I do not get out of stock defects from your actions?

Do these eBay created active listing show up in my active listing at all?

How would you advice sellers when this out of stock issue arrises from eBay actions? Please do not say just call and show the details.

Good Luck Selling!
Hi @goodluckselling, definitely can clear up that eBay does not break down the multivariation style listing into a separate listing, but instead simply displays the variations under the catalog item. A purchase of your item would still be made through the variation style listing you have. listing is provides more benefit for sellers when they have variations of the same item.

Thanks for your explanation, so let me just make sure I am understanding you here. Although you might include an item from my MV listings in a product page for an exact item along with other sellers of the exact same item the buyer would still be clicking on my item in the product page which brings them back to my MV listing to make the purchase from?

I hope this is what you mean as this does sound like it would solve my confusion.

Good Luck Selling!

rixstuff · ‎03-01-2018

FWIW I had a ring listed and I didnt see it in my listings so I listed it again. Something happened and my PC choked while listing so I listed it AGAIN. It wasnt until days later when a buyer asked why I had three of them that I found out that ALL THREE listed. I had to end two. It could have been pretty bad if I sold 2 items I didnt have.

Anonymous · ‎03-01-2018

@goodluckselling wrote:

@Anonymouswrote:

@goodlucksellingwrote:

Trinton. I also have another issue that I am confident at this point will become an issue. If I sell out of one of the variations regardless if it happens from the MV listing or the broken down specifc variation listing that eBay also created, if I sell out of a variations does eBay remove the eBay created listing so that I do not get out of stock defects from your actions?

Do these eBay created active listing show up in my active listing at all?

How would you advice sellers when this out of stock issue arrises from eBay actions? Please do not say just call and show the details.

Good Luck Selling!

Hi @goodluckselling, definitely can clear up that eBay does not break down the multivariation style listing into a separate listing, but instead simply displays the variations under the catalog item. A purchase of your item would still be made through the variation style listing you have. listing is provides more benefit for sellers when they have variations of the same item.

Thanks for your explanation, so let me just make sure I am understanding you here. Although you might include an item from my MV listings in a product page for an exact item along with other sellers of the exact same item the buyer would still be clicking on my item in the product page which brings them back to my MV listing to make the purchase from?

I hope this is what you mean as this does sound like it would solve my confusion.

Good Luck Selling!

Hi @goodluckselling, from the product page a buyer can be directed to the MV listing specifically, or elect to purchase the item displayed directly on that page. When the buyer has elected to use Grouped Listings as their search option, the displayed options are for individual products in our catalog. The top option matches what would be the top listing in search, and from the product page the buyer can choose which seller they would like to purchase from. I recommend trying out this search option with the links from this thread to see how it works, as it would be the same for your listings. You can also review the resources provided in this discussion for photos and videos displaying the details of how this search will work for buyers and sellers.