Listings with variations.....(specific in my case to selling collectibles)

[websight.2020]

Hello everyone! I apologize for the length of this post, but there is a lot I don't know about this potentially complex subject.

I just learned about this option yesterday. I read eBay's blurb about this, but I still have some questions.

I have seen one example of this kind of listing in Comics, and I am thinking that it would be ideal for some other things, such as 45 rpm records. Let's look at comics for specific questions.

Premise. Comics have their own unique pictures. I don't use stock photos. Also they can all be given a grade, which I try to do....this alone makes each description different.

1. In the listing I saw, there was an Issue dropdown field. Each one had an issue number or an Annual issue number (all these for Captain America, Volume 1). For any of you who have listed comics listings like this, is that field really restrictive? There are qualifiers I would like to add to each iteration in that field. For instance, for Issue, I would like to be able to input something like "206 (Var) (8.0)" This would tell the seller that you are selling an issue with a variant cover and that the comic is in Very Fine condition (8.0). Another such variation in the issue field would be to show "208, 210-212" which would mean that selecting this option would be selling them issues 208 & 210-212 for the price listed, and since I still get 12 pictures for that option, I can still show a full picture for each issue.

2. In this kind of listing, as I understand it, I only encounter listing costs once which then covers all of the options I am giving. So.....if I use, say, Bold or Second Description, I only pay that once across all of the issues I list and for all of the Buyers who buy something from this listing, correct? Similarly, it seems logical that if they select, say, 5 items, it still only generates one sale.

3. I saw that the same shipping has to be used for all of the items. Does that mean each one has to have an identical FIXED shipping cost, or does it simply mean that you have to offer exactly the same shipping option(s) (such as First Class & Priority Mail)?

4. I may have multiple instances of the same issue, but I will always list the issue as a quantity of 1, since each issue needs a picture of the actual issue being sold AND most likely will not be exactly the same grade. So....once an issue has sold, and before ALL issues are gone, can I edit the now-zero in stock qty, plus the pictures and description while still active or add a new issue to the list?

5. Is the list automatically sorted to be in issue order?

6. Finally, if you have used this listing, what is your take on this kind of listing? Do you like it or not? What are the good positives & negatives and do the positives outweigh the negatives?

Thanks for your input!

Webs

[wastingtime101]

I love variation listings, but keep in mind that they're intended primarily for new product, not preowned items where condition will vary. It can be used for preowned, but items should be in the same condition.

Variations are intended to list exactly that - variations of the same item. Examples:

A t-shirt that comes in different colors and sizes.

A binder that comes in different patterns or colors.

Some sellers do not use the feature correctly. You mentioned using it for music. Variations are intended to sell variations of the same album (ex: regular and deluxe edition) and sellers that use them to list different titles are risking having their listings pulled for policy violation.

I would be happy to provide more information on variations and link to a great tutorial if they're relevant to a product you're selling. Your post is giving me the impression that you don't have product that would work with the variation listing format.

[simply-the-best-for-you]

Wastingtime is correct, it is not meant for the examples you gave.  It's often used for NEW clothing, same item,  10 different sizes or same item 10 different colors or phone cases, same item 30 different designs/colors.  

The listings are not easy to do, it's a learning curve for sure, so if you are only gonna use it occasionally, it's not worth the bother. 

[onlinecentral]

4. So....once an issue has sold, and before ALL issues are gone, can I edit the now-zero in stock qty, plus the pictures and description while still active or add a new issue to the list?

You will save all of that edit labor with individual listings. Sold items are searchable for 90 days and then disappear.

[websight.2020]

I understand what you guys are saying. That being said, if it wasn't for multiple issues of a comics series, there would be no point in having an "issue" field. Also, collectibles, by their very nature, are typically not new, so the fact that they allow collectibles in this type of listing would indicate to me that they implicitly recognize the validity of grouping these items together in this way. (Yes.....there are certainly plenty of listing in comics for 9.8 grades, but the reality is that this degree of newness covers a single-digit percentage of all comics listed. Even 9.4 (near mint) is "near"....meaning it is "almost" like new.

[onlinecentral]

Captain America Volume 1 Issue 208 8.0 Condition
uses 48 of 80 available title characters. Are the remaining 32 characters enough room to include these other issue numbers and conditions?

eBay member shipscript has written some tutorials and this one is for Variations
http://shipscript.com/ebayhelp/lister_hub/creating_ebay_variations.htm

eBay Help Page Variations Listing.
https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/listings/creating-managing-listings/creating-listings-variations?i...

A discussion entitled Separate listings vs. variations listing.
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Separate-listings-vs-variations-listing/td-p/31057493/

[onefootflipper]

I specialize in trading cards and I have found I get better sales listing every single card individually than doing a multi-item listing. 

I do use variation listings for Christmas Ornaments with kids names on them and I have found the listings to be an absolute nightmare to maintain.

[simply-the-best-for-you]

They are not easy to do.  They are not easy to maintain.  They are not meant for what you want to use them for.  They may not technically even be allowed for what you want to use them for (though I'm sure someone is doing it).  THey are meant for multiples of the exact same item, in different colors & sizes. 

They are allowed for pre-owned b/c there are some places they may make sense.  Say a magazine, exact same issue that had 4 different covers.   Even then, I would do 4 separate listings.  They are not easy to create or deal with.  

[luckythewinner]

IMHO variations are for items that are variations of the same item, such as the size or color of a tee shirt.  

IMHO it is wholly inappropriate to use variation listings for completely different items such as 45 records, where the artist, music, year, and record label might be different.  

As a collector of records when I see that variation box I hit the back button as fast as I can. 

[coolections]

What you want to do will not work. It is also called avoiding listing fees. The items have to be the same. Buyers will also hit the back button as they do not want to see a listing with different items and different prices. Also I believe you cannot be a grader of comics, it has to be done by a professional grading company and encased. Just list them individually.

[dnasilver]

We would never put a number grade on a non-graded item. Also, near mint could be new, flaws occur during manufacturing which means an item can be new, but it is not flawless.

[inhawaii]

I have a few variations listings. Let me give you an example...

Same item, 4 different flavors.

Same item, 6 different colors.

Same item, 2 different styles.

Same item, 4 different sizes.

This is what variations listings are meant for. 

[onefootflipper]

Also, as a buyer of collectible type stuff I NEVER click on the variation type listings. Having learned they are a waste of time because the particular issue or card I want is either out of stock in the listing or more expensive than other sellers have it all by itself.