Multi-Variation Attribute Sorting Out of Order - Bug?

[racingdirect]

On multi-variation listings, eBay is not respecting the sort order that is set up inside of the listing editor.

For example, I have the options set to be sorted as Color, Size, Shield, Helmet Bag:

However, on the listing itself the options are then displayed out of order:

Notice the options are not only out of order, but they're not even in reverse order or alphabetical order.  The order eBay re-sorts them into seems random and can change between updates to the listing.

This issue has been happening to our listings since some time around the beginning of the year. (Sorting has worked fine before then.)  I do see it occurring on other users listings as well.

Is eBay aware of this or has anyone had any luck solving this issue?

Any help is appreciated.

[bigdeals.etc]

You are 100% correct. I've been having this exact problem ever since the beginning of 2021. I believe I even wrote a post about it here back then. One issue I see about posting issues about MV's here, is that no one here really uses MV as extensive as I do so many times others can't really relate/comment to confirm. Much like I can't comment on Best Offer glitches because I never use it. Most members here will just use a blanket statement that MV is a "poop show" but not really touch on your specific issue with it. They are correct tho, MV REALLY IS a poop show.

I've complained to ebay about this many times. Honestly I forget what they say exactly... if they admit that it's a known issue or just tell me I'm the only one reporting this and experiencing it. But I know they all claim to "pass it along to development team." I doubt they are going to do anything because not enough people are complaining to ebay about it. So I urge you to tell ebay as well.

One thing this coincided with is the new invoicing/packing slip system. I know I've made a post about this too. The packing slips that generates ALSO has a random sorting order being displayed on the print out. This confuses the poop out of my workers who just look at the slip and pick the items. They were used to seeing "Color>Size>Sleeve Length". But now you'll see that all mixed around randomly (even within the same listing), slowing my workers down and causing mistakes.

It's futile to try and fix it yourself. Any time you make a revision of the listing, the sorting jumbles around again to something random.

[racingdirect]

Thanks for the response! Nice to know I'm not the only one frustrated by this.

Like you mentioned, the packing slips being jumbled is also a huge annoyance.

The multivariate listings have always been extremely cumbersome to use, but is much easier to navigate from the customers perspective on things like apparel.  Also, as a seller it's nice to put your sales momentum into a single listing instead of making a new one for each color/size. 

I assumed that the sorting glitch would rectify itself after a while. Ebay has a habit of introducing new bugs with every 'upgrade' of their systems, but it's 6 months on and no fix...

I will call in about it as well. Hopefully, there's enough people still using MV listings that will do the same and get it on Ebay's radar.

[pikabo-icu]

Did you both post over on the technical board?

I don't know if it gets more actual eBay eyes than this board but I would hope it does..

Do you want this post moved over there? You can request a Mod do it..

Sorry you're both having this problem.. 

[bigdeals.etc · Accepted solution]

So after almost a year, finally it seems to me that ebay fixed this glitch. I don't know if it was intentionally fixed or if it was a side effect to another code being revised/deleted.

But I don't care, as long as it's fixed. You'll need to manually "refresh"/revise each listing in order for the fix to implement. What I just do is go to edit the variations then change the order of the display (instead of 1,2,3 I make it 1,3,2) in order to get the "update" button to light up. Click it so the order will change to 1,3,2. Then do the exact same thing making the order back to 1,2,3.

That should fix the display issue once you submit the revisions.

[coffeebean832]

Thank you for this. The problem has been affecting me all year.

[racingdirect]

Wow! Can't believe it's been fixed, but just tried it myself and it seemed to work. Unfortunately, for us it means we have to rebuild pricing on all options and reset the markdowns, but at least we're able to get the option sort order to stick now.

Thanks for updating this thread! Might not have noticed it was fixed otherwise.

[bigdeals.etc]

Actually doing this doesn’t reset my markdowns. Since we’re just messing with the order and not prices, whatever markdown you originally should stay.

[racingdirect]

Ok. I see the issue now.

We have alot of deleted combinations that get re-generated when changing the order. I need to make sure all of those get removed again so that the number of re-sorted variations is exactly the same as before, otherwise we lose the markdown and all.

Thanks for the headsup!

[bigdeals.etc]

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@racingdirect wrote:

Ok. I see the issue now.

We have alot of deleted combinations that get re-generated when changing the order. I need to make sure all of those get removed again so that the number of re-sorted variations is exactly the same as before, otherwise we lose the markdown and all.

Thanks for the headsup!

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Yea, you're correct. So you REALLY gotta watch out and remove all those dead combinations again and for the listings that have them, you'll need to add them back into a markdown if you originally had it.

If I recall, didn't ebay use to have a "create my combinations manually" button when asked if you wanted ebay to do them all automatically, or cancel? What ever happened to that button? Basically it allows you to continue, but not let the system automatically update and populate your combinations. If you used that button, you'd have to create each combination one by one manually. It would be pretty useful right now.