Separate listings vs. a variation listing.

[inhawaii]

I have an item where is have 5 different variaties (flavors). When i started these listings years ago i didn't know how to do variations listings so they were all listed separately. 

I've been meaning to change them to a variations listing but then i would lose years worth of "sold" stats. 

I finally made the change last night.  It looks strange now. Something i've been selling for years is now a "new listing" with 0 sales.

Would you have left them separate or gone ahead with the change? 

[bigdeals.etc]

I'm a huge advocate for MV listings so I'd definitely change it. I actually ran into this problem when MV listings were introduced. Not sure about your product category, but I don't regret making the change. If you can afford to, lower the price of your items in the MV listing to gain some traction. Then raise it back up after some sales.

Heads up tho, MV listings can be a huge headache because of glitches.

[fern*wood]

I would think this would cause more multi-purchases when buyers see more flavors without leaving the listing.  I wouldn't worry about the number sold---it will add up soon.   Good move and fewer listing/rolling fees too.

[bigdeals.etc]

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@fern*wood wrote:

I would think this would cause more multi-purchases when buyers see more flavors without leaving the listing.  I wouldn't worry about the number sold---it will add up soon.   Good move and fewer listing/rolling fees too.

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Oh yea, great point here that I forgot... it's a great way to cross promote your other flavors in the same listing. You will definitely get alot more multiple-item buyers. Personally I would always add interesting flavors if I bought your type of items online... especially if you advertise some sort of combined shipping or multiple item promo.

[divwido]

I would have left it alone.  If it works, why change it?

[disneyshopper]

For the items I sell, the only variable would be SIZE.  I use to purchase a variety of sizes for resale, but it seems only the larger sizes sell, so I limit myself to one 2 or 3 sizes of an item.  Since I have a Premium store, I prefer to have each size in a separate listing.

[corvettestainless]

I think it's a good idea, as in 1 listing they can see multiple flavors. If possible, reduce some words to get more 'flavors' in the title ie. 'Hawaiian Fresh' and get rid of 'delicious' as nobody will search by that term. It's Hawaiian, It's Dole, It's Hard Candy, It's Strawberry, Its' Pineapple' etc. Only if there's room use 'fresh' and 'delicious'. 

This way, if someone is searching for 'Strawberry hard candy', you'll come up

Lastly, do promotions- even 1% will get your candy on that center line of your listing,  instead of other sellers items. 

[mam98031]

One of our regular posters has been testing this and found no advantage to multiple listings yet.  She plans on doing more testing.

@mcdougle4248 

[mcdougle4248]

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@mam98031 wrote:

One of our regular posters has been testing this and found no advantage to multiple listings yet.  She plans on doing more testing.

@mcdougle4248 

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Last spring I put over 700 individual listings into variation listings.   I did not experience any change in sales volume that I could attribute to this change.

Late in January this year, I ended a few variation listings and put the items from those listings back up as individual listings.  I saw a short, 2-3 day, dramatic rise in sales volume.  Then a quick return to normal sales volume.   I have continued testing this, and unfortunately, I have not repeated the dramatic rise in sales volume that I experienced in January.  Over the next week or so, I will be ending some of the listings I broke out of variation listings (listed individually) and will be putting them back up as variation listings.  

[bar-29368]

I love MV listings and apart from the inevitable glitches they become pretty much set & forget it. Easy to change the quantities and pricing using the 'new' pencil in function thing.

I just wish ebay would see fit to expand the categories where you can use them.

One BIG plus with MV listings is that if you get moved to MP multiple purchases from the one listing are only .25 rather than the egregious .25 per listing fee.

[wastingtime101]

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@bar-29368 wrote:

I just wish ebay would see fit to expand the categories where you can use them.

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Ditto. I was shopping for pens the other day and apparently that category doesn't allow variations so it took a lot longer to find and purchase packs in multiple color ink.

inhawaii - variation is the way to go. Little known fact - eBay can actually remove your non-variation listings for a policy violation if the category allows variations. I have seen them enforce this in the past, albeit not that often.

[mcdougle4248]

@bar-29368  @bigdeals.etc

You both have mentioned glitches with variation listings.  Would you please share about what you experienced?

[mam98031]

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@mcdougle4248 wrote:

@bar-29368  @bigdeals.etc

You both have mentioned glitches with variation listings.  Would you please share about what you experienced?

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I second that.  Other than a couple times when pics disappeared [however not only variations were affected], I don't remember any issues with them.

[mrconran]

The single biggest advantage is you can have a lot of listings without paying for the next higher priced store fee. 

[flatwarepicker]

EBay has improved the multi listings for inventory control since I started using it a few years back. I use to have to review every sale for the correct  inventory after the sale. Once you use it, it is fast and you can manipulate it to your advantage. I does clean up the store but I only do it on new listings only. The biggest gain not mentioned is you can discount for multiple items. This discount appears on your main page listing so it does get in the face of the buyers.  It is about the only thing EBay has done that has worked out, of course it only took a few years!