Upgrading to Variation Listing

[toms_custom_cables]

Hello Ebay Community,

I would like to update my listing to now include the variation option for different size options. The problem I am seeing is there isn't an upgrade path to this new function, I have to create a new listing.

Here are my questions,

When I create this new listing is there a best practices to link it to the old listing? 

Is there a way to link it so that anyone watching the old listing will be redirected to the new listing?

Is there a way to preserve the previous sales history and transfer it to the new listing?  

I called ebay support about this and they lost me.  Something about adding the old listing item number into the description of the new listing.  

[mypostingid15]

When I create this new listing is there a best practices to link it to the old listing? NO

Is there a way to link it so that anyone watching the old listing will be redirected to the new listing? NO

Is there a way to preserve the previous sales history and transfer it to the new listing?  NO

[bigdeals.etc]

Basically ebay offers no help in transitioning your existing listing into a new listing with variations.

There's no way to preserve your sales history number when you start a new listing. Stinks, huh. But some believe if once you end the listing and click "Relist" (NOT SELL SIMILAR), your new listing will retain some of the best match exposure as your old listing for a time period. If it's true, this of course is a double-edged sword, if your exposure was bad then you definitely would not want to click on "Relist".

What your CS was telling you is basically this. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sony-HCD-SAW-SEN-R5520-R5420-R440-Control-Cable-P-N-176512111-176512112-2-5...

You see how I just provided you with a link to one of your listings directly? The CS was saying once you end your listing, get that link to the listing... then paste it into the description of your new listing. This way you are referencing your old listing to buyers who visit your new listing. It's actually the reverse of what you asked your CS. If you ask me, this referencing method is a waste of time and hardly worth the effort.

If you really want to link (reference) your new listing to anyone seeing your old listing, there is a way. Create your new listing without ending your old. Once created and live, you can grab the link to the new listing. Then revise your old listing and paste the link into your description. Once you revise it, end that old listing. This method may be a bit more worthwhile than the CS's lame answer. But you will lose the benefits from clicking on "Relist" to make your new listing. Because the old listing would still be live at the time. You can't "relist" a listing that hasn't ended yet.

Yes, confusing huh. But your question is more technical as ebay doesn't really announce these work-around methods.

[myjunqueyourtreasure]

They did have what they called a "merge" function at one time to combine single listings into a MV listing but they couldn't seem to get it work correctly & it was abandoned (what a shock)

[toms_custom_cables]

I think this is what I will do. I don't have to immediately stop the old listings. So I will edit the old listing and add the link to the new one. Once I get some sales history on the new listings I will shut down the old listing.

[berserkerplanet]

That sounds like you will end up violating the duplicate listing policy unless the single listing item is not also offered in the new variation listing.

[toms_custom_cables]

UGH.....Seriously?

Guess its time to go read up on the duplicate listing policy.

Thanks for the heads up.

[berserkerplanet]

Seriously. (but don't call me Shirley)

You should check though since it sounds like you will have the same item listed in Fixed Price listings twice which may be a duplicate listing (not as clear cut as having two identical single qty fixed price listings, but still prohibited by the policy in my read of it)

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/listing-policies/duplicate-listings-policy?id=4255

[bigdeals.etc]

Yea, duplicates are against eBay policy. While the bots will definitely not immediately catch this, it gives you a bit of overlap time to end the old listing. You most definitely won't get dinged if you take like 10 minutes to end the first listing if your new listing is set to have variation. But I understand you are taking to the OP about leaving the old listing up for a much larger length of time (to gain momentum on the new listing). 

One thing I recall hearing before that if you end a listing and click on relist to create a new one, there will be a notice for buyers telling them that the listing has been relisted (and possibly give a link to the new one). I'm not sure how true that is but I've heard of it. Also I'm not sure if it is shown in your old listing page, or just as an email to the current watchers of that old listing.

[berserkerplanet]

Don't know about the ending and notification things either.

Have been skirting the dupe policy for short durations myself lately while moving a few things to a new PWE account. Easiest thing to do is open the listing in account A in the browser, revise it, switch to account B's cookie profile in same browser, do a "Sell one like this" from the listing , pop between the 2 revise tabs cutting and pasting description, then upload photos again to account B listing, and use account A tab to check/fill item specifics, photo order, etc,

Verify that new account B listing looks right and delete the original account A version before the bots even wake up (I hope. So far so good)

(too few to bother with the Turbo Lister hoops required to try and transfer listings between accounts. Am using TL to transfer old unsolds from long ago though. Resurrect them in account A, upload as account A scheduled listings, do an account B "Sell one like this" from the account A listing view of the scheduled listing, and good to go. Requires either using two browsers or using multiple cookie profiles in one browser to be logged into multiple eBay accounts simultaneously. Usually logged into 3 or 4 in this browser. Keeping track of what tab belongs to what account gets tricky 🙂