Why Does ebay Prohibit Auctions with Variations?

[coast-commerce]

Why not allow sellers to list items with variations in an auction format?

If I am selling something that I have multiples of basically the same or similar items, why not permit such a listing that employs an auction format?

It makes sense to list something such as T-shirts, hats, socks Etc. with multiples of the same design in an auction format. A bidder may wear size XL T-shirts and want to restrict their bid to the size and price that suits them, but as it stands such offers may only be in a fixed price listing. 

If what I am selling are just variations of the same thing, what difference does it make (to ebay) what the size, color or other variation is? Why can I sell something with variations in a fixed price listing, but not one with an auction format?

Why not give buyers options, choices or other ways of exercising individual preferences in an auction format? If it works for fixed price listings, why not use it for auctions too?

In some cases, variations offered may have differences in value, e.g. an XS T-shirt uses less material than an XXL version, so it has less value than the XXL one; in such a case as with fixed price auctions, the opening bid (asking price) would need to reflect the base-line value of any given item. 

Why is ebay opposed to auctions with variations, if it can be done with fixed price listings, why not in an auction format too?

[fashunu4eeuh]

There would be no way to conduct an auction without stating exactly what is being auctioned and for how much (opening bid). If a seller wishes to group an item of similar kinds into an auction format, the items can be sold as a lot. If a seller wants a buyer to pick and choose among different things in one listing, then it would be a fixed-price listing with variations. I can't think of a way for an auction to be set up with buyers selecting among a variety of things. There would be no uniformity of any kind in which multiple buyers could bid any amount they choose. Or perhaps i misunderstand your question? Have you seen something online that does an auction with variations such as you describe?

[coast-commerce]

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@coast-commerce wrote:

Why not allow sellers to list items with variations in an auction format?

If I am selling something that I have multiples of basically the same or similar items, why not permit such a listing that employs an auction format?

It makes sense to list something such as T-shirts, hats, socks Etc. with multiples of the same design in an auction format. A bidder may wear size XL T-shirts and want to restrict their bid to the size and price that suits them, but as it stands such offers may only be in a fixed price listing. 

If what I am selling are just variations of the same thing, what difference does it make (to ebay) what the size, color or other variation is? Why can I sell something with variations in a fixed price listing, but not one with an auction format?

Why not give buyers options, choices or other ways of exercising individual preferences in an auction format? If it works for fixed price listings, why not use it for auctions too?

In some cases, variations offered may have differences in value, e.g. an XS T-shirt uses less material than an XXL version, so it has less value than the XXL one; in such a case as with fixed price auctions (should have been "listings"), the opening bid (asking price) would need to reflect the base-line value of any given item. 

Why is ebay opposed to auctions with variations, if it can be done with fixed price listings, why not in an auction format too?

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[coast-commerce]

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@fashunu4eeuh wrote:

There would be no way to conduct an auction without stating exactly what is being auctioned and for how much (opening bid). If a seller wishes to group an item of similar kinds into an auction format, the items can be sold as a lot.

You are missing the point; the idea is for folks to be able to bid on an individual item with a particular attribute as one can do in a fixed price listing with variations; the only difference is that it would be in an auction format rather than a fixed price format.

Why should a buyer have to purchase something they do not want, just to get something (from a lot) that they do want?

If a seller wants a buyer to pick and choose among different things in one listing, then it would be a fixed-price listing with variations.

Thank you, but I am suggesting (for comment) if such an idea would be helpful to sellers (for ebay to consider implementing), not just a way of selling variations.

I can't think of a way for an auction to be set up with buyers selecting among a variety of things. There would be no uniformity of any kind in which multiple buyers could bid any amount they choose.

No, again you are missing the point, an auction with variations would work as a listing with variations, only that instead of fixed prices, a buyer can bid on the variations available in the quantities available (just as buyers can do with fixed price listings with variations).

Or perhaps i misunderstand your question? Have you seen something online that does an auction with variations such as you describe?

Yes you misunderstood, I am not asking about how to list multiple items (variations of the same item) in an auction as this is not a Question & Answer board; it is a discussion board.

Just a suggestion for an improvement to ebay's selling experience.

[coolections]

It would not work. I can give a dozens reason why but will only give one. I'll let the other 11 reasons be posted by others. If I want a small T-shirt and willing to bid $6 but someone else wants a XXL T-shirt and is willing to bid $12 why would I ever want to bid on this variation as each bidder is bidding on something different. Auction items need to remain one single item or lot that each person is bidding on, and  against each other.

[7606dennis]

Actually, when you are bidding of an item or lot, you are bidding on that specific item or lot.  It has been some time since eBay offer Dutch Auctions on the site and even those would not accommodate what you are wanting.

[*help_no_brakes*]

"this is not a Question & Answer board; it is a discussion board."

Then why are you asking so many questions in your OP & why are you not asking eBay?

[fashunu4eeuh]

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@coast-commerce wrote:

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@fashunu4eeuh wrote:

There would be no way to conduct an auction without stating exactly what is being auctioned and for how much (opening bid). If a seller wishes to group an item of similar kinds into an auction format, the items can be sold as a lot.

You are missing the point; the idea is for folks to be able to bid on an individual item with a particular attribute as one can do in a fixed price listing with variations; the only difference is that it would be in an auction format rather than a fixed price format.

Why should a buyer have to purchase something they do not want, just to get something (from a lot) that they do want?

If a seller wants a buyer to pick and choose among different things in one listing, then it would be a fixed-price listing with variations.

Thank you, but I am suggesting (for comment) if such an idea would be helpful to sellers (for ebay to consider implementing), not just a way of selling variations.

I can't think of a way for an auction to be set up with buyers selecting among a variety of things. There would be no uniformity of any kind in which multiple buyers could bid any amount they choose.

No, again you are missing the point, an auction with variations would work as a listing with variations, only that instead of fixed prices, a buyer can bid on the variations available in the quantities available (just as buyers can do with fixed price listings with variations).

Or perhaps i misunderstand your question? Have you seen something online that does an auction with variations such as you describe?

Yes you misunderstood, I am not asking about how to list multiple items (variations of the same item) in an auction as this is not a Question & Answer board; it is a discussion board.

Just a suggestion for an improvement to ebay's selling experience.

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I think perhaps you missed my point. There is no way for such an auction to work. Ebay is not prohibiting or disallowing anything here. Your questions and discussion points are based on the assumption that this is a viable idea. I disagree respectfully. Therefore my response to the post is that this would not be an improvement to the platform's selling (or buying) experience. 

[retrose1]

OP, have you ever actively participated in more than a few real actual auctions?  Because if you did, you would not be asking these questions, you would understand why variation auctions will not work, and be huge money losers for the sellers.

I am thinking these questions are coming from an ebay seller who is trying to figure out how to use the free auction listings they are getting with a store subscription.

[myangelandmyprincess]

I'm thinking an auction like that would be a confusing mess to buyers and I don't see a bit of benefit for the seller.  

[gracieallen01]

"Just a suggestion for an improvement to ebay's selling experience."

Isn't that merely an 'improvement' in YOUR opinion?  (Personally, I don't think new t-shirts even warrant consideration as  'auction' material - but, be that as it may)

Your's isn't an auction, any more, in the true sense of the word. 

YOU are now selling a particular thing that has a value compared to a different particular thing that is similar.  (Just comparison shop at Wal-mart and Target)

An auction is selling - in a competitive format - an item that is being judged worthy, for a particular price, by a particular person, for their own particular reason (quality, condition, age, etc.) to an equivalent thing.

[lacemaker3]

@coast-commerce

eBay used to have a format that was for auctions where the seller had multiples of the item. They were less confusing than your proposal, though, because all the items had to be the same.

eBay called them Dutch Auctions (but they weren't the same as a traditional Dutch Auction, where the offer price starts high and is gradually lowered until there is a taker).

They confused pretty much everybody. I think the only people who really understood how they worked were the responders here in the Community, who had to explain them to everyone (buyers and sellers alike). They were ended because so many people didn't understand how they worked that most people were not happy with them.

Your proposal for an eBay-style Dutch Auction with varations is even more confusing.

[coast-commerce]

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@fashunu4eeuh wrote:

There would be no way to conduct an auction without stating exactly what is being auctioned and for how much (opening bid). If a seller wishes to group an item of similar kinds into an auction format, the items can be sold as a lot. If a seller wants a buyer to pick and choose among different things in one listing, then it would be a fixed-price listing with variations. I can't think of a way for an auction to be set up with buyers selecting among a variety of things. There would be no uniformity of any kind in which multiple buyers could bid any amount they choose. Or perhaps i misunderstand your question? Have you seen something online that does an auction with variations such as you describe?

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What I am suggesting is much simpler than many of the responders to this topic have made it out to be.

A simplified outline of the concept follows...

I have vintage Rolling Stones T-shirts with identical designs to auction off, but my inventory has limited quantities of each size:

5 XS T-shirts (asking price $3.99)

4 S T-shirts (asking price $4.50)

8 M T-shirts (asking price $4.99)

12 L T-shirts (asking price $5.50)

2 XXL T-shirts (asking price $7.50)

Bidders could bid on one item at a time only. If someone wants several T-shirt sizes, they would have to place separate bids for each of them; as making a bid for a group of T-shirts of different sizes would be disallowed.

If one person bid $5.00 for a small T-shirt, another person bid $6.50 and at the end of the auction, the final bid for small T-shirts is $12.00.

The high bidder would have valued the small T-shirts at $12.00 and have the option of buying one or up to four (the entire inventory of that size) at that valuation when the auction has closed.

The bidding would be separate for each size and be for one item only; as in the aforementioned example, only following the auction would the high bidder (for each size) have the option of buying more than one (up to the limit of inventory available) and only in the size that they bid on (because other sizes have a different base value).

As you can see, the suggestion is not as complicated as many make it out to be. The idea is much like a fixed price listing with variations. However, instead of one offer to buy an item, it may take several bids which benefits both parties; i.e. the seller gets the highest valuation that buyers are willing to pay for a particular item and buyers set the price that they are willing to pay for any given item.

Folks, ebay disallows listing variations of the same item in the same category simultaneously, but do permit variations of the same item to be sold in one fixed price listing with variations. I could not just list one T-shirt in each size in separate auctions launched simultaneously in the same category; ebay does not allow for this to be done.

Currently I would have to list each size of T-shirt in separate auctions one after the other until all have sold. If I could consolidate all inventory of these T-shirts into one auction, I could reach a lot more potential buyers at one time and get the best price for the product.

[luckythewinner]

Re: Why Does ebay Prohibit Auctions with Variations?

eBay has millions of buyers, and many of them are not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Many of them do not even understand how a single-item auction works.  The work-around is incredible simple - just list them separately, one item to an auction. 

There is also the complexity of having a single item number with multiple auction winners. It would take a significant programming effort to convert a system designed as a one-to-one system into a many-to-one system. 

[coolections]

Your reasoning would not work. No one is going to bid with what you have suggested.