How to Add Variations to an Existing Listing
I have an existing listing, with no variations, for which I would like to add a new variation (specifically, another color.) How can I add a variation to this listing?
I’ve watched all the video tutorials I can find on this, and they all show the same steps. On the Manage Inventory page, you find the listing you’re trying to add variations to, select “Copy” from the drop down menu, then add variations to this new clone, one of which is the new variation, and one of which is the original, and for the latter you enter the SKU and ASIN of the original listing.
But when I do this, all that happens is I create a clone of the original listing. A new, standalone listing with no variation options on the listing. The original listing shows no variations either. And both are shown as separate products in my inventory (they are not listed together as variations.)
If I open up the Edit page of the new listing, and click the Variations tab, I do not see the two variations I created. I just see a message saying that “this product is a variation of SKU…”
What am I missing here? How can I create variations for an existing listing? Any help would be very much appreciated.
How to Add Variations to an Existing Listing
I have an existing listing, with no variations, for which I would like to add a new variation (specifically, another color.) How can I add a variation to this listing?
I’ve watched all the video tutorials I can find on this, and they all show the same steps. On the Manage Inventory page, you find the listing you’re trying to add variations to, select “Copy” from the drop down menu, then add variations to this new clone, one of which is the new variation, and one of which is the original, and for the latter you enter the SKU and ASIN of the original listing.
But when I do this, all that happens is I create a clone of the original listing. A new, standalone listing with no variation options on the listing. The original listing shows no variations either. And both are shown as separate products in my inventory (they are not listed together as variations.)
If I open up the Edit page of the new listing, and click the Variations tab, I do not see the two variations I created. I just see a message saying that “this product is a variation of SKU…”
What am I missing here? How can I create variations for an existing listing? Any help would be very much appreciated.
Seller_4RRTjOpWG0qkj
It’s long, creating variations requires attention to detail, but is just long, not hard once you understand the basics.
The first thing I do (second actually) is link to another thread explaining the lingo and then explain what variation, parent, children and variation themes are
Just checked the links, they are all working. Which one isn’t working for you?
Sure
No
Yes
It matters. Copying the existing product won’t do what you want to do. If you follow the link, you will see step by step instructions with screenshots on how to create the parent. What info to add and what info not to add.
Creating variations is simple enough, but it takes steps. There’s no shortcut, so either you learn the steps or nothing anybody can do for you.
That’s one way to do it. I recommend it because you already have the existing listing that will become a child. This is not always the case, you can create a parent listing before creating a child listing.
Yes, that’s correct. You need the second color (sibling, second child) and the parent.
The parent however is created with different information than the children. That’s where the link I shared before helps.
That’s the right picture.
Yes
Yes. Create a new listing identical to the existing one, but with a different color (of course, this listing will need its own GTIN, name, etc)
You can do this in any order you want. You could create the parent first or last. What’s important is that once you create the parent, you create the relationship that links it with the children listings. This is all explained in the guide.
10 Antworten
Seller_4RRTjOpWG0qkj
Study here
You need to create a parent product and the add the children (variations) under said product.
Seller_ww4JmQV9RVD1x
Hi Tony. Thanks for the link.
The post you linked to is a bit overwhelming, and many of the explanations assume the reader is already familiar with the lingo. There’s some short-hand in there that leaves things unclear, and the amazon guide it links to is dead. So I’m still a little lost. So may I just ask you a couple clarification questions?
You said that I “need to create a parent product and the add the children.”
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I currently have an existing listing that is already selling. Is this the “Parent?” Or do I need to create a brand new listing, using “Add a Product,” that will be the parent, to which I will add the existing original listing as one of the children/variations? If the latter, does it matter whether I use “Add a Product” vs making a “Copy” of the existing product when creating the parent?
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Your recommendation implies that, before creating a parent listing, I need pre-existing Child listings that I then “add” to the parent listing I’m “creating.” To me this sounds like I need to create two more listings. First, a child for the new color of product, and second a “Parent” listing that I will then add my original listing and the new child listing to as variations. Is that accurate?
The picture I’m getting here is that in order to have a product with two variations, I’ll need three listings in total (one parent and two children.) The current existing listing will be one of the children. So I now need to create a new listing for the new color, which will also be a child. I then need to create a parent listing, to which I will add the original listing and the new color listing as variations.
Is that correct? Or am I still lost?
Cheers
Seller_4RRTjOpWG0qkj
It’s long, creating variations requires attention to detail, but is just long, not hard once you understand the basics.
The first thing I do (second actually) is link to another thread explaining the lingo and then explain what variation, parent, children and variation themes are
Just checked the links, they are all working. Which one isn’t working for you?
Sure
No
Yes
It matters. Copying the existing product won’t do what you want to do. If you follow the link, you will see step by step instructions with screenshots on how to create the parent. What info to add and what info not to add.
Creating variations is simple enough, but it takes steps. There’s no shortcut, so either you learn the steps or nothing anybody can do for you.
That’s one way to do it. I recommend it because you already have the existing listing that will become a child. This is not always the case, you can create a parent listing before creating a child listing.
Yes, that’s correct. You need the second color (sibling, second child) and the parent.
The parent however is created with different information than the children. That’s where the link I shared before helps.
That’s the right picture.
Yes
Yes. Create a new listing identical to the existing one, but with a different color (of course, this listing will need its own GTIN, name, etc)
You can do this in any order you want. You could create the parent first or last. What’s important is that once you create the parent, you create the relationship that links it with the children listings. This is all explained in the guide.
Seller_ww4JmQV9RVD1x
Wow. Thank you so much for the in depth response, and answers to specific questions. You’ve been extremely helpful, Tony. Thank you so much.
Also, sorry, I should have specified which link wasn’t working (since there were multiple links on that post you sent me.) On the “Oneida has created a very complete guide” post, it presents three options for creating a variation. Option 2 is to “Add a Product,” for which it simply posts a link to “Instructions in Seller Help Files.” It’s that link which leads to a “Help Topic Not Found” error.
I think you’ve given me enough clarity to proceed. Thanks again!
Seller_4RRTjOpWG0qkj
Happy to help.
Yes, Oneida’s guide is a bit older, and sadly links get obsolete.
If you have questions going forward post them here and there will be sellers happy to help!
Seller_ww4JmQV9RVD1x
Thanks. I actually do have one more question. Will Adding my original listing to a parent listing as a child/variation jeopardize its ranking or its prevalence in search results at all? The last thing I want to do is jeopardize the momentum it has built up with the algorithm.
Seller_4RRTjOpWG0qkj
No. All the rankings and reviews will mesh together.
This is why it’s important to ensure that only products within the same family are joined under a parent, because you want to share the reviews and rankings.
If you use different products, then it would be cheating (and could get you suspended) but within the family, everything is shared.
If the family is broken, then the reviews would split between the children (not evenly but to the ones that brought them)
Seller_93BoIOo1scF8b
Hello, did you manage to solve the problem? I'm in the same situation trying to make variations of an existing product, and I tried to follow the steps in the previous comments but I couldn't create a parent and be able to link my existing product as a child.
