Etsy’s “listing variations” are an easy way to present all of the available item choices and factors to your customers. Buyers will have to pick from a drop-down list before they check out, so it simplifies the whole process for everyone involved. They can be created in your item listings on both on the desktop version and the Sell on Etsy app. Let’s look at a few ways to most effectively use this feature:
Why Variations are Important
Variations eliminate the problem of having to continually contact buyers to have them make a selection or decision regarding their purchase. Customers might not always know they have a message in their Etsy conversations inbox, so our questions can go unseen. For this reason, variations save time and thus allow you to get orders mailed out to customers much faster.
You get two variation sections per item listing, so choose them wisely. Make them your most important factors that will impact their purchase. For example, if you sell handmade t-shirts you’ll definitely want to make a drop-down with size choices (XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL, etc.) as well as a color variation if that’s another factor.
When to Use Price Variations
Price variations are perfect for items that have options or add-ons that require a higher retail price. Etsy allows for one variation section with price differences and it must be done first if you’re doing two drop-downs. You can ask your customers to pick from sixteen pre-set variations (including Color, Fabric, Length, Scent, Style, etc.) or you can create your own.
When you’re creating this type of variation you must enter the final price the customer will pay (rather than the difference from the lowest priced selection). For example, if you have a necklace on base metal chain that is $20, the silver-plated version would entered as $30, the gold-plated would be $35, etc. When the listing is active it will then show as $20+ and the shopper can see the price differences in the drop-down.
How to Use Size and Style Variations
This is the way I typically use variations in my Etsy shop. The pre-set choices are the same as the ones I mentioned above and you can still create your own variation if none apply to your products. For instance, if you’re selling bath products with different scents, make a variation that lists all of the available choices (vanilla, basil, rose, etc). If you make bracelets that have several length choices, you can enter the various lengths by the pre-set suggestions of centimeters or inches or add your own measurement. I also recommend presenting the various options in your listing photos if possible- this way customers can get a visual besides the drop-down choices.
How have you used listing variations in your Etsy shop?
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