Ever tried to find something you need on Amazon but ended up drowning in options? Yeah, we've all been there… It's a headache, right?
If you’re selling a product that comes in different colors or sizes, listen up – Amazon variation listings are your new best friend. It's like putting all your eggs in one basket, but in a good way.
Think about it. Your customers don't want to click through a million pages to find what they need. They want it all in one place. That's where variation listings come into play. They make shopping way easier, and guess what? Easier shopping means more sales for you.
Ready to boost your bottom line? Here's everything you need to know about adding variations to an already existing listing.
What is an Amazon Variation Listing?
A variation listing on Amazon groups different versions of the same product under one main listing. These multiple variations of a product, known as "variations," may vary in size, color, style, or other characteristics but fundamentally represent the same item.
The primary product listing is termed the "parent," while the varied versions are called "child" listings. This setup makes it simple for customers to view and select from the different versions on a single page. It lets you display your full product line neatly, potentially increasing sales and enhancing customer satisfaction.
Let's say you're selling shirts. Your "parent" is basically the idea of the shirt. It's not something people can buy - it's more like a concept. The "children" are the real deal - the actual shirts people can buy. So you might have a small red shirt, a big blue one, a medium yellow one... you get the picture.
When someone's shopping, they see all these options laid out nice and neat. They can mix and match sizes and colors without jumping to different pages. Pretty slick, right?
Elements of Amazon Variation Listing
To improve how you list your products' variations, you must understand the three components of a listing variation relationship: parent ASIN, Child ASIN(s), and Variation Theme.
By learning to manage variations to your Amazon product listing effectively, you ensure that each product variant can be individually optimized for maximum visibility and appeal.
1. Parent ASIN
A parent ASIN or parent listing is a non-buyable entity. The parent product shown in the Amazon catalog acts as the holding place of product variants. For instance, a shirt listed as a product is a parent listing, while its variations are the child ASINs.
2. Child ASIN(s)
The variants of the parent listing are the child ASINs that customers can find and purchase. Depending on the available variations, one parent ASIN can have multiple child ASINs.
One thing to note is that Amazon can independently index each child product listing and have varying organic rankings.
3. Variation Theme
The variation theme defines the type of variation and what differentiates similar products from one another.
Depending on the category in which you list your products, your Amazon product variations might include differences in size, color, shape, etc.
When applied efficiently, these three components allow customers to compare available choices and purchase according to their needs and tastes.
What Are The Benefits of Amazon Product Listing?
Did you know that almost 90% of customers compare product prices on Amazon? Indeed, price is crucial when buying products. However, what's even more significant is achieving the desired effect.
Customers are often willing to invest heavily on Amazon. That’s why it’s essential to carefully manage your Amazon product listings, ensuring convenience and comfort for buyers at each step.
Adding variations to your product listing can benefit your overall Amazon selling strategies and SEO. These benefits include increased conversion rate, improved discoverability for individual child listing in Amazon search results, and combined reviews and sales history.
Increase in Conversion Rate
When customers see multiple options at once without searching for other products, conversion rates go up. Higher conversion rates lead to more sales and revenue.
Improved Child Listing Discoverability
Low-performing product variants become more visible when listed with higher-performing ones. Adding a new variation as part of an existing listing instead of a new one increases the chances of it being seen.
Combined Reviews And Sales History
All reviews for child listings are gathered on one page, providing a combined review total. Good reviews positively influence customer buying decisions.
This also applies to sales history. The sales of all child listings are combined into the parent listing’s sales history, improving your organic search ranking.
How to List Multiple Variations on Amazon
When you are creating a new listing on Amazon with multiple variations, you can either do it manually or by filling in or uploading an inventory file.
When adding a listing variation manually as a registered Amazon seller, follow these steps:
- Go to your Seller Central dashboard.
- Under ‘Catalog’, click ‘Add a Product.’
- Select the option ‘I’m adding a product not sold on Amazon.’
- Among the list, select the category that is most appropriate for your product. You will then be redirected to a page where you will fill out the information about your product, including the ‘Product Name’, ‘Brand’, and ‘Manufacturer’. Leave the ‘Product ID’ blank since multiple variations will be added.
- Click on the ‘Variations’ tab and select the type of variation your product is on the ‘Variation Theme’ selection. Themes could be the parent product's size, color, shape, etc.
- Enter all the variations you will be selling. Once done, click 'Add Variations'.
- Fill out the rest of the information, such as the product ID, product ID type, price, or quantity.
- Click ‘Save and Finish’ once you have correctly input all information.
Alternatively, you may create variations using an inventory file by following these steps:
- Go to your Seller Central dashboard.
- Under ‘Catalog’, click ‘Add Products via Upload.’
- Enter your product and its matching category, then click 'Generate Template.'
You will then receive a spreadsheet template with various tabs to fill in. Accomplishing this inventory file can take some time. It is suggested that you look into the 'Example' tab in the spreadsheet to have a guide.
- On the ‘Template’ tab, fill in all the information about your product.
How to Add a Variation to an Existing Amazon Listing
Do you already have an existing Amazon listing, and you're looking to add variations? Or you're starting fresh and want to learn how to add a new Amazon listing using the same process?
The good news is that the steps are quite similar. You may also add variations through the Seller Central Dashboard or by uploading an inventory file.
Add Variations of Existing Items through Seller Central Dashboard
- Under the ‘Catalog’ menu, click ‘Add a Product.’
- Then click ‘Add a variation using Variation Wizard’. Variation Wizard is a proactive tool on Amazon Seller Central used to create or update parent-child variation listings.
- In the Variation Wizard interface, you may either update a child ASIN or add it to a parent ASIN.
- Fill in all the information.
- Once done, click ‘Generate Template’ to get a complete inventory file template.
- Upload the template to submit your variations.
Add Variations to an Existing Amazon Listing Through an Inventory File
- Using the appropriate category template from the Product Classifier or Template for Specific Categories, look through the available variation themes in the ‘Valid Values’ tab.
- In the inventory template, create the parent and child SKUs.
Fill in the parent item by following these guidelines:
- Accomplish all required fields, including the item’s unique SKU. TIP: Include "-parent" as an append to the base SKU to indicate the parent listing.
- Leave the ‘Parent SKU’ column blank.
- Enter "parent" in the 'Parentage' column and enter a valid value in 'Variation Theme'.
- Leave ‘Relationship Type’ blank, as well as other non-required fields.
On each child ASINs:
- Input information on all required fields.
- Fill in the ‘Parent SKU’ field using the value from the parent’s SKU. This should be applied to all child listings.
- Enter "child" in the 'Parentage' column and type in "variation" in the 'Relationship Type'.
- Enter the same value you entered for the 'Variation Theme' of the parent in the 'Variation Theme' for all child items.
Once all information is correct, you may upload the completed file.
Best Practices for Creating or Adding Variations on Amazon
Want to make your Amazon listings stand out and be super useful for customers? Here’s how:
Keep it Consistent
Make sure your brand, descriptions, and images match across all variations. This consistency helps shoppers quickly understand that all variants are part of the same product family.
Focus on Quality Images
Every variation needs a high-quality image that shows exactly what the variant looks like. Selling a blue shirt? The image should pop with that blue! High-quality images draw in shoppers and clear up any confusion they might have about what they're buying.
Provide Detailed and Accurate Info
List everything a customer needs to know about each variation: SKU, product ID, price, quantity, and what makes it unique. Detailed, accurate info helps shoppers make decisions they feel good about and keeps order issues to a minimum.
Optimize for Search
Every product variation is a chance to use just the right keywords. But keep it natural – no one likes a keyword-stuffed mess. Well-placed keywords boost your visibility on Amazon and get more eyes on your products.
Keep Tabs on Your Listings
Watch how your variations perform. What do customers say? If one isn't selling, maybe tweak the image or spice up the description. Staying on top of feedback keeps your listings fresh and customer-friendly.
Reminder: Why do we bother with all this? Simple – to make shopping smoother and more enjoyable for your customers. When you nail your variation listings, you’re not just selling better; you’re making shopping a breeze for countless customers. Ready to boost those sales?
FAQs
What is variation in Amazon listings?
In Amazon listings, a variation refers to different options or versions of a product that are grouped together under a single parent listing. Variations are used for products that come in different attributes, such as size, color, style, or other features that can be selected by the customer.
What are parent child relationships in Amazon listing variations?
When a product has different variations, like sizes or colors, they are grouped under one parent listing. The parent listing is the main product page with information common to all variations.
Each variation, called a child listing, is linked to the parent listing. This setup lets customers see and choose different options from one page, making comparing and selecting what they want easier.
What is parent-child listing?
A parent-child listing combines a parent listing with its child listings. The parent listing has general information like the title, images, and description that apply to all variations. The child listings give specific details for each variation, like size, color, and price.
Can parent listings be deleted?
The answer is yes. However, you should be careful, as deleting any parent listing will delete all its variations. Child items listed under the parent item will automatically become individual product pages.
How many variation themes can you have on an Amazon listing?
Fortunately, Amazon allows two features to be included in a single variation for some product categories like clothing items. Otherwise, you are guaranteed to have one feature per listing.
How to add images of listing variations?
It is always recommended to have images thrown at your product page as it helps increase conversion. To add pictures, follow these easy steps:
- Go to your Seller Central Inventory;
- Click the ‘Edit’ tab of the parent ASIN you wish to add image(s) to;
- Click the ‘Manage image’ from the dropdown menu;
- Upload images that match your products.
Ready to Add Variations to Your Listings?
We know that this whole Amazon variation listing thing can feel like a lot to wrap your head around… There's a bunch of info to digest and steps to follow. But trust us, it's worth putting in the effort!
And here's the best part: Keep an eye on your stats. Efficiently incorporating product variations will help you increase conversion and visibility, improve organic rankings, and generate more sales and revenue!
If it gets too hard for you, Seller Candy and its team of Amazon experts are ready to help you optimize your selling strategies. Get started in creating variations to your listings that impact your bottom line!
