Each Amazon shopper has their own preferences. Some like certain colors or need specific sizes. This is where Amazon variations step in. They provide options within a single listing to accommodate different needs.
By adding variations, you boost discoverability and elevate conversion rates. But how to add a variation to an existing Amazon listing? In this article, we’ll explain 2 different ways to do so: using Seller Central Dashboard or Variation Wizard.
Let’s dive in.
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What are Variations in Amazon Listing?
Before learning how to add a variation to an existing Amazon listing, let’s first understand what Amazon variations exactly are.
Generally speaking, variations mean offering various related products under one listing. For instance, you can sell a smartphone case in different colors, materials (e.g., silicone, leather), and designs (plain, patterned, printed). Or you can offer coffee in different roasts (light, medium, dark) and flavors like vanilla, caramel, or hazelnut.
Amazon explains that a variation setup includes three parts:
- Parent listing: The parent listing is something you can’t directly buy. It acts as a placeholder for Amazon variations or child products.
- Child ASINs: These are the actual items you can purchase. There can be multiple child products associated with one parent listing. For example, each knife might differ in blade size, handle material, or blade type.
- Variation theme: This determines how the items differ from each other. In the kitchenware category, variation themes might include blade size, handle color, or blade material. For instance, one knife might have a stainless steel blade while another has a ceramic blade.
If you want to list a set of knives with different blade sizes and handle colors, you might use the “Size-Color” variation theme. For example:
- Large red chef’s knife
- Medium blue utility knife
- Small green paring knife
This simplifies the shopping experience, allowing customers to choose the size and color combination they prefer without browsing through individual listings.
Now, let’s learn how to add a variation to an existing Amazon listing in the next part.
Read more: How to apply for Amazon GTIN exemption
How to Add a Variation to an Existing Amazon Listing
Before you can add variations to Amazon listing, you must know how to list products on Amazon first. There are different ways to list products on Amazon, but here are some effective Amazon listing tools to start with.
Once you have your listings, you can learn different ways on how to add variation on Amazon listing: Seller Central Dashboard and Variation Wizard.
Let’s explore each method in detail.
Method 1: Through Seller Central Dashboard
If you want to add only one variation to your existing Amazon listing, then you can use Seller Central Dashboard. Here’s how:
- Log in to your Seller Central dashboard. Hover over the Inventory tab and select Manage Inventory.
- Scroll down and find the parent listing, which is basically the listing where you would see a drop-down arrow. Then, click on “Edit.”
- Click on the Variations tab.
- Select the type of variation you want to modify for the listing. You can also choose a combination of two features as your variation type. These combinations differ depending on the product. In this example, it’s color and footwear size.
- Add the color variation and then click “Add.”
- Now, in the footwear size blank, select the size variations from the dropdown menus. For instance, footwear size system, footwear age group, footwear gender, footwear size class, footwear width, and footwear size. Then, click “Add.”
- Now, a chart will appear below. Enter the seller SKUs you’ve assigned for that color and size variation, along with the product ID (like UPC, EAN, or ASIN), the product’s condition (new or used), standard price, and quantity for each variation.
- After filling in all the information, click “Save and Finish.” If you’ve entered everything correctly, your current listing will update with the new variations you’ve added.
That’s how to add variation to existing Amazon listing. Now, you may want to add images to the new variation. Here’s how:
- Go back to the Manage Inventory tab and click on “Edit” on the variation you’ve just added.
- Navigate to the Image tab and update the images for that variation.
- Finally, click “Save and finish” to complete the process.
Method 2: Using Variation Wizard
Amazon’s Variation Wizard is a useful tool for creating parent-child variation relationships in bulk. Its auto-populated inventory file template helps you organize and manage your Amazon variations efficiently.
Here’s how to add a variation to an existing Amazon listing using Amazon Wizard.
- Go to your Seller Central account and click on Catalog > Add products.
- Choose the “Create variations using Variation Wizard.”
- Enter the parent ASIN you want to add or the child ASIN you want to update. Then, click “Search.” You can read our guide on how to get an ASIN number from Amazon for more details.
- Click “Add variations,” fill in all required information, and click “Save.”
- Repeat step 4 to add more child variations if necessary. You can use the Delete or Edit button to adjust or delete the newly added variation.
- Click “Generate Template” to get a pre-filled inventory file template for uploading the new variations.
- Open your inventory file, click on the “Template” sheet, and edit your variations.
- Go to Catalog > Add Products via Uploads > Upload Your Inventory File. Upload your pre-filled inventory file, and click “Upload File.”
What are the Benefits of Amazon Variations?
Learning how to add a variation to an existing Amazon listing can greatly enhance your selling strategy. Here’s why:
- Boost conversions: Adding Amazon variations means customers can easily find what they’re looking for without hopping between different listings. This streamlined experience increases the likelihood of making a sale.
- Improve discoverability for every child listing: By linking new or less popular products with well-performing ones, you increase the visibility of the former. For instance, introducing a new coffee flavor as a variation under an established listing can attract more attention.
- Aggregate reviews: Regardless of the variation your customer buys, all reviews are compiled under the same parent listing. This is particularly beneficial when introducing new variations to listings with existing reviews.
- Unified sales record: Every purchase made on your parent-child listing, regardless of the variation, contributes to the total sales history. This boosts your visibility in organic search results and improves your overall Best Sellers Rank.
Best Practices on How to Add Variations on Amazon
Now, you know how to add variations to an existing Amazon listing. But, don’t abuse the variation system to boost sales for new products or to gather reviews for unrelated items.
If you try to add Amazon variations to a listing where it doesn’t belong to, Amazon will remove your product listings if they don’t follow the rules.
According to Amazon’s Variation Relationship Guide, not all related items can be valid variations. Here are some questions to help you decide if certain items are valid variations:
- Are the products very similar in design and function, making it hard to tell them apart?
- Can they share the same title?
- Do they only differ in a few specific ways, like color or size?
- Would customers expect to see them together on one page?
Here are some practices to follow when you learn how to add variation to existing Amazon listing to avoid your listings being removed by Amazon:
- Avoid combining unrelated items, such as listing a toaster and a blender together on the same page. While they both serve kitchen purposes, they are distinct products requiring separate listings.
- Ensure that different styles of a product are listed separately. For instance, if you sell sunglasses with and without polarized lenses, each style should have its own page to avoid confusion for customers.
- Use variation themes appropriately. For instance, if you sell laptops, don’t mix different processor types within a “color” theme. Each variation theme should accurately represent specific product attributes, like size or storage capacity, without mixing unrelated features.
Amazon Variations – FAQs
If there is no variation theme listed, you can’t create variations in that product category. Here’s how to create variations to Amazon’s existing listings: You can also learn how to create a variation listing on Amazon using Variation Wizard. Enter the child ASIN or parent ASIN you want to update. Then, follow the steps and fill in all the necessary information. Once done, click “Generate Template” to receive a pre-filled inventory file. You can upload this to add the new variations. Absolutely, you can modify an Amazon listing after it’s been published. While most details are editable, certain information, such as the ASIN, may require Amazon’s approval. So, it’s crucial to follow Amazon’s product guidelines whenever you make alterations. In one listing, you’re limited to using only one variation theme. However, in specific categories, like toys & games, pet supplies, etc., there are combined themes allowing for two variations.
It’s Time to Add Variation to Amazon Listing
Congratulations! Now, you know how to add a variation to an existing Amazon listing. By offering customers more options in one place, you’ll improve their shopping experience and increase your sales.
So, don’t wait. Start adding variations now to make the most of your Amazon listings!
If you have any questions or need assistance with adding Amazon variations to existing listings, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’re here to help!