Item Variations

[ShowStopper Eclipse]

I have some MLP Cutie Mark Shirts I want to sell in the Marketplace here and I didn't know if each shirt counted as an individual item or variations of the same item. You can see what I'm talking about here: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/135253

[Ilan Tochner]

Hi ShowStopper,

Each of the shirts has a different design so they are each different products. However, if you had several shirts that have the same design but in different colors then they could all be variations of the same product.

A product variation would be what a store clerk would offer a potential buyer if they asked:
"do you have this pink shirt in blue"?
"do you have the same design but with a different collar size?"
"do you have this in a V neck?"
etc.

You can create products that are bundles of items but it might make it harder for people to find your items if they are looking for a particular item that the bundle includes.

Did this explanation help?

[ShowStopper Eclipse]

Yes. Thank you for explaining it better to me.

[Ada Radius]

I'm a little confused on how to set up item variations, and there aren't (yet ) specific instructions.

This is what I've figured out so far:

I have a product called "gleam eyes" in five colors, aqua, black, gray, green and indigo. I set up a product called "gleam eyes", then typed in the five variation names "gleam eye gray", etc. in the "variation name" box on the right, then clicked on "Add" under the Variations box on the left to get it to add to the box. Should I have put just the color name there, rather than the product name plus the color name?

Then I clicked on one variation at a time to add the inventory item for each. Then clicked on one variation at a time to add the picture for each. So far, so good. Color, under attributes, must be N/A, as it doesn't change when I click on different variations.

One product description will do for all, but I can't tell if the description is attaching to each variation, as I can't see the description field on my screen at the same time as the variation boxes. Do I need to add those separately for each?

And now I have one product listing called "gleam eye". Is this how it's done?

[Oren Hurvitz]

The variation name should be just what's different about each variation. So in this case, the variation name should be just the color name: "gray", "blue", etc. When we deliver the product to the user we combine the product name and variation name together, for example: "gleam eyes (gray)".

In order to set a different Color attribute for each variation, you need to make this attribute belong to the variations instead of the product. You do this by clicking on the right-arrow icon next to the attribute. This makes the attribute move to the right column (titled "Variation Attributes"), and allows you to set a different value for each of the variations.

There is only one product description for the product. It's the same in all the variations.

[Ada Radius]

Thank you Oren!

The variation name should be just what's different about each variation. So in this case, the variation name should be just the color name: "gray", "blue", etc. When we deliver the product to the user we combine the product name and variation name together, for example: "gleam eyes (gray)".
OK, I'll go change it, that makes sense.


In order to set a different Color attribute for each variation, you need to make this attribute belong to the variations instead of the product. You do this by clicking on the right-arrow icon next to the attribute. This makes the attribute move to the right column (titled "Variation Attributes"), and allows you to set a different value for each of the variations.
OK, that worked. Not obvious at all, to me anyway, lol, but it works.

There is only one product description for the product. It's the same in all the variations.

OK

One last question. I have eyes that are brown, blue, green and aqua. Should the aqua be listed under green or blue?

[Oren Hurvitz]

Aqua looks like cyan, so I think it should be under blue.

[Paul Wilson]

A couple more questions about item variations.

I am going to be listing modular building component objects. I want to have a core package (13 objects in the pack) that has the main modules needed, but also want to allow users to have access to variations on each object within that package. Would I need to list each of the core modules separately to the package and then create variations on them, or can I list the variations of the components as a variation of the pack?

Also, I want to offer packages of the variations as an expansion set, could these expansion sets be listed as variations of the Core pack?

Thanks

[Ilan Tochner]

Hi Paul,

You can define up to 20 variations in each product listing so you may want to split things up into several logically related product listings if you have more than 20 permutations you'd like to include.

One logical way to go about doing this is to sell each component and its variations as a separate product listing with variations. Also create a product listing for various combinations of items ("packages") - each combination as a separate variation of that package product listing.

You can mention the package product(s) in each of the component product listing descriptions (we'll add a feature for related items in the future)