topic Re: Selling in Variations vs Individual listings in Selling

Selling in Variations vs Individual listings

lakeside_books — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 03:57:49 GMT

I'm a small time book seller, basically I just sell sets of books in my free time that I pick up around my area. I have now got to the point where I want to try selling individual books, not just sets.

My question is does anyone have any experience with selling books as individual listings vs as variations of a single listing? For example, If I have 10 Harry Potter books, I could sell them all as separate listings or I could have 1 listing with each book in the series being a different variation.

What would the Pros and Cons of doing both be? Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

Re: Selling in Variations vs Individual listings

twyngwyn — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 04:57:51 GMT

....I've never done a listing with variations, because of the differences in weights of books, possibly requiring different postage fees

Re: Selling in Variations vs Individual listings

lakeside_books — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 05:10:24 GMT

That makes sense, though most of the books in the same set are roughly the same size. Harry Potter is a bad example.

Re: Selling in Variations vs Individual listings

countessalmirena — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 05:14:25 GMT

Unless the price for each item is the same, buyers tend to be irritated by a listing with variations.

I automatically rule out any listing with variations if I'm searching for a particular item. If I came across a listing with variations for books, it would seem odd to me and I would be unlikely to click onto the search result.

Re: Selling in Variations vs Individual listings

imastawka — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 05:33:57 GMT

Not much point to using a variation listing.

You get 250,000 free listings, so use them.

I would also get peeved if I saw a variation listing for books.

Also, re your sets for sale, if I was missing one or two books for my collection, I'm not going to buy the whole set.

BTW one of your listings for Dr Seuss' books quotes both Free Postage and a postage cost ???

Re: Selling in Variations vs Individual listings

padi*0409 — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 05:38:43 GMT

Countess, I'm with you and Stawks on this. I have a couple of books in my saved searches to complete a set and I wouldn't bother looking at variation listings - if they even come up on those saved searches, which I doubt.

Re: Selling in Variations vs Individual listings

twyngwyn — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 05:48:08 GMT

....misspelled Blyton in title

7 Famous Five books by Enid Blygton- Various editions - FREE POSTAGE | eBay

...misspelled Fowl in title

4x Artemis Fowel books - Eoin Colfer - 1-3 and 5 - FREE SHIPPING | eBay

Re: Selling in Variations vs Individual listings

davewil1964 — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 06:49:36 GMT

I've sold a few thousand books in my time.

I have never contemplated using variations.

As said, you get 250,000 free listings per month.

Also, when potential buyers are searching, they see a thumbnail against the listing. I suspect one that reflects the book they are searching for would be more useful, rather than the one for the first variation.

Re: Selling in Variations vs Individual listings

paper-jack — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 07:12:53 GMT

I listed the Time Life Art series individually. Sold one to one person, then a buyer who wanted to decorate her new shelves bought the rest (picked up so no bother working out postage). You just never know who is looking and what they are looking for.

For what its worth, I agree with the other replies re when I'm looking for a particular book I'd ignore a set or a listing with variations. Also, I would not buy several books from the same seller if they didn't offer combined postages.

Re: Selling in Variations vs Individual listings

stampresource — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 22:19:15 GMT

I have approx 300 books in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish. Is it best to list them individually or in language bundles starting at 5 per language or up to 20?

Roger H

Re: Selling in Variations vs Individual listings

kh-federico — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 23:00:28 GMT

Hi stampresource,

This topic has been locked because the thread has become a bit dated. If you’d like to keep the conversation going or have additional questions, we encourage you to start a new topic.

Thanks!
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