MIP- Can I change the VariationSpecifics on an existing SKU?

MIP- Can I change the VariationSpecifics on an existing SKU?

Revising VariationSpecifics (Trait Names or Trait Values) for a SKU

• MIP does not allow a Merchant to change the VariationSpecifics on an existing SKU.
• The Merchant must either:
• • Create a new SKU with the updated VariationSpecifics & set the Quantity=0 on the old SKU.
  • • Con: The old SKU will show as Out of Stock vs. being removed completely (see screenshot below)
  • or Delete the Product that the SKU belongs to via a Purge feed and re-submit through a later Product Feed.
  • • Con: Despite only one of the SKUs being botched, you must end the entire Product/Listing and lose all sales history.
• Why?
• • Short Answer: Trading API & eBay
  • A Variation SKU cannot be deleted if it has been sold one or more times (Trading API Error)
  • Because you cannot delete it, you can only set the Quantity to 0.
  • Even after setting the Quantity to 0, you still cannot change the VariationSpecifics (Trading API Error Code 21916585)
  • Advanced Answer/History: Once a SKU has had a sale, that SKU is bound to the VariationSpecifics for life (until the entire MSKU Listing is ended explicitly or all Variations sellout).
  • • Re-worded for emphasis: You cannot re-use a SKU for a Variation if it has been used to represent a different Variation before.
    • • Even upon a Relist, you cannot re-purpose a SKU that was used before and had a sale unless you specifically delete it.
      • Example: If you had a SKU "PinkS" that corresponded to Color="Pnik" (sic) and Size="S" and it sold at least once, you cannot end and re-list and add a new Variation with Color="Pink" and Size="S" with a SKU label of "PinkS" unless you send <Delete>true</Delete> as seen below:
        
      • • <Variation>
          <Delete>true</Delete>
          <SKU>PinkS</SKU>
          <VariationSpecifics>
          <NameValueList>
          <Name>Color</Name>
          <Value>Pnik</Value>
          </NameValueList>
          <NameValueList>
          <Name>Size</Name>
          <Value>S</Value>
          </NameValueList>
          </VariationSpecifics>
          </Variation>
          <Variation>
          <SKU>PinkS</SKU>
          <StartPrice>17.99</StartPrice>
          <Quantity>8</Quantity>
          <VariationSpecifics>
          <NameValueList>
          <Name>Color</Name>
          <Value>Pink</Value>
          </NameValueList>
          <NameValueList>
          <Name>Size</Name>
          <Value>S</Value>
          </NameValueList>
          </VariationSpecifics>
          </Variation>

How Quantity = 0 Is Handled for a Variation SKU

• In MIP, a Variation is never deleted via the Item.Variations.Variation[i].Delete tag.
• Instead, when Quantity is provided as 0, the Item.Variations.Variation[i].Quantity tag is set to 0.
• Why?
• • Using Delete as a means of conveying Quantity=0 doesn't work because you cannot Delete a Variation if it has had a sale.
• When a Quantity is set to 0, ViewItem shows this particular Variation to be Out Of Stock.
  
• Note that if the Delete tag were programmatically feasible, it removes the option from the dropdowns altogether!
• Therefore
• • If a Merchant has a Product with Variations, and quite a few of these Variations are permanently out of stock (will never come back), it might be in their best interest to end the listing and re-add it. Why? It's an annoying user experience when you're offering say, a Color combination for a Shirt that will never come back in stock, yet ViewItem might be hinting it could be re-stocked soon.

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