Is it better to renew or copy a listing?

[glassbead]

Just wondering if it is thought to be better to renew a listing, or to copy and edit it and just delete the old one?
I know you lose the views if you copy, but I'm just wondering if there is an advantage to copying rather than renewing (other than that you can share it on facebook directly)?
When something is copied, it is treated as a new listing- which means it shows up in shop stats as an 'event' for that day. A relist is not counted as an event.
So I guess what I want to know is what the difference is between a new listing (or copied one) and a relist as far as how it is treated by etsy.

[glassbead]

Hmmm... Just popping this back up.

[SchulmanArts]

I sell a lot of one of a kind items.

I do renew if it is a print that I am renewing the actual item or if I sell the original and am relisting as a print. The advantage of renewing and the making the edits is you keep the number of hearts, stays in the treasuries and the item count goes up. To me that is better than a copy. But if it is another product---for example I have a cat painting of a siamese and now I painted a tabby--then I do a copy and edit.

[FalconandFinch]

I've heard that the google search thingie doesn't like it if you have a lot of listings with the same text/titles/etc. Something about how it prefers unique content. So by copying, you are creating a lot of new links with similar content. By renewing sold items, you are retaining the original link and not creating duplicated listings/text/titles and so on. I'm not sure if I've made this clear, or if I even understand it correctly. I'm sort of a troglodyte.

[Former_Member]

I prefer to renew (sold or expired items) because:
# it keeps the same URL
# it's better for SEO
# you keep all things related to the item: treasuries, favorites. It keeps its hearts and goes back up to the top of searches.

I use copy when I want to sell a similar item. I will just tweek the title, description and tags. When you copy, you create a new listing, a new URL, new Search Engine number and start everything (in Google search) from the beginning.

[glassbead]

Thanks, I hadn't thought about the url changing, and the treasuries and favorites. I generally renew the same item and use copy for new things. Mine are all OOAK too, so I have to change all the specific info, but at least I don't have to retype everything!

I'm still curious about what happens behind the scenes on etsy, though. Why is a renewal not counted as an event in shop stats? And why can you not share it on facebook the same way you can with a new item? Just wondering what else is different with a renewal, and if there might be some advantage to making a new listing. LIke is there a difference in search? Or do the number of views, favs, treasuries, etc. help it in go up in search relevancy, in which case renewing is definitely better?

[heirloomsbylorraine]

All I've ever done is renew. I thought copying was for reslisting an item after you sold one because you have more of the same thing. Hmmm...I'll have to check into that a little more. Maybe I'll try to copy once in awhile and see if that does anything.

Thanks, I've just learned something here.

[LaurasLastDitch]

I've puzzled over the same thing, especially for items that haven't ended up in treasuries and don't have any hearts. I've wondered if an item could be stigmatized by having lots of views (which could be seen as virtual dust collecting on it). I do think losing the URL is a big enough downside, though, that I've settled upon renewing them. I sell so many things by people Googling for them, the having dead links come up just seems like a bad idea.

[shellseye]

I think for most things, renewing is ok. For some of the items in my other shop (samsstuff), I'm thinking of actually starting over. With the new relevancy search, I'm getting a much more targeted market, with fewer views, but more hearts, etc.& I think the old views that still show are really like "virtual dust," as lauraslastditch said.

[glassbead]

Laura- you're right about the dead links. Y'all got me thinking about that. But if, as you say, if they don't have hearts, many views, or haven't been in a treasury, amybe it would be worth a shot now and then.
Shells- I still can't figure out if I am targeting my market correctly. I changed a bunch of things to the search etsy recommended when I started typing lampwork glass beads, but then the next time I looked, they were recommending the word handmade in front of it all. Which may be the fault of the lampwork community, since there is so much imported lampwork being used in handcrafted jewelry pieces.

[TinyTiptoesBoutique]

I tend to renew the listing because it typically already has a number of hearts and treasury lists and I like people to be able to go back to their favorites and not find the item sold. They'll be more likely to buy that way rather than promptly deleting said sold item.

[Former_Member]

So, is it okay to renew and item and then change everything?
I can't say that any two of my items will ever be the same. So when I add a new item, I copy a listing and add new photos and change tags and title as needed.
I have a few sold items at this point but have not done the "renew" thing since I don't have an item to sell that is like the one that already sold.....
does that make sense or am i missing something?

[Zehland]

Beads, say you have an item listed and it does not sell for four months. When the expiration date nears, you can choose to renew it before it ends.

If you just let it expire,it loses its hearts and you start with a new URL. But if you renew before the item ends, you won't.

[Former_Member]

When you renew a listing, you add an additional four months to the length of the listing. It keeps all its views, hearts and treasury placements. It also retains the URL and all outside links to the item.

When you create a new listing, it has no views, no hearts and hasn't been seen by anyone, even if it is a copy of an old listing. So in essence you are starting from scratch.

[Former_Member]

BeadsByDawn says

So, is it okay to renew and item and then change everything?

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No. If you are going to change everything you should start with a new listing or copy an existing listing so that everything is fresh and relates to the new item.

[Former_Member]

*whew*
Okay - then at least I've been doing that right! LOL
Sometimes I think I read too many threads and then I start to question my "system"

[Former_Member]

I think there is something to be said about the number of views, favorites, and treasures on a particular listing. Carrying that over to your next listing gives an interested buyer the sense that if they don't purchase the item now, someone else will.

[Former_Member]

I renew when I can reasonably assume that the new item is similar enough to the first that a buyer who favourited the original would still be interested in purchasing the replacement. I use recycled vintage parts, so no two items are ever identical, but if the design and colours are mostly the same I renew.

Especially coming up on Christmas, buyers may look through their list of favourites for potential gifts. I want them to be able to find what they want and buy it. Everybody wins!