How to add variations on digital products

[Former_Member]

Yes, i know that supposedly isnt available to add variations to digital products, but i see a lots of digital customizables products that have this option. Theres a example: 

https://www.etsy.com/es/listing/894567495/ilustracion-digital-personalizada?click_key=b9ec0f50fd301b...

as you can see, you can add numbers of characters on differents prices, and the product is tagged as digital. 

Anyone have a solution? 

Thanks!

[dippeldiundscribble]

It seems like the item isn’t listed as digital. If it were it would say Digital Download under Highlights.

[Former_Member]

No i dont refer to personalization box but the option above "Number of characters" and this option include differents options with differents prices. Anyway i cant find this option to add various options with different prices. Yes i can enable the personalization box, but i want to offer differents options directly 

[CappuccinoLace]

It's listed as a physical listing.

Only physical listings can have variations.

[Amaradorn · Accepted solution]

The product might be digital but the listing type is Physical (A tangible item that you will deliver to buyers). The seller would then have to email the finished file to the customer. This is the way digital files used to be sold on Etsy before Etsy added the Digital listing type.

[Former_Member]

Thats make sense. I dont know why etsy dont add a variations option to the digital products. by the way thanks!

[Amaradorn]

@Former_Member probably because more files means hosting more data and that costs Etsy money.

Right now you get a 20MB (?) file size limit per listing. What if you had 10 variations? That would be 200MB data per listing - that's a big difference.

[EnchantedWick1111]

Does uploading the digital files count as delivering the physical product? I'm currently selling digital products by uploading the file to etsy when it's available. How is uploading the file different from sending them via email in terms of delivery? 

[KellyBritoStudio]

It would cost more to Etsy, hosting more files. But who cares? It's not like they are doing us any favors or doing it for free. It's become a poor seller experience for digital product sellers -I can't believe people have been complaining of this for several years, in 2023 Etsy still won't allow digital products variation. 

[Amaradorn]

@KellyBritoStudio sellers have been complaining about a lot of things - this is just one of them. Etsy only tend to implement new features if they think it will make them money. You can try writing to support and let them know what you think but as far as I know they don't have a suggestion box.

[BingkisArtStudio]

@Amaradorn it would cost nothing, cause majority of seller who want variation on digital is selling "made-to-order" product, and digital product is been a huge deal for etsy in the past years, no way they don't think it will keep their money good, since they have add tracking & reserve payment now digital seller will having hard time since seller have no shipping to track, many sellers move to their own websites, means big lose to etsy.

Now they have add "made-to-order" option for digital, but still cant add variation to it.

Then I think hosting is not the problem.

[Amaradorn]

@BingkisArtStudio please feel free to contact Etsy support and tell them that. For whatever reason, Etsy don't seem to be prioritising what sellers want or need. Did you know that they make most of their profits from seller services? (That includes listing and advertising fees) they want you to make more listings.

[DexPixel]

I don't think it's related to the HOSTING size, because if I create 1 listing with 5 variations each has 10MB or 5 listings as one variation and each has a file of size 10 MB, the size is the same for hosting at the end 50 MB, only thing different is the number of listings. 

Dear Etsy this year instead of making a stupid amount of tests just give us digital variations at least ♥

I would love to have digital variations instead of creating a listing for each color, I tried making as a physical product, but it was not a success because people think it's a physical product even if you specify it's not also I wanted to avoid angry msg cause I was sleeping and they had to wait 8h for me t osend them link for download. 

[Amaradorn]

@DexPixel yes, but with 5 separate listings you are paying 20c each - so you're paying for the extra storage. Look, I don't know why Etsy have not implemented variations on digital listings, I just know that Etsy will fix the problem when they think it will benefit them.

[CascadiaDigital]

+1 to this! Please like/comment on my new post to bring some fresh attention to this issue:

To Etsy: Please Add Variations on Digital Product ... - Welcome to the Etsy Community

[NoFrogsAllowed]

With physical items variations are simple.  The buyer chooses a variation, you package up what they chose and send it to them.  With digital it is not so simple.  Buyer has a choice of a, b, c, d or e.  Buyer chooses d.  What's to stop buyer from downloading d and then downloading a, b, c and e.  Yes, it could be done, but judging from recent past performance Etsy would just muck it up and nobody would be able to download anything and all digital sellers would be screaming.  Please don't put any such thoughts into their heads.  When sellers complain and Etsy finally listens, they hear what they want to hear and do what they want unsuccessfully and NO ONE is happy.

[BlueHollyCraftedCo]

I would love to see Variations on Digital products simply for the option of being able to sell a commercial licence for your image like they do on Creative Market. 

[LaCarouselle]

how has this listing not got postage details on it though? i tried listing as a physical product but it insists i add delivery options.  Thats not on the listing example you've posted

[ModJose · Accepted solution]

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