What's New: Variant-level sales estimates are now available in Cobalt as a beta feature.
Key Takeaways
- Sales estimates for each variant, not just the parent ASIN, are now available
- You can still create segments with estimates at the parent level if you want
- In March 2026, we will move to variant-level estimates for all new segments created
- Your existing segments remain unchanged
⚙️ What You'll See in Your Account
When Creating a New Segment
When you create a new segment, you'll see a variant estimates toggle at the top of the segment creation screen. Use this toggle to choose between creating a variant-level segment or a segment using the existing parent-level estimates you're familiar with.
📝 Note: Only the variants that meet your segment criteria will be pulled into the segment. For example, if you filter by a specific price range, only variants within that price range will be included.
On the Segments Page
In your segments list, variant-level segments display a "Variants" chip under the segment name so you can easily identify which segments use variant-level estimates.
On the Segment Detail Page
When viewing a variant-level segment, you'll see a "Variant Estimates" chip at the top of the page.
All Products Tab Options
On the Segment Analysis page, variant-level segments have three viewing options on the All Products tab:
- All Products: Shows all standalone ASINs and individual variant ASINs with their estimates and performance data
- By Parent: Groups variants under their parent ASIN - expand each parent to see individual variants
- By Brand: Groups all products by brand with totals at the brand level
Parent-level segments do not have these viewing options.
What Stays the Same
Regardless of which option you choose:
- Segment creation workflow and interface
- 20,000 ASIN limit per segment
- All filtering and search capabilities
- Ability to export segment data
What's New with Variant-Level Estimates
- Individual variant-level sales estimates for each color, size, flavor, and pack count
- Parent rollups that sum only the variants you've included in your segment
- Available for all supported marketplaces: US, UK, CA, MX, DE, IT, FR, and ES
- Foundation for upcoming variant attribute analysis capabilities
Note: You must have marketplace access through your Cobalt contract to create segments for that marketplace.
Your Existing Segments
✓ All your existing segments remain unchanged. Whether you created them as parent-level or variant-level (if you were an early beta participant), they remain fully accessible and functional.
You can continue to:
- View all your existing segments
- Use them in dashboards
- Analyze data from them
- Edit them (they'll maintain their original type - parent or variant-level)
Working with Dashboards
Your custom dashboards continue to work with both parent-level and variant-level segments. Dashboard templates are now fully compatible with variant-level segments.
⚠️ Important: Do not mix variant-level and parent-level segments in the same dashboard. If you want to analyze a parent-level segment using variant-level data, clone that segment as a variant-level segment first.
Best Practices for Dashboards:
✅ Do: Create new dashboards for your variant-level segments
✅ Do: Keep parent-level and variant-level segments in separate dashboards when possible
⚠️ Avoid: Mixing parent-level and variant-level segments in the same dashboard widget
💡 Why Variant-Level Estimates Matter
Variant-level estimates have been one of the most requested features from our customers over the years - and for good reason. This capability unlocks more meaningful analysis by letting you see individual sales estimates for every product variant, not just parent-level totals.
Individual variant visibility: See sales estimates for each specific color, size, flavor, and pack count. Our estimation approach calculates at the variant level, then rolls up to show parent totals - but only for the variants you've included in your segment. This gives you unprecedented control and transparency over what's included in your analysis.
Future analytical capabilities: Variant-level data is the foundation for upcoming features that will let you analyze performance by variant attributes and themes. Soon, you'll answer questions like "Which color drives the most sales?" or "Are larger pack sizes outperforming smaller ones?" - insights that simply aren't possible with parent-level data alone. These capabilities will help you make more strategic decisions about product development, inventory allocation, and competitive positioning.
📈 How Variant-Level Segments Work
Understanding how variant-level segments calculate estimates helps explain why they're more powerful than parent-level segments.
Variant-level approach: We estimate sales for each individual variant (each color, size, flavor, pack count), then roll those up to show the parent ASIN total. The parent rollup equals the sum of only the variants you've included in your segment - giving you precise control over what's included.
Parent-level approach: The original method estimated sales at the parent ASIN level only, automatically including all variants with no granular visibility.
Why Numbers May Differ When Comparing Segments
If you create a new variant-level segment similar to an existing parent-level segment, the numbers may look different. Here's why:
Different ASINs included: When you clone a segment, the new version includes ASINs that currently meet your filter criteria - which may differ from the original ASIN list. This is typically the biggest reason for differences in estimates.
What's included in the rollup: Variant-level segments roll up only the variants you've included. If you didn't include all variants for a product, the parent total will be lower than a parent-level estimate (which always included all variants automatically).
Model improvements: We continuously refine our estimation models over time. Older segments may reflect earlier model versions.
For more details on how segment data refreshes work, see our Segment Data Delivery and Refresh Behavior guide.
Timeline: In mid to late March 2026, variant-level estimates will become the standard. All new segments will use variant-level estimates only, and the toggle will be removed.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What are variant-level estimates?
Variant-level estimates provide individual sales estimates for each product variant - each specific color, size, flavor, pack count, or other variation - rather than only providing a single estimate at the parent ASIN level.
Can I still create segments with parent-level estimates?
Yes, during the beta period you can choose between variant-level and parent-level estimates using the toggle when creating a new segment. In mid to late March 2026, all new segments will use variant-level estimates only.
Should I start using variant-level estimates now?
We recommend creating new segments with variant-level estimates to take advantage of:
- Granular visibility into individual variant performance
- The most current estimation model
- Consistency with the future standard (March 2026 and beyond)
- Foundation for upcoming variant attribute analysis features
However, parent-level estimates remain available during the beta period if you prefer to continue using the familiar approach.
What happens to my existing segments?
All existing segments remain unchanged and fully functional. You can continue viewing, analyzing, using them in dashboards, and editing them. When you edit an existing segment, it maintains its original type (parent-level or variant-level).
How do I convert a parent-level segment to variant-level?
Clone the parent-level segment and select "Variant-level estimates (Beta)" when creating the clone. The cloned segment will use your current filter criteria to pull in ASINs, which may result in a different ASIN list than the original segment.
If I select a parent ASIN that has 5 variants, but only 3 variants meet my filter criteria, what gets included?
On the All Products - By Parent tab, you will see estimates for each of the 3 variants that meet your criteria, along with the complete estimate for the parent ASIN - which includes all 5 variants in the family, not just the 3 in your segment.
A note will appear indicating that there are additional ASINs included in this parent ASIN that are not in the segment, and show the estimated sales value of those excluded variants.
On other tabs (Segment Overview, Trends + Top Products, Insights), the rollup numbers aggregate only the variants included in your segment - the 3 variants in this example, not all 5. These rollups are calculated at the variant level, not at the parent level.
Why do the numbers look different between my parent-level segment and a similar variant-level segment?
Three main reasons:
- Different ASINs included: Cloning creates a new segment with ASINs that currently meet your filter criteria, which may differ from the original list
- What's included in rollups: Variant-level segments sum only the variants you've included, while parent-level estimates automatically included all variants
- Model improvements: We continuously refine our models, so older segments may reflect earlier versions
Which marketplaces support variant-level estimates?
Variant-level estimates are available for US, UK, CA, MX, DE, IT, FR, and ES. You must have marketplace access through your Cobalt contract to create segments for that marketplace.
What are the three viewing options on the All Products tab?
- All Products: Shows all standalone ASINs and individual variant ASINs in a flat list with estimates for each
- By Parent: Groups variants under their parent ASIN - you can expand each parent to see individual variants and their estimates
- By Brand: Groups all products by brand and shows totals at the brand level
Why does the same ASIN appear multiple times in my All Products view?
An ASIN can appear multiple times if it was both a standalone product and part of variant families during your selected date range. This is expected behavior. To see consolidated data, either add up all instances of the ASIN or create a custom dashboard grouped by ASIN.
Can I use variant-level segments in dashboards?
Yes, dashboard templates are fully compatible with variant-level segments. However, do not mix variant-level and parent-level segments in the same dashboard. Create separate dashboards for each type.
Can I clone a variant-level segment back to parent-level?
Yes, during the beta period you can clone a variant-level segment and select "Parent-level estimates" when creating the clone.
How do I know if a segment is variant-level or parent-level?
Variant-level segments display a "Variants" chip under the segment name in your segments list, and a "Variant Estimates" chip at the top of the segment detail page.
Will variant-level estimates work with my existing filters?
Yes, all existing segment filters work with variant-level estimates. The filters apply at the variant level, so only variants meeting your criteria are included.
What's coming next for variant-level estimates?
Coming Soon: We're working on features that will let you automatically include all variants when you select a parent ASIN, display variant attribute information (color, size, flavor) directly in the interface, and analyze performance by variant attributes and themes.
When will variant-level estimates become the standard?
In mid to late March 2026, variant-level estimates will become the standard for all new segments. The toggle will be removed and all new segments will automatically use variant-level estimates.
We're always here to help!
If you have questions or need help with variant-level estimates, please reach out to us at