This is bizarre issue that I'm hoping someone can help me better understand.

All of my products have historically been listed under Handmade Bath bombs. As part of the "Handmade Discoverability Improvement" project, my best selling sku had the "Beauty and Personal Care - Shower Steamers" search node from the main side added to it.

The problem is that when I copied the listed to add a variation, the variation didn't carry over the Beauty and Personal Care - Shower Steamers search node and now the sales are being split between the two categories and tanking the sales rank.

This sku has typically been ranked #10-#15 and is now #30. This large drop obviously hurts the organic search rank. We went from selling 80-100 units a day down to 30-40 combined between the two variations.

Does any anyone have experience with sales rank/velocity and variations? Is there any way to add the additional search nodes onto the variation?

I appreciate any insights!