In reading both "discussions" (threads), it does appear that what you want to do is completely within the ease and control of the store owner. Yes it may take a little more effort/code to do so up front, but generally speaking it is all there already. So, here's what I see:
1. Want a way to position content in the order desired: (sort order is available for both categories and for product within a category though not sure ATM how linked product sort order plays among various categories).
2. Apparently using TPP or similar which puts the featrued, specials, and new options in a separate tab rather than "in the main screen". If that is the case and is undesirable, then change it...
3. Because of the large quantity of product involved among multiple store, individual navigation for each product is time consuming. And to get around sme form of "reshuffling" have resorted to usng negative numbers to "regain" control.
First I believe there are issues with using negative numbers that are documented in the forum, so I would recommend redoing your numbering to base off of a positive number for the lowest value(s).
Would suggest (if not already doing) to use numbers in "multiples" of say 10 or 100 so that product can be relatively quickly moved in a pinch, and then "properly" sequenced periodically as part of site maintenance.
EP4 as suggested offers the ability for you to sit at your computer, modify the data to be uploaded to address product and category "sorting" and then to import the applicable data to cause the desired visible effect...
I also thought there was a random option for some of that data so can get the new "look" on each visit/page load...
I'd say this about the comparison. Seems to me that talking about the same result but through different means... One is visual (etsy) the other is through understanding of the setup and applying the correct values... (36 product per page, if I want this item on the first row of the second page then it needs to be 37th in line.)
The next thing usually in such a discussion is what value do you place on having the visual version of the solution as compared to the slightly more manual version and does that value outweigh the expense of translating to the visual version... Anything is possble, it just may not be easy. Or done exactly the way that is originally desired...
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