WTF Do These Amazon Listing Errors Mean? | Zentail Blog (2024)

Listing to Amazon isn’t exactly a breeze. There are numerous error codes that you can run into, many of which are hard to understand. What’s worse is that Amazon might notify you of these errors without giving you a clear explanation of what they mean or how to fix them.

Below is a rundown of some of the most common Amazon listing errors that we’ve seen sellers encounter. We’ve de-coded the technical jargon and provided some tips on how to correct each issue with Zentail.

We’ll be updating this blog regularly as we receive questions about specific errors—subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date and/or tweet us @ZentailCommerce with any questions you may have.

Amazon Error 13013:

We're unable to complete your request because this SKU is not in the Amazon catalog. If this was a deleted SKU, wait 24 hours before resubmitting it. If you tried to add this SKU to the Amazon catalog before, check your data and correct any errors before resubmitting.

  • What this means: When you’re importing your catalog into Amazon with a tool like Zentail, you’re essentially sending Amazon several different types of feeds including a pricing feed, product feed and inventory feed. Sometimes Amazon will process one before the other and return this error. Alternatively, this could mean that there are missing or invalid values in your product data feed, like an invalid UPC or EAN.

  • What to do: In Zentail, go to Dashboard → Listing Errors and simply follow the prompts to the exact product and item causing this issue. If there’s an issue with a value, fix it. In the below example, Amazon processed the price feed first before the product feed, which is what actually creates the SKU in Seller Central. When this happens, Zentail automatically resends the feeds so that you’re not required to take any further action. You can check back later to confirm that the error has been resolved.

WTF Do These Amazon Listing Errors Mean? | Zentail Blog (1)

You are attempting to change an identity attribute for this SKU. To proceed, please delete this SKU and recreate the SKU with the appropriate identity attribute. For more information and detailed instructions, see: http://sellercentral.amazon.com/gp/help/23191

  • What this means: Your product details do not match the details that Amazon has on file for this SKU. Therefore, Amazon believes that the SKU is being listed to the wrong ASIN or is trying to prevent you from updating this ASIN with ‘incorrect’ data. This error can be frustrating because Amazon does not always provide enough context to easily identify the specific information causing this issue. Occasionally, this error can be due to a UPC conflict too (i.e., your product's UPC does not match the product's UPC on Amazon).
  • What to do: Make sure that this is the right ASIN for your SKU. Browse the product data in Zentail and see if there are any small, trivial details that deviate from the information on the ASIN page. If you feel comfortable making a minor change to your data to resolve this error, then go for it—and confirm that the SKU gets listed. Alternatively if you want to list with your existing data, you can create an alias SKU.

Amazon Error 8541:

The SKU data provided is different from what's already in the Amazon catalog. The standard_product_id data provided matches ASIN <value>, but the following data is different from what's already in the Amazon catalog: brand (Merchant: ‘My Product’ / Amazon: ‘Jenny’s Product’). If this is the right ASIN for your product, update your data to match what's in the Amazon catalog. If it's not the right ASIN, make sure that your data for standard_product_id is correct.

  • What this means: There is already an ASIN associated with your SKU. However, Amazon has a different value for the brand (e.g., Amazon has “Jenny’s Product” while you have “My Product”) or whichever field is highlighted in this error. You must match what Amazon has exactly in order to list with this ASIN. This includes any spacing between words, punctuation and capitalization.
  • What to do: Correct this field in Quick Edit or the regular SKU editor, or use EasyList in Zentail. EasyList is a listing template that only sends the SKU, ASIN, Title, Description, Condition and shipping group name to Amazon. Your title doesn’t need to match Amazon’s title when you use this. EasyList simplifies the listing process and protects you from receiving any more errors like this that could result in Amazon rejecting your SKUs.


WTF Do These Amazon Listing Errors Mean? | Zentail Blog (2)

You are not authorized to list products in this category. To sell products in this category you need to obtain approval by following the instructions given here: http://sellercentral.amazon.it/gp/help/200333160

  • What this means: Certain selling categories require approval from Amazon. You may also be attempting to list to an open category with restricted product types, such as specific software products, laser pointers and hoverboards.
  • What to do: You must submit a request for approval to sell to this category. Once approved, you will have to upgrade to a Professional Selling plan with a monthly subscription fee. You may also be subject to additional fees, performance checks and other qualifications.

Amazon Error 20005:

We cannot associate an image with this SKU because the SKU was not created due to another error. Correct all other errors associated with it and resubmit your inventory file to resolve this error.

  • What this means: In our experience, Amazon may be incorrectly sending this error when you’re trying to add a new image to an existing listing. If you’re attempting to create an entirely new listing, there may be an error in your product feed (which creates the SKU in Seller Central) or Amazon just hasn’t processed your product feed yet, in which case Zentail will automatically resend your feed to resolve the issue.
  • What to do: Check your live listing on Amazon. If your image is showing as it should, open a ticket with Amazon Seller Central Support to get the error removed. If it isn’t showing, double check that your product data is correct in Zentail. You may be missing a required field, like color, for your category.

    For those using product groups: check for (and correct) any listing errors on the individual SKUs of your product group. To easily find your product groups, use Quick Edit to filter for SKUs where the master SKU isn’t blank or use the Groups View in your catalog. If you’re not sure how to proceed, follow these additional troubleshooting tips.

WTF Do These Amazon Listing Errors Mean? | Zentail Blog (3)


XML Parsing Error at Line <#>, Column <#>: cvc-complex-type.2.4.a: Invalid content was found starting with element 'Department'. One of '{BatteryAverageLife, BatteryAverageLifeStandby, BatteryChargeTime, Size, Color, ClothingType}' is expected.

  • What this means: Your product category requires one or more of the details mentioned after “one of” in this error message to successfully list a product.
  • What to do: You’re most likely missing clothing type, size and color. Fill these details out in the SKU editor or Quick Edit and simply hit save to automatically resend this feed with the required data.

XML Parsing Error at Line <#>, Column <#>: cvc-enumeration-valid: Value 'Refurbished' is not facet-valid with respect to enumeration '[New, UsedLikeNew, UsedVeryGood, UsedGood, UsedAcceptable, CollectibleLikeNew, CollectibleVeryGood, CollectibleGood, CollectibleAcceptable, Club]'. It must be a value from the enumeration.

  • What this means: Amazon sees that you’re trying to list a refurbished product. However, when you’re trying to list your item via Zentail, you’ve forgotten to complete a few steps that tells Amazon that you’re a certified refurbished seller.
  • What to do: Confirm that you’re an approved Amazon Renewed seller. If so, check that your product includes "Certified Refurbished" in the title—this is a requirement for selling renewed products on Amazon. Keep the condition as “refurbished” in Zentail. Lastly, switch on ‘Certified Refurbished for Amazon’ using either the Amazon Advanced Options, Quick Edit or Import Export. This toggle ensuresthat Zentail sends a condition of “New” to Amazon, provided that ‘Certified Refurbished’ is in the title, while sending a condition of refurbished to other channels.

    That’s it! Remember to never change the product condition to “new” in Zentail when you’re selling a refurbished item because this may lead to miscommunication: Amazon will flag your account for having incorrect product details and attempting to inadvertently deceive your customers.

WTF Do These Amazon Listing Errors Mean? | Zentail Blog (4)

XML Parsing Error at Line <#>, Column <#>: cvc-maxLength-valid: Value '<#>' with length = '<#>' is not facet-valid with respect to maxLength '500' for type 'LongStringNotNull'.

  • What this means: The value for the given field is too long. It exceeds the maximum length of characters allowable for this field, as noted after “maxLength” in this message.
  • What to do: Correct this detail using Quick Edit or the regular SKU editor.

XML Parsing Error at Line <#>, Column <#>: cvc-type.3.1.3: The value 'Size-Color' of element 'VariationTheme' is not valid.

  • What this means: You are trying to send a value (e.g., “Size-Color”) for a product variation theme that doesn’t let you differentiate items by this trait or requires the value in a different format. For example, when you’re uploading a product to the beauty category, Amazon accepts the field “Size-Color.” However, when you’re listing to a clothing category, Amazon only accepts “SizeColor” without the hyphen.
  • What to do: Contact us at support@zentail.com so that we can correct this line item in the feed you’re sending Amazon.

'supplier_declared_dg_hz_regulation' is required but not supplied.

  • What this means: This is a new FBA-related requirement enforced by Amazon for the product you’re trying to list.
  • What to do: Use Quick Edit or the regular SKU editor to toggle these settings ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ You can find this setting under the “Legal” section of your SKU editor.

'batteries_required' is required but not supplied.

  • What this means: This is a new FBA-related requirement enforced by Amazon for the product you’re trying to list.
  • What to do: Use Quick Edit or the regular SKU editor to toggle these settings ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ You can find this setting under the “Other Attributes” section of your SKU editor.

Got Questions?

We’ve got answers. From firsthand experience, we know that managing your Amazon catalog can feel like more work than it’s worth. That’s why we developed Zentail to automate, monitor and help correct issues related to your product listings. Contact us at hello@zentail.com if you're ready to accelerate your business forward and want to learn more about our software, or if you simply want us to address any error messages or questions you have about selling on Amazon.

____________________________

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WTF Do These Amazon Listing Errors Mean?  |  Zentail Blog (2024)

FAQs

What are Amazon listing errors? ›

Listing error:

A listing error is when your inventory is not connected to any active ASIN; for example, if items in your FBA shipment aren't associated with an active listing or your listing has been deleted (either by accident or by a competitor). Most of the time this is an easy fix. You simply relist the ASIN.

Why is my Amazon listing not showing up? ›

Check via Inventory > Manage Inventory if you have any stock available for the product. If none, Amazon will mark your listing as inactive until you restock your inventory. If your account is inactive, then all of your listings will go inactive as well. This also happens when you turn on the holiday settings.

How do I fix stranded inventory in Amazon listing error? ›

All you need to do is relist your inventory. When you get to the Stranded Inventory tab, go to the last column of your problematic listing and choose Relist. This is an easy solve, but if you're still having trouble with relisting, you can contact Seller Support.

Why is my Amazon listing in the wrong category? ›

Someone Else Made a Mistake

Maybe you have a virtual assistant who chose what they thought was best. Another potential reason for the mistake is that another seller on the same listing chose the wrong category. It could also be that Amazon thought the section you selected wasn't the best, so the company switched it.

Why do I keep getting error message on Amazon? ›

If Amazon keeps saying “Sorry” for something that went wrong, just refresh the page or reload the app. This is a common error usually resulting from a poor connection. Otherwise, assuming Amazon servers are actually online, you should double check that your PC or phone network connection is working as intended.

What is a ghost listing on Amazon? ›

A ghost listing is a duplicate listing that is not visible in your Amazon Seller Central, however, it is visible to buyers in the Amazon marketplace. Ghost listings can occur if a listing was originally imported into Sellbrite as an FBM (merchant fulfilled) listing, then later changed to FBA directly in Amazon.

Why are images not loading Amazon listing? ›

It's likely that your image doesn't meet the requirements. The listing may not be available if your account hasn't completed verification. Verification is a two-step process so although you can create listings they won't show as available until your account is fully verified.

How long does it take for a listing to become active on Amazon? ›

Generally the listings will appear in your inventory page within 15 minutes. Did you receive a listing confirmation e-mail after listing the products?

Why is Amazon listing incomplete? ›

The Incomplete tab lists the Commerce catalog products that meet your Amazon eligibility requirements (defined in your listing rules), but are missing information required by Amazon (such as the Amazon ASIN or a defined product condition).

What causes stranded inventory? ›

While the most common cause is that inventory is not associated with an active listing, it could also relate to errors, restrictions, and even item mergers. For example, the following includes some common reasons your inventory might be stranded: Listing closed, deleted, or discontinued. Item is restricted.

Where are Amazon inventory limits? ›

To check your Amazon FBA inventory limits, simply go to your Seller Central Dashboard, and on the Inventory menu, click on Manage Inventory > Manage FBA shipments. At the end of the page, you will see “Storage Volume” and “Restock Limits”.

How do I remove a bad review from my Amazon listing? ›

Go to Your Profile. Choose the review you want to change in the Community activity section. Edit or delete your review, as required. You can also hide it by selecting Hide on my profile from the three-button overflow menu.

Can you sell in more than one category on Amazon? ›

Yes. Amazon allows third-party sellers to sell in multiple categories, as long as they meet the requirements for each category.

How do I report a bad listing on Amazon? ›

Use the "Report abuse" link near the content you want to report. If there's no "Report abuse" link, email community-help@amazon.com. Tell us where the content is and why you think it's a violation.

How many types of listing errors are on Amazon? ›

There are six main types of Amazon listing errors: required field errors, invalid field errors, duplicate values, mismatched data, missing values, and incorrect values.

Is Amazon having problems today? ›

No recent issues

All dates and times are reported in Pacific Daylight Time (PDT).

What is white listing in Amazon? ›

What is the Whitelist on Amazon? Amazon Whitelist is a new way for sellers who have TM labels but can't upload products to sell their goods. Many sellers who don't use brand filing won't have to worry about the issue of not being able to submit a brand when creating a new listing thanks to Amazon Brand Whitelisting.

How do you know if a seller is scamming you on Amazon? ›

How to tell if it's an Amazon scam (and what to do): Legitimate Amazon sellers never direct shoppers off the platform for payment. If a seller requests payment via a third-party app — like Zelle, Western Union, PayPal, or MoneyGram — it's a red flag. Don't make any payment, and end all communications with the seller.

How do you know if Amazon is selling a fake? ›

Look For Amazon's Stamp of Approval

If the seller you are looking to purchase from offers Prime FBA Shipping, this is a sign that they are an established market partner for Amazon, and have been vetted. Additionally, if a listing has the Amazon's Choice badge, they are an Amazon-approved seller.

How many listing images can you have on Amazon? ›

Amazon provides you space to upload up to 9 images to your Amazon listing. Keep in mind that only the first 7 images (or 6 if your listing features a product video) will be shown on your actual live listing, as seen in the example below.

How many images do I need for Amazon listing? ›

According to the Amazon product image guidelines, every detail page on the Amazon marketplace is required to include at least one product image. Depending on your product category, you may upload up to nine images to your Amazon listing, but reserving one of those spots for a product video is highly recommended.

How do I take good pictures for Amazon listing? ›

Amazon photography guidelines: How to optimize your product photography for conversions
  1. Make sure you have proper lighting.
  2. High-resolution photos only.
  3. Make sure your photos occupy at least 85% of the frame.
  4. Photograph multiple angles of your product.
  5. Take “lifestyle images”
  6. Create a “scroll-stopping” main image.
May 8, 2023

Is listing on Amazon easy? ›

Amazon listing process is easy and simple. If your product is not listed on Amazon, you will need to create a new listing, so that customers can find all the relevant information about it.

How long does it take to make first sell on Amazon? ›

To successfully sell on Amazon, you need to put in the time it takes to be successful. If you are consistent, you can quickly launch your first product within 3 months, just like 55% of other Amazon sellers have done. 29% launched in less than 6 weeks!

How long does Amazon take to pay new seller? ›

Standard Payout sends money through ACH payment networks in the current three-to-five-day timeline, with no fees. For more information, login to Seller Central to review Express Payout terms and conditions. Learn how the payment process works and how to access your payment reports.

What is error code 8541? ›

Amazon error code 8541 is a matching conflict error that occurs when an attribute value submitted from your account does not match with information Amazon has already accepted and published for the ASIN. When this error occurs Amazon rejects your attribute submission.

Why does my listing say incomplete? ›

An incomplete listing has been saved, but has not yet been made available in the MLS and has not been assigned an MLS number. Incomplete listings are visible only to the member who entered the listing (or if an administrator started the listing, the member who entered the listing and the listing or co-listing agent).

Does Amazon charge for stranded inventory? ›

While inventory is available at fulfillment centers, there are no active listings or offers, making it stranded. For both unfulfillable and stranded inventory, Amazon continues to charge storage fees including monthly storage fees, long-term storage fees, and overage fees.

What is unfulfillable inventory in Amazon? ›

What is Amazon Unfulfillable Inventory? Unfulfillable inventory simply means unsellable inventory. When FBA shipments are shipped to Amazon fulfillment centers (FCs), each unit in your shipment will be inspected by Amazon associates to ensure they came in sellable condition and in the correct quantity.

What does stranded items mean? ›

Stranded inventory is the opposite. The units are stored at the fulfillment center, but the listing is missing, incomplete, or inactive.

Can you transfer inventory from one ASIN to another? ›

If you were selling a unique item, you would have soured your own UPC and created a new listing. You cannot have Amazon move FBA inventory from one ASIN to another. You would need to recall, relabel and send it back in. If the items have been deemed inauthentic, you can do nothing until you prove they are authentic.

Why is my FBA inventory inactive? ›

The most common reason for a listing to become inactive is when a seller runs out of inventory. For an FBA seller, it means there are no units available in the Amazon fulfillment center to fulfill any future orders. Poor inventory planning is often the reason why most sellers face this problem.

How do I get around Amazon limits? ›

The only way to “get around” Amazon's quantity limits is to use a third-party fulfillment center or to store the inventory at your location until you're ready to restock FBA. If you send more than your restock limit allows, Amazon may refuse the shipment or charge you an overstock fee.

What is the new Amazon policy 2023? ›

The INFORM Consumers Act takes effect in the US on June 27, 2023. This law places obligations on high-volume third-party sellers to provide, and on Amazon to collect, verify, and disclose, information about their businesses.

Why is my Amazon inventory out of stock? ›

Out-of-Stock Listings happen when Amazon doesn't have the inventory available at its fulfillment centers or it hasn't been processed yet. Once you replenish your inventory and it's available for sale, the listings will be marked as Active again.

Can Amazon ban you for too many reviews? ›

There are a few reasons you, as a buyer, could experience a “review block”: Amazon finds your reviews suspicious. Amazon detects that you are systematically leaving negative reviews on a frequent basis. You have violated Amazon's review rules.

Can Amazon ban you for leaving reviews? ›

We take the integrity of our reviews platform very seriously. If we determine that you have attempted to manipulate reviews or violated our guidelines in any other manner, we may immediately suspend or terminate your Amazon privileges, remove reviews, and delist related products.

What happens when you do a lot of reviews on Amazon? ›

Amazon customers who have written product reviews that have been rated well by other customers can be invited to the program. Members of the program receive free items for review purposes.

Can you resell the same product on Amazon? ›

Is it Legal to Resell Products on Amazon? Yes, it's completely legal to buy a product at a store and resell it on Amazon. You don't need a permit or to be an authorized reseller. Once you buy an item it's yours and you're free to resell it if you wish.

How many books do you have to sell on Amazon to become a best seller? ›

“How many books will I need to sell?” In order to hit #1 on Amazon, you'll need to sell somewherebetween 3,500 and 5,000 copies in 24 hours. Want to hit top 10? You'll need to sell roughly 300 for print, or 2,000+ copies for combined formats.

How many stores can a Amazon seller have? ›

You can create up to 5 additional storefront on your amazon webstore account. For Example- If you are using a new storefront as an outlet, you can add new items on your storefront.

What is listing violation on Amazon? ›

Amazon Listing Policy Violation. A listing policy violation happens when a listing's attribute is tampered with by a seller. This can be due to a genuine mistake. But it can also be because of a hijacking attempt.

What is asin hijacking? ›

Like actual life hijackers, ASIN hijackers strike without your knowledge and take control of your listing. Most ASIN hijackers turn out to be competitors that would go to any length to drive your buyers to their listings. ASIN hijackers appear more and more, posing a severe threat to e-commerce sellers.

How much do you have to spend on Amazon to leave a review? ›

Only customers who have spent at least $50 on Amazon in the previous 12 months are able to leave a Customer Review. Further details can be found in our Community Guidelines and Customer Reviews Help Pages.

What is 8541 error in Amazon? ›

If you receive an error code 8541 or 8542, this means that there was an error in the field matching step. This happens especially when the EAN code (European Article Number) of your product already exists within Amazon but the other information present in your catalog (e.g. title, brand, color, …)

What are the common inventory issues faced by Amazon sellers? ›

Common inventory issues Amazon sellers face
  • Running out of inventory.
  • Overstocking Amazon inventory.
  • Stranded inventory.
  • Aged inventory surcharge (previously known as long term storage fees)
  • Keep a close relationship with your supplier.
  • Maintain around 60 days of supply.
  • Reduce excess inventory.
  • Plan for the unexpected.
Mar 8, 2023

What is pricing error on Amazon? ›

When Amazon detects potential pricing errors in your listings, they will notify you. In more serious cases, might deactivate the affected listings to avoid a potentially negative customer experience, if Amazon's algorithm believes listings are priced too low or too high.

How do I get rid of Amazon 8541 error? ›

How to Fix Error Code 8541
  1. Click edit item on Amazon channel level.
  2. Select ASIN as Product ID Type Override, g. ...
  3. Enter ASIN, which conflicts Amazon Catalog as Product ID Override.
  4. Select Amazon Update Method as Replace.
  5. Save & Close product editor page.
  6. Select your item and force product data update.

What is Amazon's biggest challenge? ›

Strict Inventory Expectations. One of the biggest Amazon challenges is that Merchants on Amazon are expected to maintain prescribed levels of inventory at all points. Too little inventory with high turnover means frequent stockouts.

Can you give the 3 common types of inventory issues in Amazon? ›

Stranded inventory is a triple whammy: lost sales, storage costs, and lost storage capacity. The Stranded Inventory Tool within Amazon's inventory system can help track and fix stranded and dead stock issues.

What are the 3 major inventory control techniques? ›

In this article we'll dive into the three most common inventory management strategies that most manufacturers operate by: the pull strategy, the push strategy, and the just in time (JIT) strategy.

Did Amazon have a price glitch? ›

Shoppers took advantage of a pricing glitch at Amazon.com and ordered toys at far lower prices, but the online retailer later informed the customers that they could pay the correct prices or cancel their orders.

Does Amazon seller honor price mistakes? ›

From the San Francisco chronicle, “In general, there's no law that requires companies to honor an advertised price if that price is wrong. But don't expect customers to be happy about it.” In other words, if it's a simple mistake it is NOT false advertising.

How do I find my Amazon price glitch? ›

Social media is a great way to find Amazon glitch deals. Search for “glitch” groups and pages on Facebook, or follow the hashtag #glitchdeals on Instagram.

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