Keeping your product listings accurate and compliant is essential for maintaining visibility, driving sales, and ensuring a seamless customer experience. However, errors during the listing process can lead to suppressed listings, delays, or even account complications. For Amazon sellers, identifying and fixing these errors efficiently is critical to streamline operations and minimize disruptions. In this blog post, we’ll explore the most common Amazon listing errors based on real data from AutoMato clients. For each error type, we’ll provide examples and explain what might be causing the issue, along with practical steps to resolve it. Let’s dive into the five primary error types and additional issues you might encounter.
Introduction
Amazon’s marketplace is a dynamic and competitive space where even minor listing errors can impact your business. Whether it’s a technical glitch on Amazon’s end or an oversight in your data submission, understanding these errors is the first step toward keeping your listings live and optimized. Below, we’ll break down the key error types, using real-world examples, to help you troubleshoot and prevent them in the future.
Error Type 1: Internal Errors (Error Code 500)
Explanation
Internal errors occur due to technical issues on Amazon’s side, not because of the data you’ve submitted. These glitches are typically temporary and out of your control, but they can still delay your listing updates.
Example
Error Message: "An internal error has occurred. Please try again."
Context: These ASINs are products that exist in inventory, but the submission failed due to Amazon’s system error.
Possible Cause
A temporary malfunction in Amazon’s servers or processing system.
Action
Wait a short period (e.g., a few hours) and resubmit your data. If the issue persists, contact Amazon Seller Support for assistance.
Error Type 2: Missing or Insufficient Values (Error Code 4000)
Explanation
This error occurs when required fields in your product listing are either missing or don’t meet Amazon’s minimum requirements. Each product category has mandatory fields, and incomplete submissions can prevent your listing from going live.
Examples
Error Message: "The field ‘height’ for the attribute ‘[item_dimensions]’ does not have enough values. The required minimum is ‘1’ value(s)."
Context: The height field was missing or invalid.
Error Message: "The field 'value' for the attribute 'product_description' does not have enough values. The required minimum is '1' value(s)."
Context: The product description field was left blank.
Possible Cause
The submitted data lacks values for mandatory fields like dimensions or descriptions, or the values provided don’t meet Amazon’s standards.
Action
Review your product data and ensure all required fields are filled out correctly. For example, add a height value (e.g., "1 inch") or a product description where needed. Use Amazon’s category-specific templates to identify mandatory fields before submission.
Error Type 3: Brand Approval Issues (Error Code 5665)
Explanation
This error happens when the brand name in your listing hasn’t been approved by Amazon. To use a specific brand, especially one registered in Amazon’s Brand Registry, you must request and receive approval.
Example
Error Message: "Request Approval for FunkyJunque. The brand name you have entered has not been approved by Amazon. To request approval for FunkyJunque, copy and paste the following URL..."
ASINs: B01ACCAAH8, B015JU37GO, B015YNV362, B015UOPX2K, and many others
Context: The brand "FunkyJunque" requires approval before it can be used.
Possible Cause
The brand name doesn’t match what’s registered in Amazon’s Brand Registry, or approval hasn’t been requested yet.
Action
Follow the provided URL to request brand approval from Amazon. Ensure the brand name in your listing matches exactly with the registered name (e.g., "FunkyJunque" vs. "Funky Junque"). Update your data if there’s a mismatch.
Error Type 4: Category or Product Type Mismatches (Error Code 8541)
Explanation
This error occurs when the data you submit doesn’t align with what’s already in Amazon’s catalog for a specific ASIN. Mismatches often involve product types, sizes, or other key attributes, as Amazon requires consistency across its catalog.
Examples
Error Message: "The SKU data provided is different from what's already in the Amazon catalog. The item_id data provided matches ASIN <YOUR ASIN HERE>, but the following data is different: product_type (Merchant: 'HAT' / Amazon: 'HAIRBAND')."
Error Message: "The SKU data provided is different from what's already in the Amazon catalog. The item_id data provided matches ASIN <YOUR ASIN HERE>, but the following data is different: product_type (Merchant: 'HAT' / Amazon: 'DECORATIVE_POM_POM')."
Error Message: "The SKU data provided is different from what's already in the Amazon catalog. The item_id data provided matches ASIN <YOUR ASIN HERE>, but the following data is different: size (Merchant: 'Medium' / Amazon: 'One Size')."
Possible Cause
The product type or attribute (e.g., size) you submitted doesn’t match Amazon’s existing catalog data, possibly due to an incorrect classification or outdated information.
Action
Verify the correct product type or attribute for the ASIN using Amazon’s catalog or ASIN lookup tools. Update your submission to match (e.g., change "HAT" to "HAIRBAND"). If Amazon’s catalog is incorrect, submit a correction through Seller Central.
Error Type 5: Restricted Keywords (Error Code 8560)
Explanation
Amazon restricts certain keywords in product descriptions, titles, or other fields to prevent misuse or irrelevant content. Using these terms can lead to a rejected listing.
Examples
Error Message: "The value 'black friday' of the attribute '[product_description]' is not a valid value. Please provide a valid value."
Possible Cause
The product description contains a restricted term like "black friday," which Amazon prohibits.
Action
Remove or replace the restricted keyword (e.g., "black friday") with a compliant alternative. Maintain a list of known restricted terms and review your content before submission to avoid this error. Utilize AutoMato's built in "Keyword Blocklist" to ensure this cannot occur again.
Conclusion
Amazon listing errors can disrupt your business, but they’re manageable once you understand their causes. From internal glitches (Error 500) to data mismatches (Error 8541) and inventory oversights, each issue has a clear resolution path. By addressing these errors you can keep your listings active and optimized and help to make your product content catalogue more flexible in the future. Keeping a clean catalogue also helps to boost your seller authority on Amazon and helps prevent listing hijackers by showing Amazon that you are a highly engage and responsible steward of these products.