Overview

Amazon returns feed error 13042 when the date placed in the XML envelope does not follow the required format or is set to a future point in time. The problem stops inventory and product‑detail uploads, so any seller who relies on flat‑file or XML feeds must verify their envelope dates. Correcting the date element restores feed acceptance and keeps listings up to date.

Key Points

• Root cause — The feed is rejected because the <Date> tag inside the envelope fails Amazon’s validation, either due to an incorrect pattern or because the timestamp lies ahead of the current moment.
• Must be a past timestamp — Amazon expects the envelope date to represent when the seller’s system captured the data, so any value that is later than the present moment triggers the error.
• ISO 8601 mandatory — Dates must comply with the ISO 8601 standard, which allows a simple “YYYY‑MM‑DD” string or a full “YYYY‑MM‑DDThh:mm:ss±hh:mm” representation that includes a time‑zone offset.
• Time‑zone offset matters — When a time component is supplied, the offset from UTC must be accurate; for example, Pacific Standard Time is “‑08:00” while Eastern Standard Time is “‑05:00”.
• Common formatting slips — Using slashes (e.g., 02/29/2008), omitting leading zeros (e.g., 2008‑2‑9), or swapping month and day order will all cause the feed to be rejected.
• Impact on listings — A single malformed envelope date can block an entire feed, leaving inventory counts stale, price updates unapplied, and new product information invisible to shoppers.

How to Fix Feed Error 13042

1. Verify system clock — Check that the server or computer generating the feed reports the correct current date and time; a clock that is fast by even a few minutes will produce a future‑dated envelope.
2. Generate a past‑dated value — Program the feed builder to insert the date when the data snapshot was taken, such as “2024‑02‑12” for a February 12 2024 export, ensuring the value is earlier than the present moment.