How to Fix Error 18628: Invalid Input in Amazon Seller Feed Submissions
Error 18628 occurs when feed file data fails Amazon's validation checks due to incorrect formats, invalid characters, or exceeded field limits. Sellers need to review their feed processing report, correct the offending values, and resubmit.
Overview
Error 18628 is a feed processing error that Amazon sellers may encounter when submitting data through feed files in Seller Central. The error indicates that a value provided in your feed doesn't meet Amazon's expected format, data type, or validation requirements. Understanding how to diagnose and resolve this error can save sellers significant time and prevent delays in listing updates, inventory changes, and other critical operations.
Key Points / What Sellers Need to Know
- Invalid input format — This error fires when a value you've submitted doesn't match what Amazon expects for that particular field, whether that's a specific data type, character set, or structure.
- Common triggers include special characters — Unsupported symbols, unexpected formatting, or invalid characters embedded in your feed data are frequent causes of this validation failure.
- Field length limits apply — Amazon enforces maximum character or size limits on many feed fields, and exceeding these thresholds will trigger error 18628.
- The fix requires reviewing your feed data — You'll need to identify the specific value causing the problem, correct it to match Amazon's accepted parameters, and resubmit your feed.
What Causes Error 18628
Error 18628 occurs when Amazon's feed processing system encounters input data that fails validation checks. There are three primary scenarios that trigger this error. First, the value entered in a feed field doesn't conform to the expected data type — for example, submitting text where Amazon requires a number, or using an incorrectly formatted date. Second, the field contains characters or symbols that Amazon's system doesn't support, such as certain special characters or non-standard formatting. Third, the input exceeds the maximum allowed length or size for that particular field, which varies depending on the data element in question.
How to Diagnose the Problem
The most effective way to pinpoint the cause of error 18628 is to download and review your feed processing summary report. This report identifies the specific value and field that triggered the validation error, giving you a clear starting point for troubleshooting. Once you've located the problematic entry, compare it against Amazon's accepted parameters for that field. Check whether the data type is correct — strings, numbers, and dates each have specific formatting requirements. Also verify that the value falls within any documented length or size constraints for the field.
Analysis & Recommendations
Why This Matters
Feed errors can block listing updates, inventory changes, and pricing corrections from going live. Quickly resolving error 18628 helps sellers keep their catalog data accurate and operations running smoothly.
Key Takeaways
- Error 18628 means a value in your feed file doesn't match Amazon's expected format, data type, or length limits
- Check your feed processing summary report to identify exactly which value triggered the error
- Remove special characters and verify data types before resubmitting your corrected feed
- Use Amazon's flat file templates to reduce the risk of format mismatches
Recommended Actions
- →Download your feed processing summary report to identify the specific field and value causing the error
- →Validate all feed data against Amazon's accepted parameters and data type requirements before resubmitting
- →Implement pre-submission data sanitization to strip unsupported characters from feed files
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