Overview

Error 90097 is a common feed processing error that Amazon sellers encounter when uploading or updating product listings through flat files or inventory feeds. The error indicates that a value entered for a specific product attribute does not match one of Amazon's predefined valid options. Understanding how to diagnose and resolve this error can save sellers significant time and prevent listing delays.

Key Points / What Sellers Need to Know

• Invalid attribute value — This error fires when a value you've entered for a product attribute doesn't match any of the accepted options Amazon has defined in the listing template for your category.
• Formatting matters — Even small discrepancies like extra spaces, special characters, or inconsistent capitalization can trigger the error, even if the value itself appears correct at first glance.
• Outdated templates cause issues — If you're working from an older version of a category template, some attribute values may have been deprecated or changed, leading to rejection.
• Category-specific templates — Each product category on Amazon has its own template with unique valid values, so what works in one category may not work in another.

What Causes Error 90097

The root cause of this error is a mismatch between the value you've submitted and the values Amazon expects for a given attribute field. Amazon maintains strict enumerated lists for many product attributes — fields like color, size, material, and other descriptive characteristics must use exact predefined values rather than free-text entries. When your feed file contains a value that falls outside these accepted options, Amazon's system rejects it and returns Error 90097. This can happen when sellers manually type values instead of selecting from the template dropdown, when data is copied from another source with hidden formatting characters, or when a previously valid value has been removed from Amazon's accepted list during a template update.

How to Resolve the Error

Start by reviewing your feed processing summary report, which will highlight the specific attribute and value that triggered the error. Once you've identified the problematic field, download the most current category-specific flat file template from Seller Central. You can access templates by navigating to the inventory section and selecting the appropriate category template download option. Open the template and locate the "Valid Values" or "Data Definitions" sheet, which lists every accepted value for each attribute. Compare your submitted value against this list and replace it with the exact matching entry from the template. Pay close attention to spacing, punctuation, and capitalization — Amazon's system performs exact-match validation, so even a trailing space can cause rejection.