Overview

Error 90196 appears when Amazon’s listing validation detects a web address inside a product attribute that does not allow external links. The issue surfaces during flat‑file uploads, SP‑API feed submissions, or manual entry in Seller Central, and it blocks the affected ASINs from going live or updating. Sellers must remove the prohibited URL and resubmit to keep catalog changes flowing.

Key Points

• Trigger condition — The error fires whenever any text‑based attribute (e.g., description, bullet points, generic keywords) contains a string that matches a URL pattern such as “http://”, “https://”, or “www.”.
• Exact attribute identified — Amazon returns the attribute name in the format ${attribute_name}, allowing sellers to locate the offending field without guessing.
• Policy purpose — Amazon wants product pages to be self‑contained, so it blocks outbound links that could divert shoppers to competitor sites or external marketing pages.
• Fix simplicity — Removing the URL from the flagged attribute and resubmitting the feed resolves the error; no additional penalties or account‑health impacts are attached.
• Bulk‑upload risk — A single stray link in a large spreadsheet can cause dozens or hundreds of listings to be rejected, making proactive checks essential for high‑volume sellers.

How Error 90196 Occurs

1. Data submission — A seller uploads a product feed via a flat file, the SP‑API Feeds endpoint, or the Seller Central bulk‑upload tool. Example: a CSV file containing 5,000 SKUs is submitted through the “Upload your inventory file” page.
2. URL insertion — The feed includes a hyperlink or plain‑text web address in a disallowed field. Example: the third bullet point reads “For more specs, visit https://manufacturer.com/specs”.
3. Validation scan — Amazon’s backend parser scans each attribute value for URL patterns. When it encounters the “https://” string in the bullet point, it flags the entry.