Overview

Error 90238 is a listing validation error that Amazon sellers may encounter when attempting to update product attributes in Seller Central. This error triggers when a seller tries to modify a product attribute value in a way that Amazon considers a "significant change" from the existing data. Understanding this error is essential for sellers who need to update their catalog listings without running into submission roadblocks.

Key Points / What Sellers Need to Know

• Error trigger — This error fires when you attempt to change a specific product attribute to a value that differs substantially from what is currently stored in the Amazon catalog.
• Attribute-specific — The error message will reference the exact attribute name that triggered the rejection, making it easier to identify which field needs attention.
• Catalog protection mechanism — Amazon uses this validation rule to maintain data integrity across its catalog and prevent accidental or unauthorized overwrites of established product information.
• Not a permanent block — This error does not mean the attribute can never be changed; it means the change must go through the proper process rather than a direct overwrite.

How This Error Works

When you submit a product feed or make a listing update through Seller Central, Amazon's catalog system compares your submitted values against the existing data on file. If the system detects that a particular attribute value has changed beyond a defined threshold, it rejects the update and returns Error 90238. The error message follows the format: "Value for '{attribute_name}' must not be changed significantly." The specific attribute that triggered the error will be named in the message, which helps you pinpoint exactly which field in your submission is causing the problem. This applies to updates made via flat files, the Add a Product tool, or API-based feeds.

Common Scenarios That Trigger This Error

Sellers most frequently encounter this error when attempting to change core product attributes such as item name, brand, product type, or item type keywords on an existing ASIN. It can also appear when updating attributes on listings that are contributed to by multiple sellers, where Amazon prioritizes data consistency. If you recently acquired rights to a brand or are correcting genuinely wrong information in the catalog, you will likely need to go through Amazon's catalog update request process rather than simply overwriting the data in your feed. Bulk listing updates via flat files are another common trigger, especially when template formatting issues cause attribute values to shift unexpectedly.