Overview

Error 90235 appears when a seller tries to set a date‑based attribute on a product listing to a day that has already passed. The validation runs during flat‑file uploads, API feeds, or manual edits, and it can stall a listing’s activation, which matters for time‑sensitive launches and promotions.

Key Points

• Error trigger — The system blocks any attempt to assign a past date to fields that must stay current or future, such as a launch date set to January 1 2023 when today is July 2024.
• Affected workflows — The validation fires across all entry points: bulk flat‑file submissions, SP‑API inventory feeds, and on‑screen edits in Seller Central where a date field is present.
• Typical date attributes — Commonly checked fields include LaunchDate, SaleStartDate, SaleEndDate, OfferStartDate, and ReleaseDate. Each of these must reference today’s date or a later one.
• Root causes — Sellers often copy older templates, reuse exported spreadsheets, or reactivate dormant listings without updating the embedded dates, leading to the past‑date condition.
• Quick fix — Replace the offending date with today’s calendar date or a future date that aligns with the promotion schedule, then resubmit only the affected rows or listings.

How This Error Occurs

1. Date validation step — When Amazon receives a listing payload, it scans every date‑type attribute; if it finds a value earlier than the current UTC date, it flags the record and returns error 90235. Example: a spreadsheet row lists “SaleEndDate = 2023‑11‑15” on a submission dated 2024‑03‑01, triggering the error.
2. Error message generation — The response includes the exact attribute name, phrased as “Attribute ‘{attribute_name}’ must not be changed to a date in the past.” Example: “Attribute ‘LaunchDate’ must not be changed to a date in the past.”
3. Rejection of the payload — Amazon rejects the entire batch or the specific record, preventing the listing from going live until the date is corrected.