eBay File Exchange CSV Errors: Causes and Fixes

How eBay File Exchange Validates CSV Files

eBay File Exchange is a bulk listing tool that accepts CSV (and flat text) files. When you upload a file, eBay runs it through a validation pipeline that checks:

1. Required columns — certain columns must exist in every file
2. Action column — every row must specify what to do with the listing
3. Data type validation — prices as numbers, quantities as integers, URLs as valid URLs
4. Business rules — valid category IDs, allowed condition codes, valid duration values
5. Content rules — title length limits, prohibited content

After upload, eBay emails you an error report (or shows it in the File Exchange dashboard) listing which rows failed and why. Always check this report — eBay often imports some rows successfully while silently skipping others.

Error: Missing or Invalid Action Value

The Action column is required on every row.

Accepted values:

| Value | Meaning | |---|---| | Add | Create a new listing | | Revise | Update fields on an existing active listing | | Relist | Relist an ended listing | | End | End an active listing | | Delete | Remove the file record (not the live listing) | | AddOrRevise | Add if new, revise if existing (matched by ItemID or custom label) |

Fix: Add an Action column. Every row must have one of the above values. add (lowercase) is not accepted — use Add.

Error: Invalid Category

Cause: The Category (or Category ID) value is not a valid numeric eBay category ID, or the category has been retired.

eBay category IDs are numeric (e.g., 15273 for Men's Shoes). They change periodically as eBay restructures its taxonomy.

Fix:

• Look up the correct category ID in eBay's category tree (accessible via the eBay category lookup tool)
• Do not copy category IDs from old templates — verify they're still active
• Some categories require additional required fields — check eBay's field requirements for the category

Error: Title Too Long

Cause: The Title value exceeds 80 characters. eBay enforces a hard 80-character limit on listing titles.

Fix:

In Excel, add a helper column: =LEN(B2) (replace B2 with your Title column cell). Filter to rows where the length is over 80. Edit those titles to fit within 80 characters.

In Python:

import csv

with open("input.csv", newline="", encoding="utf-8") as f:
    reader = csv.DictReader(f)
    for i, row in enumerate(reader, 2):
        title_len = len(row.get("Title", ""))
        if title_len > 80:
            print(f"Row {i}: Title is {title_len} chars (max 80): {row['Title'][:60]}...")

Error: Invalid Condition Code

Cause: The ConditionID value is not a valid eBay condition code for the item's category.

Common eBay condition codes:

| Code | Condition | Notes | |---|---|---| | 1000 | New | Factory sealed, brand new | | 1500 | New other | New, no original packaging | | 2000 | Manufacturer refurbished | Refurbished by manufacturer | | 2500 | Seller refurbished | Refurbished by seller | | 3000 | Used | Pre-owned, fully functional | | 4000 | Very Good | Minor wear | | 5000 | Good | Noticeable wear | | 6000 | Acceptable | Significant wear | | 7000 | For parts or not working | Not functional |

Note: Available condition codes vary by category. Electronics and clothing have different allowed codes.

Fix: Replace any non-numeric or unrecognized condition values with the correct numeric code.

Error: Invalid StartPrice

Cause: The StartPrice field contains a currency symbol ($9.99), uses a comma decimal separator (9,99), is negative, or is blank.

Fix:

• Remove currency symbols with Find & Replace
• Replace comma decimal separators with periods
• Ensure all prices are positive decimal numbers
• Format the column as Number in Excel before saving

Error: Invalid Duration

Cause: The Duration field contains a value not in eBay's allowed list.

Accepted values:

Days_3, Days_5, Days_7, Days_10, Days_30, GTC

GTC = Good Till Cancelled (the most common choice for fixed-price listings).

Fix: Replace any non-standard duration values with one of the above.

Error: Image URL Not Accessible

Cause: The PicURL field contains a URL that eBay can't download — the image is behind authentication, on localhost, uses HTTP (not HTTPS), or is a redirect URL.

eBay accepts up to 12 images per listing separated by a pipe character |.

Fix:

• Test each URL in a browser — it should load the image directly, no login required
• Use HTTPS URLs
• Avoid URL shorteners or redirect services
• Image format must be JPG, PNG, GIF, TIFF, or BMP; minimum 500x500 pixels recommended

Error: Invalid Quantity

Cause: Quantity is blank, contains a decimal (e.g., 1.5), is zero, or is negative.

Fix: Use whole positive integers. 0 is not valid for Add operations (it creates a listing with no stock). Use 0 only in End operations.

Reading eBay's Error Report

eBay sends an error report (TSV or text file) after processing your upload. The report includes:

• The row number (1-indexed, including the header row)
• The error code and message
• The item identifier (if applicable)

Common error codes:

• 21916585 — Invalid category or category ID
• 21916288 — Title too long
• 21919067 — Invalid condition for category
• 21916790 — Invalid price

Search for the error code in eBay's File Exchange documentation for the exact fix.

Fix This Automatically with StriveFormats

Upload your eBay CSV to StriveFormats. The validator checks all required columns, Action values, price formats, title lengths, condition codes, and image URLs — then flags exact rows and cells with issues.

Open eBay CSV Fixer | View eBay Template