Amazon Listing Errors: Error 19038: The ‘maximum price’ is less than the selling price (excluding delivery) for the listing

Error Description

The "Error 19038: The ‘maximum price’ is less than the selling price (excluding delivery) for the listing" indicates a pricing error in your Amazon product listing. Specifically, the maximum price set for the product is lower than the current selling price, which creates a discrepancy. This can occur due to manual entry errors, misconfigured pricing rules, or automated repricing tools that set conflicting prices. Amazon enforces strict pricing rules to maintain fair market practices and ensure clear and accurate pricing information for customers.

Common Causes:

Manual Entry Errors: Mistakes made while manually entering the maximum price or selling price.
Automated Repricing Tools: Misconfigured repricing tools that set conflicting prices.
Pricing Rules Conflicts: Conflicting pricing rules or policies applied to the product listing.
Data Synchronization Issues: Delays or errors in synchronizing pricing data across different systems or platforms.
Promotional Discounts: Applying discounts or promotions incorrectly, leading to a lower maximum price than the selling price.

Error Solution

To resolve the "Error 19038: The ‘maximum price’ is less than the selling price (excluding delivery) for the listing" on Amazon, follow these steps:

Review the Pricing Error Notification:
- Log in to Amazon Seller Central and review the notification or email you received regarding the pricing error. This will provide specific details about the flagged listing and the pricing discrepancy.
Identify the Discrepancy:
- Examine your product listing to identify the exact pricing error. Compare the maximum price and the current selling price to locate the discrepancy.
- Verify if the issue is caused by manual entry, automated repricing tools, or data synchronization errors.
Correct the Maximum Price:
- Adjust the maximum price to be equal to or higher than the current selling price. Ensure that the maximum price reflects the highest price you are willing to sell the product for.
- Update the product listing in Amazon Seller Central with the corrected maximum price.
Check Automated Repricing Tools:
- If you use automated repricing tools, review their configuration settings to ensure they do not set conflicting prices. Adjust the settings to maintain a consistent pricing strategy.
- Test the repricing tool to ensure it accurately reflects the intended maximum price and selling price.
Review and Adjust Pricing Rules:
- Examine any pricing rules or policies applied to the product listing. Ensure that the rules do not create conflicts between the maximum price and selling price.
- Update the pricing rules to align with Amazon’s guidelines and your pricing strategy.
Ensure Data Synchronization:
- Verify that all pricing data is synchronized correctly across different systems or platforms you use. This includes your inventory management system, e-commerce platform, and Amazon Seller Central.
- Resolve any data synchronization issues to prevent future pricing discrepancies.
Monitor Promotional Discounts:
- Review any promotional discounts or special offers applied to the product. Ensure that the discounts are configured correctly and do not result in a maximum price lower than the selling price.
- Adjust the promotional settings if necessary to maintain compliance with Amazon’s pricing policies.
Update and Monitor Listings:
- After making the necessary changes, update your product listing in Amazon Seller Central. Ensure that all details comply with Amazon’s pricing guidelines.
- Regularly monitor your listings for any future pricing issues and ensure ongoing compliance.
Contact Amazon Support:
- If you encounter any issues during the resolution process or need further assistance, contact Amazon Seller Support. Provide detailed information about the pricing error, the steps you have taken to address it, and any relevant documentation.
- Engage with Amazon seller forums and communities to seek advice from other sellers who might have faced similar issues.

Pro Tip

Advanced Strategies for Managing Pricing Errors on Amazon:

Implement Pricing Management Tools:
- Use advanced pricing management tools to automate and streamline the process of setting and managing prices. These tools can help ensure that all necessary steps are taken promptly and accurately.
- Integrate these tools with your inventory management system to ensure seamless data synchronization and avoid pricing-related issues.
Standardize Pricing Procedures:
- Develop standardized procedures for setting and managing prices to ensure consistency and compliance across all listings. Use predefined templates and workflows for pricing management.
- Regularly update these procedures to reflect any changes in Amazon’s requirements or your own data management practices.
Use Product Information Management (PIM) Systems:
- Implement a PIM system to centralize and manage all product data, including pricing information. PIM systems help ensure that data is accurate, complete, and consistently formatted across all platforms.
- Integrate your PIM system with Amazon to synchronize data automatically and prevent errors.
Conduct Regular Pricing Audits:
- Perform regular audits of your product listings to ensure that all pricing information is accurate, up-to-date, and compliant with Amazon’s guidelines. Use audit reports to track compliance and address any recurring issues.
- Schedule periodic audits to identify and correct any issues with pricing data.
Educate Your Team:
- Train your team on best practices for managing product prices and ensuring compliance with Amazon’s guidelines. Ensure they understand the importance of accurate data entry and following standardized procedures.
- Provide guidelines and checklists to help your team review and update product prices effectively.
Monitor Regulatory Changes:
- Regularly review updates from Amazon and industry standards regarding pricing policies and compliance. Stay informed about any changes that might affect your listings.
- Participate in industry forums and communities to learn from other sellers and share best practices.
Optimize Bulk Editing Tools:
- Use Amazon’s bulk editing tools to update pricing information for multiple listings simultaneously. Ensure that bulk updates are accurately configured and comply with platform guidelines.
- Validate bulk editing files before uploading to minimize the risk of errors.
Use Automation for Pricing Management:
- Implement automation tools to manage data entry and verification processes related to pricing. Automation reduces the risk of manual errors and ensures that data is consistently accurate.
- Tools like Zapier or Integromat can integrate with your e-commerce systems to automate pricing management tasks.
Utilize Competitor Analysis:
- Analyze competitor listings to understand how they manage pricing within the platform’s limits. Use this insight to refine your own strategy.
- Identify successful patterns and adapt them to your products.
Stay Proactive:
- Establish a proactive approach to managing pricing by regularly monitoring for any updates or changes in Amazon’s guidelines.
- Ensure that your pricing management system is flexible and can quickly adapt to new regulations and customer expectations.

By following these strategies and maintaining a proactive approach to managing pricing, sellers can minimize the risk of "Error 19038: The ‘maximum price’ is less than the selling price (excluding delivery) for the listing" on Amazon, ensuring accurate and compliant product listings. Proper management of pricing not only helps in preventing errors but also enhances overall visibility, searchability, and sales performance on the platform.

View error on Amazon

Amazon Error: 19038 Error 19038: The ‘maximum price’ is less than the selling price (excluding delivery) for the listing

Error Description

Error Solution

Pro Tip

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