Question:
Why am I seeing the error MINOR_DATA_VALIDATION: Item may not align with Target's merchandising strategy.: Product Title for one of my products?
Answer:
This error message comes directly from Target+ and indicates that a word or phrase within your product's title does not comply with their content and merchandising guidelines. It is not a technical issue with Acenda, but rather a data validation rule set by Target to ensure titles meet their brand standards.
Essentially, Target's system has flagged a specific term in the title as prohibited.
Common Causes for this Error
While Target does not publish a complete list of restricted words, this error is often triggered by titles that contain:
Unsupported Medical or Health Claims: Words like "cures," "heals," "prevents," or any language that makes a specific medical claim.
Marketing Jargon and Superlatives: Terms such as "Best," "#1," "Top-Rated," "Amazing," or "Sale."
Excessive Capitalization: Using ALL CAPS for multiple words.
Special Characters or Symbols: Unnecessary use of characters like ™, ®, !, *, etc.
Restricted Keywords: Words related to products or categories that Target restricts, such as certain supplements, weapons, or adult products.
How to Resolve This Issue
Follow these steps to fix the error and resubmit your product for review.
Review Your Product Title: Carefully read through the title of the affected product. Look for any words or phrases that fall into the categories listed above.
Edit the Title: Identify the suspected word or phrase and replace it with a more neutral, descriptive, and compliant alternative.
Example:
Original Title: "The BEST All-Natural Acne Cure! - 100% Guaranteed"
Revised Title: "Gentle Facial Cleanser for Blemish-Prone Skin"
Resave the Product: After editing the title in Acenda, save the product record. This action will automatically trigger a resubmission of the updated product data to Target+.
What to Expect Next
Once you have resaved the product with the updated title, Target+'s internal team will review the resubmitted text. Please allow 3 to 5 business days for their team to complete the review. After a successful review, the error will be cleared, and your product will be updated on Target.com.
If the error persists after five business days, we recommend reviewing and revising the title again, as another word may be causing the issue.