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Troubleshooting Target+ Error: "This item was unlisted previously; Barcode released after 120 days from that previous unlist/last order date"

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Written by Sam E.

This error means Target+ has locked your item's barcode (UPC/GTIN). The item was unlisted on Target.com earlier, and Target won't let that same barcode be listed again until a waiting period has passed. Until then, Target rejects the item every time it's sent.

Nothing is wrong with your product data in Acenda. Acenda is showing you a decision Target made. You can either wait for the lock to end or, with Target's approval, list the item under a new barcode.

The error you'll see: DATA_VALIDATION: This item was unlisted previously; Barcode released after 120 days from that previous unlist/last order date

What it means

When Target unlists an item (most often because it was out of stock or had no sales for a long time), it later "releases" the item's barcode. Target then locks that barcode for a set period, counted from the item's previous unlist date or its last order date. Target's message names both dates and doesn't say which one applies, so plan from whichever is later.

Target uses two versions of this message. Today, most Acenda sellers see the 60-day version, "Barcode released after 60 days from that previous unlist/last order date." The 120-day version still appears, but much less often. Both work the same way and have the same fixes. For the 60-day version, see Resolving Target+ Error: DATA_VALIDATION (Barcode Released After 60 Days).

Why does Target do this? Target hasn't published the exact reason. What matters for you is that Target locks a released barcode for this period, and Acenda can't shorten or override it.

Where you'll see it in Acenda

  • Item Issues: In the sidebar, under CHANNELS, click Item Issues. The error is listed with the item's SKU and a Source of channel, which means it came from Target. The Attribute Path column shows unknown, because Target doesn't tie this error to a single attribute. For more on this page, see How to Fix Marketplace Listing Errors.

  • On the item: In the sidebar, under CATALOG, click Items, click the eye icon next to the item, and open the Channel Status tab. Click the Target+ tab (or whatever you've named your Target+ channel). The Status shows UNLISTED. Your Listing Action doesn't change, so it still shows what you set (usually FULL). See What is Channel Status?.

Note: Item Issues (AI) doesn't suggest fixes for this error, because it's a Target decision rather than a data problem. AI Suggested Fixes won't help here. To learn what the AI does cover, see Getting Started with Acenda IQ: AI Suggested Fixes.

How to resolve it

You have two options, depending on how soon you need the item back on Target.com.

Option 1: Wait out the lock

  1. Keep the Listing Action on Full. On the item's Channel Status tab, make sure the Target+ Listing Action is FULL.

  2. Keep the item in stock. Acenda only re-sends an unlisted item when it has stock above zero in the warehouses mapped to your Target+ channel, after subtracting any inventory floor you've set. An item with only a few units can still count as 0.

  3. Fix any other errors on the item. Check Item Issues for other errors on this item and on other items in the same variant group. A missing required attribute anywhere in the group stops Acenda from sending it.

  4. Let Acenda re-send it. Once the lock period has passed, Acenda sends the item to Target again with the next scheduled catalog update. You don't need to trigger anything. When Target accepts it, the Status changes back to APPROVED and the error clears from Item Issues automatically.

Option 2: Use a new, unique barcode

If you can't wait, you can list the item under a new UPC/GTIN that has never been used on Target. Because it's a fresh barcode, it doesn't carry the old listing's lock.

Important: Get approval from your Target+ Partner Manager before you assign a new barcode to an existing item.

  1. In the sidebar, under CATALOG, click Items and open the variant (the individual size or color, not the parent product).

  2. On the Details tab, update the UPC field (or GTIN, if that's the barcode you use) to the new barcode and save.

  3. Acenda sends the item to Target with the next scheduled catalog update.

Change the barcode, not the SKU. If you also change the SKU without keeping the old one as an alias, Target can see the item as a brand-new product and reject it with a duplicate-barcode error. See Error FAQ: Duplicate Barcode at Target+ and Can I Change SKU Values for My Marketplace Listings?.

Troubleshooting and FAQ

  • The item also shows "Item removed due to prolonged out-of-stock inventory." That's common: most items Target removed for being out of stock also get this barcode error later. Restocking alone won't lift the barcode lock, but the item does need stock to be re-sent once the lock ends. See Troubleshooting Target+ Error: "Item removed due to prolonged out-of-stock inventory".

  • I have stock, but Target shows 0. Acenda subtracts your inventory floor before sending stock, so a low-stock item can show 0 and stay unlisted. Check that the stock is in a warehouse mapped to Target+ and that the floor isn't higher than the units on hand.

  • Will switching the Listing Action relist the item? No. Switching the Listing Action to ZERO or UNLIST and back doesn't lift the lock or relist the item.

  • The lock period has passed, but the item is still UNLISTED. Check that the item has stock, a FULL Listing Action and no other errors in Item Issues. If all three are fine and the error is still there, open a case in the Target+ Partner Portal asking Target to reactivate the barcode, and include the SKU, the barcode and the full error text.

  • How is this different from other "unlisted" errors? If the message says the UPC will be listed by another source, Target has given the barcode to a different listing. See Troubleshooting the Target+ Error: "TCIN has been unlisted as the UPC will be listed by another source". For a general overview of unlisted items, see FAQ: Troubleshooting the "Unlisted Item" Error (Target+).

  • Still not sure what's wrong? Contact Acenda Support with the SKU and the full error text.

Still stuck? Contact Acenda Support and we'll help you work through it.

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