Partial updates for Amazon channels

Learn when Channable uses partial updates in Amazon, what they change, and how to check whether an item will be processed as a partial or full update.

Partial update means that we tell Amazon to only update the fields that are explicitly mapped in Channable and not empty. They control how Amazon processes and validates an item update.

At a glance

Partial updates	Full updates	Channel type (Listing requirement level)
Used when there’s an item both in Channable and in the connected Amazon seller account. (Identified through the Unique ID provided in the Settings step)	Used when we can’t find a matching SKU in Seller Central for an item. Note: This is why it’s important to ensure the SKUs in Amazon match those in Channable - otherwise, you could create duplicate listings.	Decides whether you want to update offer data, product data, or both for a given item.

When Channable uses a partial update

Channable uses a partial update when the item already matches a listing in your Amazon seller account.

If no previous listing exists in your seller account,, a partial update is not possible. In that case, Channable uses a full update.

What partial updates change

With a partial update, empty or unmapped attributes are not updated during that run. That means if you send an empty field, or don't map an attribute, that information stays unchanged.

Note: A partial update doesn’t mean only offer data can be updated. It can also change product data, like descriptions and titles.

Example

Assume your item matches an existing Amazon listing in your seller account.

If you run your channel with:

• ​​price with a new value, Amazon updates price
• ​description unmapped, Amazon keeps the current description
• ​brand empty in this run, Amazon keeps the current brand
• sale_price unmapped, Amazon keeps the current sale_price

​This is why a partial update can safely update some fields without overwriting others.

Partial updates matter because they:

• Preserve existing Amazon data for unmapped attributes
• Reduce validation impact compared to full updates
• Still allow Channable to update mapped product and offer data

What determines which data Channable updates

The listing requirement level you choose does not affect whether Channable uses a partial or full update.

The Listing requirement level determines:

• The attributes you see in Channable when setting up your channel
• ​Which validation Amazon uses during a full update

Partial or full updates only change how Amazon processes and validates that data.

How to check whether Channable will use a partial update

1. In [your Amazon channel], go to the Result step.
2. In the Channable | Your Amazon account table, check the Listing status column.
3. If the result is anything other than No match found, we found the listing in your Amazon seller account based on your Unique ID. Channable will use a partial update for that item in the next run.
4. If the result is No match found, Channable will use a full update in the next run.