🔧 Quick solutions to the most common Mailchimp MCP issues. Most problems can be fixed in under 2 minutes.

What You'll Learn

• Quick fixes for common connection issues
• Solutions for API key problems
• Performance troubleshooting tips
• Installation and data issue resolution

Time: 10 minutes
Difficulty: Beginner

Quick Fixes

Start here before diving deeper. Most issues are resolved with these simple steps.

Connection Issues

Claude Desktop Shows "Not Connected"

New to Claude Desktop? Make sure Claude Desktop is installed and set up correctly. See our Getting Started with Claude Desktop Guide for complete setup instructions.

Symptoms:

• Mailchimp MCP doesn't appear in Claude Desktop
• No Mailchimp tools available
• Connection errors

Solutions:

Verify Configuration

• Check API key is correct in .env file
• Verify server prefix matches your account
• Ensure environment variables are loaded

Restart Claude Desktop

• Completely quit Claude Desktop (⌘Q on Mac)
• Reopen Claude Desktop
• Check MCP server connection

Check MCP Logs

• Look for errors in Claude Desktop's MCP server logs
• Check for connection issues
• Verify API key format

Setup UI Won't Open

Symptoms:

• Setup command doesn't launch browser
• Port 3000 already in use
• Connection refused errors

Solutions:

Check Port 3000

lsof -i :3000

• Kill any process using port 3000
• Or use a different port

Try Manual Launch

mailchimp-mcp-config

Or:

mailchimp-mcp-setup

Check Firewall

• Ensure firewall isn't blocking localhost
• Allow local connections

API Key Issues

API Key Not Working

Symptoms:

• Authentication errors
• Permission denied
• Invalid API key messages

Solutions:

Verify Key Format

• Should be: abc123def456-us9
• Include server prefix (-us9)
• No extra spaces or characters

Check Key Status

• Log into Mailchimp
• Go to API keys section
• Verify key hasn't been revoked
• Check key permissions

Create New Key

• Revoke old key if compromised
• Create new API key
• Update .env file
• Restart Claude Desktop

Permission Errors

Symptoms:

• "Permission denied" errors
• Can't perform write operations
• Read-only errors when trying to create

Solutions:

Check Key Permissions

• Verify key has write permissions (for paid tier)
• Create new key with correct permissions
• Use read-only key for free tier

Verify Tier Access

• Free tier (AI Analyst) is read-only
• Paid tier (AI Marketer + Account Manager) has write access
• Check your subscription status

Performance Issues

Slow Responses

Symptoms:

• Queries take a long time
• Timeout errors
• Slow data fetching

Solutions:

Simplify Queries

• Break complex queries into smaller ones
• Be more specific in requests
• Limit data requested

Check Network

• Verify internet connection
• Check Mailchimp API status
• Test API connectivity

Reduce Data Scope

• Limit date ranges
• Request specific segments
• Use filters to reduce data

Timeout Errors

Symptoms:

• Requests timeout
• No response from Claude
• Connection timeouts

Solutions:

Reduce Query Complexity

• Simplify the request
• Break into smaller queries
• Use more specific filters

Check API Limits

• Mailchimp has API rate limits
• Wait a moment and retry
• Reduce request frequency

Data Issues

No Data Returned

Symptoms:

• Empty results
• "No campaigns found"
• No audience data

Solutions:

Verify Account Has Data

• Check Mailchimp dashboard
• Ensure campaigns/audiences exist
• Verify data in account

Check Date Ranges

• Expand date ranges if too narrow
• Check for data in specified period
• Try broader queries

Verify Permissions

• Ensure API key has access
• Check account permissions
• Verify key hasn't been restricted

Incorrect Data

Symptoms:

• Data doesn't match Mailchimp
• Wrong metrics
• Inconsistent results

Solutions:

Refresh Data

• Restart Claude Desktop
• Clear cached data
• Re-query the data

Verify Account

• Ensure correct account connected
• Check API key matches account
• Verify server prefix

Check for Updates

• Data may have changed
• Refresh the query
• Check Mailchimp dashboard

Installation Issues

Package Not Found

Symptoms:

• mailchimp-mcp-config not found
• Command not recognized
• Package not installed

Solutions:

Reinstall Package

npm install -g @alien-lifestyles/mailchimp-mcp

Check Installation

npm list -g @alien-lifestyles/mailchimp-mcp

Verify PATH

• Check npm global bin is in PATH
• Verify Node.js installation
• Check npm configuration

Installation Errors

Symptoms:

• Installation fails
• Permission errors
• Dependency issues

Solutions:

Check Node.js Version

• Requires Node.js 20+
• Update if needed
• Verify installation

Fix Permissions

sudo npm install -g @alien-lifestyles/mailchimp-mcp

Or configure npm to use a directory you own.

Clear Cache

npm cache clean --force

Getting More Help

Still Having Issues?

Check Documentation

• Review Installation Guide
• Check API Key Best Practices
• Review relevant guides

Check Logs

• Claude Desktop MCP logs
• System logs
• Error messages

Contact Support

• Provide error messages
• Include system information
• Describe steps to reproduce

Prevention Tips

Regular Maintenance

Keep Updated

• Update Mailchimp MCP regularly
• Keep Node.js updated
• Update Claude Desktop

Monitor Health

• Regular account health checks
• Monitor API usage
• Check for errors

Backup Configuration

• Save .env file securely
• Document settings
• Keep API keys safe

Need More Help?

• Getting Started with Claude Desktop - Complete Claude Desktop setup guide
• Installation Guide
• API Key Best Practices
• Getting Help and Support

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Related Articles:

• Getting Started with Claude Desktop - Complete Claude Desktop setup guide
• Installation Guide
• API Key Best Practices
• Getting Help and Support