Amazon Seller API Essential Guide

What type of API does Amazon Seller provide?

Key Points:

1. Amazon Web Services (AWS) supports both REST and GraphQL APIs.

2. Amazon API Gateway is a fully managed service that allows developers to create, publish, maintain, monitor, and secure REST APIs.

3. AWS AppSync is a fully managed service for creating GraphQL APIs.

4. SOAP APIs are mentioned as an older technology, but there's no specific reference to Amazon Seller using SOAP.

API Types Supported by AWS:

1. REST APIs:

   • Supported through Amazon API Gateway
   • Uses multiple endpoints in the form of URLs to define resources
   • Good for simple data sources where resources are well defined

2. GraphQL APIs:

   • Supported through AWS AppSync
   • Uses a single URL endpoint
   • Good for large, complex, and interrelated data sources
   • Allows clients to request exactly the data they need

3. SOAP APIs:

   • Mentioned as an older technology
   • Uses Simple Object Access Protocol for exchanging messages using XML
   • Less flexible compared to REST and GraphQL

Conclusion:

While the search results don't provide specific information about the Amazon Seller API, it's most likely that Amazon Seller uses either REST or GraphQL APIs, as these are the modern API types supported by AWS services. REST APIs are more common and widely used, so there's a higher probability that Amazon Seller uses a REST API. However, without specific documentation or information about Amazon Seller's API, we cannot definitively state which type it uses.

To get accurate information about the Amazon Seller API type, it would be best to consult the official Amazon Seller API documentation or contact Amazon Seller support directly.

Does the Amazon Seller API have webhooks?

Availability of Webhooks

Yes, the official Amazon Seller API (also known as Selling Partner API or SP-API) does have webhooks, which they refer to as notifications.

Types of Events Available for Subscription

The Notifications API in SP-API allows you to subscribe to various event types. Here are some of the main categories and specific event types you can subscribe to:

1. Order Management:

   • ORDER_STATUS_CHANGE

2. Listing Management and Submission:

   • LISTINGS_ITEM_STATUS_CHANGE
   • LISTINGS_ITEM_ISSUES_CHANGE
   • PRODUCT_TYPE_DEFINITIONS_CHANGE

3. Product Pricing:

   • ANY_OFFER_CHANGED
   • B2B_ANY_OFFER_CHANGED
   • PRICING_HEALTH

4. Fee Promotions:

   • FEE_PROMOTION

5. Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA):

   • FBA_OUTBOUND_SHIPMENT_STATUS

6. Multi-channel Fulfillment:

   • FULFILLMENT_ORDER_STATUS

7. Merchant Fulfillment:

   • ORDER_CHANGE

8. Brand Management:

   • BRANDED_ITEM_CONTENT_CHANGE
   • ITEM_PRODUCT_TYPE_CHANGE

9. Selling Partner Account Management:

   • ACCOUNT_STATUS_CHANGED

10. Report Processing:

    • REPORT_PROCESSING_FINISHED

11. Feeds Submission:

    • FEED_PROCESSING_FINISHED

Implementation Options

SP-API offers two workflows to receive notifications:

1. Amazon Simple Queue Service (Amazon SQS)
2. Amazon EventBridge

Depending on the notification type you want to subscribe to, you'll need to implement one of these workflows.

Best Practices

When implementing webhooks with SP-API, consider the following best practices:

1. Scalability: Use services like API Gateway to handle incoming webhooks at scale.
2. Authorization and Verification: Implement proper security measures to verify the integrity of incoming messages.
3. Payload Size: Be prepared to handle various payload sizes, considering the limits of your chosen services.
4. Idempotency: Implement checks to handle potential duplicate events.
5. Ordering: Consider the order of events and implement appropriate processing logic.
6. Flexible Processing: Use services like EventBridge Pipes to route events to different targets based on filters and event types.

By leveraging these webhooks (notifications) and following best practices, you can build an event-driven architecture that efficiently processes and responds to changes in your Amazon selling activities.

Rate Limits and other limitations

Here are the key points about the API rate limits for the Amazon Seller API:

Standard Usage Plans

• Most Selling Partner APIs are governed by standard usage plans with static rate limits for all callers.
• Rate limits are based on expected call patterns for each API operation.
• Default usage plan rates are published in the API reference for each API section.

Dynamic Usage Plans

• Some APIs have dynamic usage plans where rate limits can auto-adjust higher or lower depending on business context.

Rate Limit Details

• Rate limits use a token bucket algorithm:

  • Rate: Number of requests per second that can be made without throttling
  • Burst: Maximum number of requests that can be made simultaneously

• Current rate limits are returned in the x-amzn-RateLimit-Limit response header, when available.

Best Practices

• Implement a rate limiter in your code to manage high volumes of traffic.
• Monitor API activity against your rate limit.
• Catch and handle 429 "Too Many Requests" errors.
• Reduce unnecessary API requests through caching, optimizing code, etc.
• Regulate request rates for smoother distribution when using multiple APIs.

Key Considerations

• Rate limits could change, with advance notice given for any decreases.
• Consistently being throttled likely means call patterns are not aligned with assigned rate limits.
• Cannot test actual rate limits in the sandbox environment.

The specific rate limits vary by API operation, so developers should check the documentation for the particular APIs they are using. Implementing proper rate limiting and following best practices is important to avoid throttling and ensure reliable API usage.

Latest API Version

Based on the search results provided, the most recent version of the Amazon Seller API appears to be the Amazon Warehousing and Distribution API v2024-05-09. Here are the key points to consider:

Most Recent API Version

The Amazon Warehousing and Distribution API v2024-05-09 is mentioned multiple times in the search results as the latest version. This API allows sellers to:

• Track inventory inside AWD distribution centers
• Track shipments going into AWD distribution centers

Other Recent API Updates

While not the most recent, there are other notable API updates mentioned:

1. Easy Ship API v2022-03-23
2. Product Pricing API v2022-05-01
3. Application Management API v2023-11-30 (promoted from Public Beta to Production)

Key Considerations

• The Selling Partner API (SP-API) is a REST-based API that helps Amazon selling partners programmatically access their data.
• Amazon regularly updates and releases new versions of their APIs to improve functionality and address developer feedback.
• Developers should stay updated with the release notes and documentation to ensure they are using the most recent and appropriate API version for their needs.

Best Practices

1. Regularly check the SP-API release notes for updates and new API versions.
2. Use the most recent API version when possible to take advantage of new features and improvements.
3. Be aware of any deprecation notices for older API versions and plan to migrate accordingly.
4. Utilize available resources such as use case guides, tutorials, and developer forums to stay informed about best practices and implementation strategies.

Remember that API versions and updates may be specific to certain marketplaces or functionalities, so always verify the applicability to your specific use case and region.

How to get a Amazon Seller developer account and API Keys?

1. Create a Seller Central account:

   • You need to have a professional selling account on Amazon Seller Central to register as a developer.

2. Register as a developer:

   • Sign into Seller Central using your account credentials.
   • In the Partner Network menu, click "Develop Apps".
   • On the Developer Central page, click "Proceed to Developer Profile" if you haven't completed one yet.
   • Fill out the developer profile form.

3. Create a developer profile:

   • In the Data Access section of the form, select the appropriate option:
     • For private seller applications: "My organization sells on Amazon, and I only want to integrate to manage my own business only"
     • For public applications: "My organization builds and offers publicly available applications"

4. Complete registration:

   • Review and accept the Acceptable Use Policy, Data Protection Policy, and Amazon Services API Developer Agreement.
   • Ensure you provide accurate information, especially for security control questions.
   • Submit your developer profile for review.

5. Wait for approval:

   • Amazon will review your developer profile submission.
   • You can check the status of your registration request in Seller Central.

6. Register your application:

   • Once approved as a developer, you can register your Selling Partner API application.

For vendors: If you have a Vendor account instead of a Seller account, the process is slightly different:

• Log into Vendor Central and submit a ticket under Support -> Contact Us -> API Integration -> Registration and access -> Send an email.
• Include your IAM, ARN info, and ensure you are an administrator in Vendor Central with your vendor code.

What can you do with the Amazon Seller API?

Based on the information provided in the search results, here is a list of data models you can interact with using the Amazon Seller API, along with bullet points outlining what is possible for each:

Listings Items API

• Create and edit listings on an individual basis
• Update attributes like price and inventory
• Delete listings
• Retrieve information about specific SKUs
• Create and update listings in bulk using JSON feeds

Product Type Definitions API

• Request requirements for a product type in a given marketplace
• Receive JSON schemas describing all requirements and attributes for a product type
• Validate payloads against product type schemas
• Map product data to Amazon's requirements

Catalog Items API

• Discover contents of the Amazon catalog (ASINs)
• Query and traverse the Amazon catalog hierarchy (classifications, browse nodes)
• Retrieve listings eligibility details by ASIN or product type

Reports API

• Request various types of reports, including:
  • Analytics reports
  • Inventory reports
  • Order reports
  • Returns reports
  • Performance reports
  • Settlement reports
  • FBA reports
  • Tax reports
  • Invoice data reports
  • Browse tree reports
• Schedule and retrieve reports
• Retrieve automatically generated reports

Sales API

• Access sales data (specific capabilities not detailed in the search results)

Feeds API

• Submit bulk updates for listings using JSON feeds
• Create, edit, and delete Amazon listings in bulk

Notifications API

• Subscribe to various notifications related to listings and other events

Orders API

• Retrieve order information
• Handle regulated orders
• Manage Amazon Business orders

Merchant Fulfillment API

• Manage merchant-fulfilled orders (specific capabilities not detailed in the search results)

FBA Inventory API

• Manage FBA inventory
• Check inbound eligibility for FBA items

Vendor Retail Procurement APIs

• Manage vendor invoices
• Handle vendor shipments
• Check transaction status
• Process vendor orders

Amazon Warehousing and Distribution API

• Interact with Amazon's warehousing and distribution services (specific capabilities not detailed in the search results)

This list covers the main data models and APIs mentioned in the search results. Each API provides various operations to interact with different aspects of selling on Amazon, from managing product listings to handling orders and inventory.