How to Use Amazon Listings API to Automate Your Product Updates
Benefits of Amazon Listings API for Sellers:
How many Amazon sellers do you know? How many of them do you know with the knowledge of how tiresome it becomes to keep product listings up to date? Prices change, stock runs out, and even the details need to be updated. Completing this manually takes a lot of time and increases the chances of a lot of mistakes.
This is exactly what the Amazon Listings API was created to do.
This API is a part of Amazon’s Selling Partner API (SP-API). It assists sellers in automating the routine and tedious work of creating, editing, and managing product listings. Rather than logging in to your Seller Central account and going one product at a time, the API allows you to send updates in real time, in bulk, or a combination of both.
This piece is intended to:
In this Amazon Listings API review:
Guide and inform sellers of all listing API’s attributes, its benefits, automation, and mistake avoidance.
Set up, create, and manage accounts to learn the benefits of listings automation and mistake avoidance.
In the end, attendees would learn the time saving, precision enhancing, and business growth benefits of the API.
What You Need To Know About Amazon Listings API
The Amazon Listings API allows sellers to link their apps and systems to Amazon itself. It’s transferred using a secure connection. It strictly follows the protocols set down by Amazon.
This API allows the seller to
– Add new product listings.
– Change product information, including titles and descriptions.
– Adjust prices and stock counts.
– Verify if a product has restrictions before listing.
– Delete any listings they do not require or want.
This API serves as the linkage and communication conduit between your system and Amazon’s. Rather than manually entering all pieces of information, your system communicates with Amazon and provides all required updates.
What’s the Purpose of the Amazon Listings API In Comparison To Manual Updates?
The question that remains is, Why use the API if updates can still be done on seller central. The answer is, time and time again, it’s all about automation.
Complete tasks in record time: Let’s assume that you have a catalog of 1000 products. I can attest that manually updating each product can take you ages. It takes all of 3 minutes with the API.
Reduced Typing Mistakes: Automated systems have a tendency to lessen the chances of typing mistakes. In other words, if your inventory is tied to your warehouse system, it can automatically sync.
Update Information In An Instant: If your prices have a tendency to fluctuate often, the API allows you to set a dynamic price on the Amazon marketplace.
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Capacity: Ability to expand product lines and new offerings within your business without added efforts for your employees due to automation.
For instance, a vendor operating an online store and an Amazon store can integrate the two systems. If an online store goes out of stock for an item, Amazon API will reconcile the stock. Saves negative feedback resulting from overselling.
How Amazon Listings API Works?
The API operates using endpoints. An endpoint is like a gateway that allows your system to communicate with Amazon. Each endpoint serves a particular function.
Below are some of the more common ones:
POST /listings/…/items/{sellerId} → Create or update listings.
PATCH /listings/…/items/{sellerId}/{sku} → Make partial amendments.
DELETE /listings/…/items/{sellerId}/{sku} → Remove a product.
GET /listings/…/items/{sellerId}/{sku} → Retrieve item information.
GET /listings/…/items/{sellerId}/{sku} → Get restricted items for a seller.
Any information that is sent through to Amazon’s servers is processed and either accepted or rejected. If rejected, the API gives back error codes which will explain what the problem is.
How Amazon Listings API Works?
You need to set up access to the API. Below are the guidelines:
Professional Seller Account: You need to have a professional account on Amazon Seller Central.
To register as a developer, go to Seller Central and click Developer Central. Then click developer registration.
Make sure to give the IAM role the correct permissions as defined in the IAM role description.
The tokens that need to be retrieved are the secret and access keys as well as refresh tokens.
The required authentication method is OAuth2.
Make sure to perform API calls in the sandbox environment before actual implementation.
Your system is now ready to integrate with the API.
You can use the API to automatically update the product information in your system.
You can also avoid overselling by automatically updating your stock on Amazon.
Your system can also integrate with Seller Central for the automatic sending of product data.
Bulk Changes
If you have to update thousands of SKUs, the API permits you to do all the changes in a single request instead of doing it one by one.
Outdated Listings Deletion
When products are no longer sold, the API provides the means to delete them without delay.
Example: Updating a Product Title with the API
Let’s say you have a product with SKU TEST-123 and you want to update the title.
You would submit a PATCH request like the one below:
{
“productType”: “PRODUCT”,
“patches”: [
{
op: “replace”,
path: “/attributes/title/0/value”,
value: “Updated Product Title via API”
}
]
}
Amazon pays attention to whether the changes are properly accepted and alters accordingly.
Common Issues with the Amazon Listings API
Sellers are still facing issues despite the power the API provides.
Missing Attributes: Listings may be rejected by Amazon if insufficient data is provided.
Category Restrictions: Certain categories require prior approval (e.g. health, beauty, and products gated by brands).
Wrong Format: Requests that are not in the appropriate JSON format are automatically rejected by Amazon.
Rate Limits: Amazon sets a limit to the number of requests sent per minute by the API.
To avoid these problems, always check the responses thoroughly and conduct tests before going live.
Best Practices for Using the Amazon Listings API
Always Test First: Always utilize sandbox mode to prevent mistakes on active listings.
Log Errors: Always keep API responses so you can easily troubleshoot issues.
Update Regularly: Constantly update to ensure product information is correct.
Respect Rate Limits: Pace your requests to avoid the risk of being blocked.
Secure Access: API keys and tokens should never be shared.
Why Automate Product Updates:
There are numerous advantages of using the Amazon Listings API:
Less manual work
Eliminates errors made by staff
Data is consistently refreshed
Business growth is made easier
Less overselling results in a better customer experience
A former seller who switched to API automation for instance, saved over 20 hours every week. This allowed them to concentrate on marketing, rather than updating information manually.
FAQs.
Q1: Do I need to be a professional seller to use the Listings API?
Only professional seller accounts can use SP-API.
Q2: Can I bulk update all my products at once?
Yes, in a single request, you can update thousands of SKUs.
Q3: What if my listing is restricted?
You cannot create the listing until you seek approval.
Q4: To use the API, is it necessary to know coding?
Yes, it is necessary to know coding, or a developer is needed.
Q5: Can I use the API to automatically update the prices?
Yes, numerous sellers utilize the API for updating prices in real time.
Q6: How do I go about testing my API calls?
Test API calls in Amazon’s sandbox prior to going live.
Q7: Is the API safe for use?
Yes, as long as you execute the necessary security measures.
Q8: Can I remove products with the API?
Yes, you can remove products by using the DELETE endpoint to listings.
Q9: Is the API available for all the marketplaces?
Yes, with the right marketplace ID.
Q10: What happens if I send an excessive number of requests?
Amazon may throttle or block your requests for some time.
Conclusion
Amazon Listings API is an invaluable asset for sellers. It permits the automation of product updates, bulk error reduction, and streamlined listings management. Time saved through automation can be diverted to business growth.
The API is beneficial for all sellers as it offers reliable and speedy processes for updating prices, listing inventory, and new listing creation.
Commitment to selling on Amazon involves acquiring knowledge on using the API Listings as a guarantee to success.
