Amazon SP-API: What Sellers Should Know

Amazon has been making some major API updates. Selling Partners, including eComEngine, are transitioning to the Amazon Selling Partner API (SP-API) throughout 2022, with milestones to reach by July 31, September 20, and December 31.

In this article, we’ll explain what exactly an API does, how Amazon SP-API differs from Amazon MWS, and what you can expect from this change.

What is an Amazon API?

An application programming interface, or API, allows one computer or application to transfer information to another. Amazon has many APIs for transferring different information, including Orders, Reports, and Listings. For example, the Amazon MWS API allows software tools like RestockPro and FeedbackFive to receive information from Seller Central.

Some Amazon sellers and vendors use Amazon APIs to build custom reporting or task solutions for their businesses. Many use third-party software which integrates with Amazon APIs, such as the software we create here at eComEngine, to manage their Amazon businesses.

Pricing, inventory levels, fees, and other aspects of running an Amazon business are constantly changing. The Amazon API provides this information so merchants can make informed decisions about when to change pricing, reorder inventory, and more.

What’s Changing?

Amazon software developers are currently transitioning from the old MWS APIs to the new SP-APIs. Keep reading to learn why this change will benefit sellers as well as vendors.

Amazon will be discontinuing some MWS APIs in July: Orders, Reports, and Merchant Fulfillment. This change will impact all developers whose software tools are included on the Seller Central Partner Network (now the Selling Partner Appstore) and who use these particular APIs. Then, in September, Amazon will discontinue the MWS Catalog Items and Listings Items APIs.

This change won’t impact every developer and seller. Sellers who use applications developed in-house to integrate with Amazon MWS directly won’t be affected. Neither will registered developers who use APIs for different types of data not included in the list.

Amazon SP-API Benefits

One of the biggest changes related to the Amazon SP-API is that it supports APIs for vendors. Developers will be able to build software specifically for the needs of 1P vendors. Amazon SP-API also provides stronger data protection and security capabilities with a new tokens API designed to protect personally identifiable information.

The SP-API includes notifications for changes to brand listings, MFN order status, and more. It also incorporates automation for pricing, A+ Content, fees, and Amazon shipping services. FBA sellers will certainly appreciate the inventory and inbound eligibility checks. Amazon states that the SP-API has better consistency and more accurate sales data.

What to Expect

Most of the Amazon software on the market today relies on the APIs Amazon is phasing out. Many will migrate to the Amazon SP-API. Those that choose not to will lose access to the information that is currently transferred via the existing APIs.

As an Amazon seller, you’ll want to be sure that any software you’re using integrates with the Amazon SP-API. The last thing you want to do is be shopping for new software right before Prime Day!

Here at eComEngine, we’re hard at work transitioning FeedbackFive and RestockPro to the SP-API. Our developers are making sure the software continues to run smoothly throughout the transition. If you have any questions about this process, feel free to reach out to our team!