Amazon sellers have noticed more than anyone else that data integration provides a high level of sales automation and helps to quickly grow an e-commerce business.
Thus, for the automation data flow and best management inventory and sales operations, Amazon Sellers use a technology called “API” (Application Programming Interface).
An API is a software that establishes a connection between computer programs and allows them to interact with each other. API connects different systems and automatically coordinates data flow and process.
In this article, we will look at the new Amazon Selling Partner API (SP-API) as well as Amazon Marketplace Web Service (Amazon MWS). We’ll take a look at why Amazon sellers should switch from Amazon MWS to SP-API and the best way to do it.
What is Amazon Marketplace Web Service (Amazon MWS)?
The Amazon Marketplace Web Service (Amazon MWS) is an API service built for Amazon sellers of all sizes. MWS APIs has served Amazon merchants for over 10 years by offering programmatic access to important Amazon features.
By integrating their Amazon store data using Amazon MWS, merchants can significantly reduce order processing time and improve sales efficiency.
It helps programmatically exchange the following information:
- product lists updates;
- inventory updates;
- order data;
- payment information;
- fulfilment;
- reports and much more.
What is Selling Partner API (SP-API)
The Selling Partner API (SP-API) is an enhanced version of Amazon MWS. It includes all the features that existed in Amazon MWS, however, all future developments will be SP-API-only.
Thus, SP-API is Amazon’s next-generation REST-based API created on Amazon Marketplace Web Service (MWS) APIs.
REST-based Selling Partner API Key Features
As mentioned above, the SP-API is an improved version of the Amazon MWS and it has many improvements. Below are some of the new SP-API features:
- modernized REST-based APIs that accept an input and output in JSON format
- New service endpoints that are now supported in all regions.
- A sandbox feature for testing with dummy data, using different sandbox endpoints. Thus, it is now possible to test applications by making calls to the sandbox environment.
- The ability to create an SDK that will help you with LWA token exchange and authentication.
- Dynamic usage plan that automatically adjusts bid limits for each selling partner based on various metrics.
- SP-API has a brand new feature: API for Amazon Vendors – which is accessed through the same API control plane using the same authorization mechanisms.
- RDTs (Restricted Data Tokens) support for a secure way to access a customer’s PII (Personally Identifiable Information)
- Based on a variety of factors, a dynamic usage plan automatically adjusts rate limits for each selling partner.
- Support for SP- API is now available in all regions.
Amazon MWS replaced by new Amazon Selling API (SP-API)
According to Amazon, in the future, all new API functionality will be built into the Amazon Selling API, and MWS updates will only be performed to support some business-critical changes.
Thereby, the question that worries many Amazon sellers who are now using MWS: What will happen to the Amazon MWS?
The legacy MWS APIs is going away, so it will be deprecated.
On April 6, 2021, the first stage of Amazon MWS deprecation has already begun for the following section:
- Orders
- Reports
- MFN (Merchant Fulfillment Network)
This applies to all public apps authorized by selling partners in the Marketplace appStore. To prevent interruptions, you must migrate before July 31, 2022.
NOTE: All API calls from public applications using the sections listed above of Amazon MWS will not be successful after July 31, 2022.
The specified sections will continue to be available to private applications after July 31, 2022. They are not required to migrate at this time.
By September 30, 2022, all public applications authorized by Selling Partners that use the MWS Product API must migrate to the SP-API.
By December 31, 2022, all public applications authorized by Selling Partners that use all other sections of the MWS API must be fully migrated to SP-API. This comprises applications using the following MWS API sections:
- Feeds API
- Finances API
- Fulfillment Inbound Shipment API
- Fulfillment Inventory API
- Fulfillment Outbound Shipment API
- Recommendations API
- Sellers API
- Subscriptions API
- Push Notifications Schemas
NOTE: As long as your application is used only by your business and is not authorized by other Amazon Selling Partners, you are not obliged to migrate to SP-API this year.
So, even though it is currently not a requirement to migrate from Amazon MWS to SP-API, however, Amazon highly recommends planning the migration process as soon as possible.
So either way, at some point you will need to migrate to Amazon Selling API in order to continue using the service. Therefore, it is better to do it now, while you still have enough time, than to migrate at the last moment.
Conclusion: How to migrate Amazon MWS to new Amazon Selling Partner API (SP-API)
Companies running their Amazon Seller account, on different marketplaces, can take advantage of the EDI2XML integration service.
For many years, our company has been successfully helping businesses of all sizes to solve various integration issues on Amazon. Our e-commerce integration experts can handle anything from migration Amazon MWS to SP-API to complex data integration projects with internal accounting, or business systems such as ERP or CRM.
If you need help with Amazon integration, please contact us for your first free consultation. Our integration specialists will be happy to assist you.
