eCommerce is more than just purchasing and selling goods and services over the Internet. This sphere encompasses a series of operations that require online business owners to use different eCommerce software at their disposal. Such software need data from the e-stores built on different eCommerce platforms and marketplaces. This, in turn, requires the development of integration between the software and marketplace APIs like Amazon API.
Amazon offers an eCommerce API that allows developers to access data related to products, orders, categories, and customers.
This article describes the major features of Amazon API and how they are used in the eCommerce sphere.
The Main Characteristics of API
An API is an intermediary between any software and marketplaces or eCommerce platforms that allow them to communicate and transfer the data. Using API, the eCommerce software can get access to the required data from the various marketplaces and use it to perform their primary functions. For example, Amazon API allows developers to connect their applications and software with the Amazon Marketplace and retrieve data about orders, products, and shoppers.
Performing API requests allows users to access data from marketplaces and platforms using the methods GET, PUT, POST, and DELETE.
The GET allows eCommerce software to retrieve data from marketplaces and platforms. The software can access discount codes, customer purchase histories, and other information.
The PUT method allows eCommerce software to update the data on marketplaces and eCommerce platforms. It can include operations such as updating product prices, product listings, and stock.
The POST method allows the eCommerce software to create new items in the store. The software can add a new product or a product category according to the retailer’s preferences.
The DELETE method allows the software to delete products, categories, or other data from an online store.
Amazon API Features
Amazon is the world's biggest online marketplace. As a result, brands worldwide are successfully growing their online business on Amazon. Also, more and more software and app developers are searching for ways to integrate with Amazon API and offer the functionality of their solutions to Amazon sellers.
Amazon provides an application programming interface that eCommerce software and application developers can use to access and manage its data.
Amazon API allows automation of business operations and third-party software integration. For example, Amazon API can be used to retrieve data related to listings, orders, payments, and reports; moreover, it can be used to transfer the store data related to seller profiles and product reviews.
Amazon API has certain limitations that you need to know about before integrating your software with them.
For example, Amazon API is quite old. Furthermore, you can manage information related to shipments, products, etc., through CSV files or XML.
In addition, working with Amazon API requires a special skill set for developing a reliable interaction between the software and the marketplace.
Getting Access to Amazon Data
To be valuable to online store owners, software providers must integrate their products with Amazon API. Without access to necessary data, the software will be of no use for the sellers, and hence the providers will be unable to introduce it to their prospective clients.
Amazon offers an API for accessing and managing data about products and customer orders, etc. This API is used by various eCommerce software programs to complete their core functions. For example:
Multi-channel systems require Amazon order data to track and manage orders and inventory, create shipments, update order statuses, and prepare detailed reports.
Shipping management systems need real-time access to Amazon data to monitor and sync inventory levels, create shipments and shipping labels, and do similar activities.
Warehouse management systems require data on Amazon products, orders, and customers to automate processes connected with packing and shipping products. They also use such data to keep track of inventory levels and ensure that the right product is being delivered to the right customer.
Various eCommerce applications rely on Amazon data to provide a full range of services for Amazon online store owners.
Development of Integration with Amazon API
API2Cart is a unified API for eCommerce software, providing connections to more than 40 platforms and marketplaces with a single integration. The list of platforms includes industry leaders such as Amazon, Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce, eBay, Etsy, Prestashop, BigCommerce, and many more.
API2Cart can integrate your eCommerce software with multiple shopping platforms at once, eliminating the need for separate integrations. Moreover, it provides more than 100 API methods to manage data related to orders, products, customers, shipments, and categories.
There is no need to worry about the maintenance and continuous upgrades needed after the integration development, as API2Cart takes care of it.
For your convenience, API2Cart provides a thirty-day free trial of its unified API and has flexible pricing to give you a continued experience after the trial. If you want to know more info on how this service works, you can talk to the sales team.