The new Amazon Product Advertising API 5 - New features, plugins and issues
There is news on Amazon. The Amazon Product Advertising API, which is still active, will not be available for much longer. The new version 5 is in the starting blocks
What this API really is about and what benefits the new version brings, I explain below
But I also look at possible problems and things to watch out for
What is the Amazon Product Advertising API
The API (Application Programming Interface) allows access via an interface to product data, e.g. a shop. This is also the case with Amazon, so you do not have to go to the actual website, but for example. can read out the price of a product via the API
For this you can program something yourself or use an Amazon plugin, such as AAWP. This makes it very easy to retrieve product data, but also bestseller lists and more
Most affiliate programs require an API key to use the API. This is also the case with Amazon
What's in the API Version 5
Amazon has been working on a new version of its own Product Advertising API for quite some time. With the version 5 come some changes
There are several new features, such as better queries about offers, more information about Prime, free shipping, etc., a better product search, access to worldwide products and much more
So far, I do not see any really great innovations that change everything, but much will definitely be improved and optimized. So far, there have always been problems with the query of prices of individual products and I hope that belongs to the new API of the past
However, it is important that HTTPS is now absolutely necessary. So you have to change your affiliate website to SSL encryption before you can use API version 5
careful in the conversion
On a small affiliate website I have ever installed the new AAWP version (3.9), which uses the API version 5
It is important to note that only current API keys can be used. Anyone who has created his API access data via the Amazon Web Services (AWS) before September 2017 must now switch to new keys
In the PartnerNet backend under "Tools> Product Advertising API" you find the possibility to migrate your previous key. To do this you simply have to click on "Switch" and thus move from AWS directly to the PartnetNet. You will have to enter the new API access data into the settings of the Amazon plug-in you are using
When is the new Amazon API release coming
Originally, the API version 4 should be turned off on 31.10.2019. Since only shortly before the version 5 had been announced, there was no real transitional period
Developers were already involved before. Most Amazon plugins already support version 5 of the API, but some do not. You should check that
Now Amazon has postponed the shutdown date for the API version 4 but backwards, since one has probably encountered some problems with large users. I would have been surprised if everything would have worked smoothly in such a short time
And especially as there are still limitations and problems with the new API, which many affiliates should not like, the shutdown of the API 4 is probably only in early 2020. Amazon will certainly announce a new date
Conclusion
I think it's good that Amazon continues to develop the Product Advertising API. This shows very clearly that one stands behind the own partner program. I'm also looking forward to using new features or just integrating more reliable data from Amazon
But of course I hope that when you turn off version 4, the new version works completely and includes all the features. Well wait
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