Amazon's MWS API Shutdown: What Sellers With Private Apps Must Do Now
Amazon will fully shut down legacy MWS API by the end of 2024 after removing inbound shipment, inventory, outbound shipment and notification endpoints in early 2024. Sellers must rebuild private tools to use SP‑API with LWA OAuth tokens, JSON payloads and token‑bucket rate limits.
Overview
Amazon is ending support for the legacy Marketplace Web Service (MWS) API, forcing sellers who rely on private, home‑grown integrations to move to the newer Selling Partner API (SP‑API). The shutdown began with the removal of several MWS endpoints in early 2024 and will culminate in a complete cut‑off later this year. Sellers who automate inventory, shipment, or order processes with custom code must act now or lose all automated functionality.
Key Points
- MWS endpoints removed — Inbound shipment, inventory, outbound shipment, and notification sections of MWS have already been deactivated.
- SP‑API migration mandatory — Private applications can no longer call MWS; they must be rebuilt to use SP‑API endpoints.
- Authentication shift — The new API requires Login with Amazon (LWA) OAuth tokens instead of the old access‑key pair model.
- Data format change — Requests and responses move from XML to JSON, affecting parsing logic in existing scripts.
- Rate‑limit redesign — SP‑API enforces a token‑bucket throttling system, replacing the flat request caps of MWS.
- Third‑party alternatives — Sellers can replace private tools with commercial apps from the Amazon Appstore, which already support SP‑API.
How the Migration Works
- Register as a developer — Log into Seller Central, navigate to the “Developer Permissions” page, and create a developer profile. Example: A seller who previously stored their MWS Access Key ID in a config file now adds a developer name and email to obtain a developer ID.
- Create a new SP‑API application — Within the developer console, generate a new SP‑API app, specifying the required IAM roles (e.g.,
sellingpartnerapi::notifications). Example: An inventory‑sync script that previously calledListInventorySupplynow receives a client ID and client secret for the SP‑API “Inventory” role. - Swap authentication method — Replace MWS signature generation with LWA OAuth flow to acquire short‑lived access tokens.
Analysis & Recommendations
Why This Matters
When MWS is disabled, any custom script that pulls inventory, creates shipments or reads orders will stop working, causing order‑fulfillment delays and lost sales. Migrating to SP‑API before the final cut‑off ensures continued automated operations and compliance with new authentication and throttling rules.
Key Takeaways
- MWS endpoints for inbound shipment, inventory, outbound shipment and notifications were deactivated in early 2024.
- SP‑API requires Login with Amazon (LWA) OAuth tokens instead of the MWS access‑key pair model.
- All requests now use JSON instead of XML, requiring code changes for parsing and payload construction.
- Rate limiting switched to a token‑bucket system (e.g., 10 requests per second) with the x‑amzn‑RateLimit‑Remaining header.
Recommended Actions
- →Audit all code repositories for "mws.amazonservices.com" URLs and Access Key IDs; list each match in a spreadsheet.
- →In Seller Central go to Settings > Developer Permissions, create a developer profile, then generate a new SP‑API app and record the client ID and c...
- →Replace MWS signature logic with an LWA token request to https://api.amazon.com/auth/o2/token and update scripts to parse JSON responses.
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