Amazon's MWS to SP-API Migration Deadline: What Private App Sellers Need to Know
Amazon will permanently deactivate key MWS endpoints on the announced cut‑off date, ending feeds like SubmitFeed and inbound shipment creation. Private apps must rebuild using SP‑API endpoints such as POST /fba/inbound/v0/plans and POST /feeds/2020‑09‑04/documents, replacing token auth with LWA and IAM roles.
Overview
Amazon has set a firm cut‑off for any private applications that still rely on the legacy Marketplace Web Service (MWS) API. After the deadline, specific MWS endpoints will be disabled permanently, causing any custom tools that call those endpoints to stop working. Sellers who depend on private apps for core Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) processes must treat the migration to the Selling Partner API (SP‑API) as an immediate priority.
Key Points
- Deadline enforcement — Amazon will permanently deactivate several MWS sections on the announced date, leaving no grace period for extensions.
- Core FBA functions impacted — The retiring endpoints include inbound shipment creation, inventory updates, outbound shipment tracking, and notification schemas, all of which are essential to daily FBA operations.
- Full SP‑API rebuild required — Private apps that pull data from MWS must be re‑engineered to use the matching SP‑API endpoints; simple token swaps are insufficient.
- Third‑party alternatives available — Sellers lacking development resources can adopt ready‑made solutions from Amazon’s Marketplace Appstore that already run on SP‑API.
- Earlier phase‑outs already applied — Amazon has previously removed other MWS sections without granting extensions, indicating a strict “no‑delay” policy for the final shutdown.
How SP‑API Migration Works
- Developer registration — Sign up as a developer in Seller Central, create a new SP‑API application, and obtain the required IAM role permissions. Example: A seller registers, assigns the “sellingpartnerapi::notifications” scope, and receives an ARN for the role.
- Authentication switch — Replace the legacy MWS Auth Token with Login with Amazon (LWA) credentials and the newly created IAM role. Example: The private app’s config file is updated to store the LWA client ID, client secret, and refresh token.
- Endpoint mapping — Use Amazon’s migration guide to map each MWS call to its SP‑API counterpart.
Analysis & Recommendations
Why This Matters
If migration is not completed, inbound shipment creation, inventory updates, and outbound tracking will cease, halting fulfillment and causing inventory sync failures. Private apps that rely on MWS SubmitFeed will lose the ability to upload feeds, disrupting daily operations. The deadline is firm with no extensions, so sellers must act now to avoid downtime.
Key Takeaways
- Amazon will permanently deactivate several MWS sections on the announced cut‑off date with no grace period.
- Core FBA endpoints impacted include inbound shipment creation, inventory updates, outbound shipment tracking, and notification schemas.
- Migration requires replacing the MWS Auth Token with Login with Amazon credentials and an IAM role (e.g., sellingpartnerapi::notifications scope).
- Example mapping: MWS CreateInboundShipmentPlan → SP‑API POST /fba/inbound/v0/plans; MWS SubmitFeed → SP‑API POST /feeds/2020-09-04/documents then P...
Recommended Actions
- →In Seller Central > Developer Central, register as a developer, create a new SP‑API application, and record the IAM role ARN and LWA credentials.
- →Audit your private app’s code to list every MWS endpoint (e.g., ListInventorySupply, SubmitFeed) and map each to the SP‑API counterpart using Amazo...
- →Update the app’s config with LWA client ID, client secret, and refresh token, then run end‑to‑end tests in the SP‑API sandbox for each workflow bef...
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