Overview

Amazon's Selling Partner API (SP-API) is the company's modern suite of REST-based APIs designed to help sellers, vendors, and developers automate key aspects of their Amazon business. Replacing the older Marketplace Web Service (MWS), SP-API offers improved authentication, broader functionality, and a standardized developer experience. Whether you're building tools for your own selling account or creating applications for other Amazon sellers, SP-API serves as the backbone of programmatic interaction with the Amazon marketplace.

Key Points / What Sellers Need to Know

• SP-API replaces MWS — Amazon's Selling Partner API is the next-generation platform that supersedes the legacy Marketplace Web Service. All new integrations should be built on SP-API, and existing MWS integrations have been migrated.
• OAuth 2.0 authentication via Login with Amazon (LWA) — SP-API uses modern OAuth 2.0 standards through Login with Amazon for secure authorization. This allows sellers to grant and revoke access to third-party applications with granular control.
• Self-authorization and delegated access — Developers can authorize SP-API calls for their own seller account or receive authorization tokens from other sellers to act on their behalf.
• Professional selling plan required — To register as an SP-API developer and build applications, you must have a Professional selling plan on Amazon. This applies whether you're developing for your own account or for the Amazon Appstore.
• Developer profile is mandatory — All new and existing developers must complete a developer profile that Amazon uses to assess compliance and determine the appropriate level of data access.

How SP-API Works

At its core, SP-API is a collection of RESTful endpoints that allow programmatic access to Amazon's selling platform. Developers register through Seller Central, complete a developer profile, and receive authorization credentials through Login with Amazon. Once authenticated, they can make API calls to manage inventory, process orders, generate reports, handle shipping, and more. The system supports two main use cases: developers building tools for their own selling operations, and developers creating applications that other sellers can authorize and use. When a seller authorizes a third-party developer, that developer gains access to the seller's product listings, order management, shipping details, pricing data, performance metrics, and financial information. Sellers should carefully review what permissions they grant, as authorized developers have broad visibility into business operations.