Terminology

Access token

A short-lived credential that your application uses to make SP-API calls on behalf of a selling partner.

Account

The selling partner account on whose behalf the developer application calls the SP-API. You specify the account by providing a sellerId when you call certain SP-API operations.

Additional seller inputs

Additional seller-provided information that is required to purchase certain shipping services. You can call the getAdditionalSellerInputs operation to find out which additional seller inputs are required for a specific shipping service. After you get these additional seller inputs from the seller, you can use the inputs for the createShipment operation to purchase the shipping service.

Amazon EventBridge

A serverless event bus that connects application data from your own applications, integrated Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications, and AWS services. For more information, refer to Amazon EventBridge.

Amazon-partnered carrier

A carrier who has partnered with Amazon to provide discounted shipping rates.

Amazon S3 presigned URL

A URL for an S3 bucket from which you can download an object without AWS security credentials or permissions. In some cases the object can be compressed, in which case compressionAlgorithm is returned in addition to the URL. The URL expires after five minutes.

Amazon Simple Queue Service (Amazon SQS)

A fully managed message queuing service for microservices, distributed systems, and serverless applications. For more information, refer to Amazon Simple Queue Service.

Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN)

A unique number that identifies an item in the Amazon catalog.

Application

The developer application that calls SP-API on behalf of a selling partner. In the selling partner developer console, you can find the application ID after the application name.

Application ID

A unique identifier that the Solution Provider Portal assigns to your application. You use this ID in authorization URLs when sellers authorize your application.

Archiving

The process of moving data that is no longer being used to a separate storage device or location (such as cold storage) for retention.

Authorization

The process by which a selling partner grants an application permission to call SP-API on the selling partner's behalf. The authorization method is either OAuth 2.0 (public applications) or self-authorization (private applications).

Authorization code

A short-lived token that your application exchanges for access and refresh tokens.

Authorization URI

A URI that lets selling partners authorize your application to access their data.

Authorized partner

An authorized partner is an individual or company to whom a seller has granted access to their account. Authorized partners only have access to the data that sellers grant. All external contractor or companies that are not part of a seller's company must be added as authorized partners. Do not add them as secondary account users.

AWS Region

A physical location in the world where we have multiple Availability Zones. Availability Zones consist of one or more discrete data centers, each with redundant power, networking, and connectivity, housed in separate facilities.

Backup

A copy of data made in case something happens to the original. When a policy is applied to that backup copy, it is known as backup data retention.

Benefits

An object that contains a list of included and excluded Amazon benefits for a shipping service offer. Each excluded benefit has a list of reason codes for why it is excluded.

Burst limit

The maximum number of requests to an SP-API operation that you can build up over time and then submit simultaneously.

Catalog item

Represents an item in Amazon's catalog that is uniquely identified by an ASIN. Data from one or more selling partner listings items are reconciled into a single item in Amazon's catalog and represents the product facts for an item sold on Amazon.

Category XSD

Defines the category-specific data modeling for POST_PRODUCT_DATA XML feed submissions.

Client ID

An identifier that Amazon issues when you register your app in the Solution Provider Portal. You use this ID to get access tokens when you call the Selling Partner API. To get this value, refer to Viewing your application information and credentials.

Client secret

A private key that proves your application's identity. Amazon issues your client secret when you register your app in the Solution Provider Portal. To get this value, refer to Viewing your application information and credentials.

Cold storage

A storage medium for inactive and infrequently accessed data.

Competing featured offer

An offer that might become featured if the target offer is priced higher than the featured offer expected price (FOEP).

Credential rotation

The process of creating a new client secret and invalidating your old client secret.

Current featured offer

An offer that has been selected as the featured offer.

Data retention

The process of storing data for compliance or business reasons.

Data retention period

The amount of time that an organization stores a particular type of data. Different data types should have different retention periods.

Delegatee application

An application that gets authorization to call restricted operations from an RDT that is passed to it by a delegator application. A delegatee application performs a specialized function that requires PII, such as shipping, tax invoicing, or tax remittance services, and is not directly authorized by the selling partner.

Delegator application

An application that gets an RDT and passes it to a delegatee application. The selling partner authorizes and interacts with the delegator application.

Destruction

Physical or technical destruction of data that makes it irretrievable by ordinary commercially available means.

Developer

A person or organization who builds applications using the SP-API on behalf of a selling partner.

Direct fulfillment vendor

A direct fulfillment vendor ships orders to customers on Amazon's behalf. After a customer makes a purchase from Amazon on Amazon's retail website, the direct fulfillment vendor ships the order directly to the customer.

Enabled offer

A replenishment program offer that is eligible for new subscriptions.

Event bus

Receives events from a source and routes them to target resources according to rules associated with the event bus. For more information, refer to EventBus.

Featured offer

An offer for a product that Amazon displays on the product detail page with an Add to Cart button.

Featured offer expected price (FOEP)

A computed listing price at or below which a seller can expect to become the featured offer (before applicable promotions).

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)

Items that are sold on Amazon and fulfilled by Amazon.

Full update

A full update to an Amazon listing results in full data requirements validation on the submitted data and either creates a new listing or replaces the data for an existing listing.

Generic path

A path in a restricted resource that contains a generic identifier, such as {orderId} or {shipmentId}. For example, orders/v0/orders/{orderId}/address.

Grantless operations

Operations that don't require a sellerId as part of the request. For more information, refer to Grantless Operations.

GraphQL

GraphQL is a query language for APIs that enables clients to request and receive data in a single request. GraphQL provides efficient dynamic report generation and advanced filtering and querying capabilities.

Identity and Access Management (IAM)

A security framework that controls who can access an organization's technology resources. For more information about IAM with Amazon, refer to AWS IAM.

Inbound order

Instructs the movement of inventory from an arbitrary location to an AWD distribution center. An inbound order has one or more inbound shipments. Each inbound shipment represents a trackable movement provided by an underlying transportation carrier.

Inbound shipments

Inbound shipments include a list of items that are contained within the shipment, and other details, such as: tracking number, carrier information, quantities received, expiration dates, preparation details, and your item label preparation preferences.

Inventory listing

Contains SKU-level quantities for all inventory in an AWD distribution center.

Invoice

A billing document that selling partners provide to Amazon for the products they supply. For each purchase order selling partners fulfill, they generate and submit invoices to Amazon. The invoice typically includes information such as the purchase order number, item details, pricing, taxes and the total amount due.

JSON schema

JSON is the serialization format that is used by the APIs, notifications, and feed formats described in this guide. JSON schema is a vocabulary for annotating, describing, and validating JSON content. For more information, refer to What is JSON Schema.

JSONL

JSON Lines is a format for storing structured data, where each line represents a separate JSON object. JSONL facilitates data processing and streaming.

KTYPE

A numeric identifier that is associated with a vehicle definition (brand, model, type, year). KTYPEs are used by various brands to link their products.

Less Than Truckload/Full Truckload (LTL/FTL)

A shipment that combines individual boxes on pallets for delivery. The truck might contain shipments to other destinations.

Listing

An item, identified by a SKU, that a selling partner has listed for sale on Amazon. Product facts included in Amazon listings are reconciled into Amazon catalog items, which are identified by ASINs.

Listings item

Represents an item in a selling partner catalog that is uniquely identified by a selling partner-provided SKU. It also represents the product facts and sales terms for an item sold on or fulfilled by Amazon.

Login URI

A URI that lets selling partners log in to your website during the OAuth authorization flow.

Merchant Fulfillment Network (MFN)

Items that are sold on Amazon and fulfilled by the seller.

Meta schema

Describes the vocabulary that is used by JSON schema documents. For example, Amazon product type schemas include vocabulary for selectors and editable. This vocabulary is described in a meta schema, which enables libraries and applications to understand and validate JSON data based on these extensions to the standard JSON schema vocabulary.

Non-Amazon-partnered carrier

A carrier who has not partnered with Amazon to provide discounted shipping rates.

Offer

A replenishable offer, which is different from a listings offer. A replenishable offer is uniquely identified in the backend service by Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN), selling partner ID, marketplace ID, and SKU.

Order acknowledgement

When a vendor accepts or rejects a purchase order sent by Amazon for fulfillment.

Package

A parcel that you want a carrier to ship. The package parameter includes metadata, such as dimensions, weight, and item contents.

Pagination

Pagination involves breaking down a large set of results into manageable chunks or pages, with nextTokens serving as markers to sequentially navigate through these pages.

Partial update

A partial update to an Amazon listing results in partial data requirements validation for the specified attributes and updates one or more attributes for an existing listing.

Partner event source

Used by an AWS partner to send events to an AWS customer account. To receive these events, the customer must associate an event bus with the partner event source. For more information, refer to What Is Amazon EventBridge?

Personally identifiable information (PII)

Information that, when used alone or with other relevant data, can identify an individual.

Primary account users

A primary user, also known as the account administrator or owner, is the person who registers a new account. The primary user has access to every page and feature that their account type offers. This role can’t be granted or revoked, but it has the ability to grant or revoke the access of other users.

Private application

An application that is available only to your organization and is self-authorized.

Private developer

A developer who builds applications that integrate their own company with Amazon APIs.

Product type

A hierarchal categorization of items in the Amazon catalog. Item data requirements are tied to the item's associated product type.

Public application

An application that is publicly available and is authorized by a selling partner.

Public developer

A developer who builds and offers publicly available applications that are used by other companies.

Purchase order

A commercial document, issued by Amazon to a selling partner or supplier, that authorizes the purchase of goods or services.

Queries

Queries are structured requests made to databases or APIs to retrieve specific information based on defined criteria, facilitating data retrieval, manipulation, and filtering.

Rate limit

The maximum number of requests that you can make to an SP-API operation per second. To avoid throttling, stay below this limit.

Redirect URI

A URI that redirects selling partners back to your website after authorization is complete.

Refresh token

A long-lived credential that your application uses to get new access tokens without requiring the selling partner to re-authorize.

Regulated information

Additional information that a customer must include when they purchase a regulated product.

Regulated order

A customer order that contains a regulated product, and the associated regulated information.

Regulated product

A product that is sold on Amazon that requires additional information, provided at the time of purchase, to comply with local regulations.

Replenishment program

A program that offers the recurring delivery of a replenishable item at a frequency that is chosen by the recipient.

REST

An architectural style in which web services use HTTP methods to interact with resources. URLs identify the resources, and client-server communication is stateless.

Restricted Data Token (RDT)

A short-lived access token that authorizes calls to restricted operations. An RDT remains valid for one hour.

Restricted operation

An operation that returns restricted data, such as PII. You need an RDT to call a restricted operation.

Restricted report type

A report type that contains PII. For more information, refer to Restricted report types.

Restricted resource

An HTTP method and path that represent a restricted operation.

Restriction

A condition that prevents the creation of a listing. In some instances, the restriction is due to an approval requirement, in which case additional steps might be available to apply for approval.

Retail procurement vendor

A retail procurement vendor sells inventory to Amazon and ships it to Amazon's fulfillment centers. Amazon then sells and ships the inventory to customers who make purchases on Amazon's retail website. A retail procurement vendor can be a brand owner or a distributor. In some cases they manage the listings of the products that they supply to Amazon.

Role

The mechanism by which SP-API determines if a developer or application has access to an operation or resource. To access the operations and resources grouped under a role, you must request and qualify for that role.

Sandbox

A test environment for that you can use to try SP-API operations and test your application. Includes a static sandbox that returns mocked responses for all operations, and a dynamic sandbox that provides realistic responses for select APIs (Fulfillment Outbound, FBA Inventory, and Vendor Direct Fulfillment).

Schema Explorer

The Data Kiosk Schema Explorer provides a user-friendly interface for visualizing and navigating through the structure and relationships of data schemas. It helps users build queries easily and better understand the underlying data.

Secondary account users

A secondary user is invited by the primary user, through User Permissions. A primary user can grant certain permissions to a secondary user. By setting user permissions, other users can complete tasks (such as manage inventory or handle shipping confirmations).

Sefaz

Brazilian State Tax Administration (Secretaria da Fazenda).

Seller

A seller lists and sells their own goods on Amazon's retail website. After an item is sold, it is either directly fulfilled by the seller using inventory managed by the seller, or fulfilled through the Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) program, using the seller's FBA inventory.

Seller account employee

Works directly for one seller and manages only that seller’s account.

Selling partner

A selling partner can be a seller or a vendor.

Service provider

Third-party individuals and entities that are officially recognized by Amazon to help Amazon partners with day-to-day management and specialized aspects of operating their business with Amazon.

Service provider account administrator

Manages access permissions and administrative functions for a third-party service provider business account and its employees.

Service provider employee

Works for a third-party service provider business and typically manages multiple sellers accounts on behalf of the service provider business.

Shipment

A package and shipping label. A shipment is identified with a ShipmentId value.

Shipment confirmation

Allows Amazon to efficiently track selling partner shipments and inform customers. Shipment confirmations contain information about the items being shipped, including purchase order number, ship date, estimated delivery date, and tracking number.

Shipping label

A label provided by Amazon that selling partners use when shipping orders directly to customers. The label contains the customer's shipping address, order details, and any special handling instructions provided by Amazon.

Shipping service

A carrier’s shipping service, such as UPS Ground or FedEx Standard Overnight, that is identified with a ShippingServiceId value (returned by the getEligibleShipmentServices operation).

Shipping service offer

A shipping service offer made by a carrier. This is represented by the ShippingService datatype and identified with a ShippingServiceOfferId value, which is returned by the getEligibleShipmentServices operation.

SKU

A selling partner-supplied stock keeping unit (SKU) that identifies a listing. Data from one or more listings are reconciled into items in the Amazon catalog.

Small parcel shipment

Units packed in individual boxes that are individually labeled for delivery.

Solution Provider Portal

A single platform for all users who build solutions with Amazon Services APIs, such as SP-API, Amazon Business API, Shipping API, and Multi-Channel Fulfillment API.

Specific path

A path in a restricted resource that contains a specific order or shipment identifier. For example, orders/v0/orders/902-3159896-1390916/address.

Subscribe & Save

An Amazon replenishment program that provides recurring delivery (automatic or manual) of any replenishable item at a frequency chosen by the customer.

Throttling

The act of SP-API temporarily rejecting your requests when you exceed your rate limit. A throttled request results in a 429 HTTP error response. You can retry throttled requests later.

Token bucket algorithm

The algorithm that SP-API uses to rate-limit requests, based on an analogy of exchanging tokens for API requests. For more information, refer to Rate-limiting algorithm.

URL encoding

Converts characters into a format that can be transmitted over the internet.

Usage plan

The combination of rate limit and burst limit that applies to a specific operation. For more information, refer to Usage plan types and Factors that determine usage plans.

Variation

Every color or size for a catalog item represents a variation. Each variation is assigned a different ASIN and these are grouped together as variations of one parent ASIN.

Variation family

A collection of similar items that vary by color, size, or other attributes, which is used to provide a single detail page experience for buyers on Amazon. Each unique combination of color, size, and style is represented by a separate item within the variation family. For example, a clothing article that is sold in multiple colors, sizes, and styles.

Vendor

A vendor supplies the inventory that is sold by Amazon on Amazon's retail website. There are two main types of vendors: Retail procurement vendors and Direct fulfillment vendors.

Verification detail

Additional information about the verification of a regulated order. Supported details differ depending on the product. Some products might not support additional details. Only prescription-related details are currently supported in the US.

Verification status

The status of a regulated order, indicating whether it has been approved or rejected by a skilled professional.

XML schema (XSD)

XML is the serialization format used by some listings feed types. XSD is the specification for describing and validating XML content. For more information, refer to schema.