Amazon Selling Partner API (SP-API): setup and what it can do Advanced
The Selling Partner API lets programs work with an Amazon seller account. Here's what it can do, what you need, and how to get started without being a programmer.
What you'll learn
- What this API is for
- The setup steps, in order
- What it can do for a bot
Before you start
- The Grok Bot app, installed and signed in. New? See where to download it and installing and signing in.
- An account with the service (and, for shipping or selling, a business account).
- Some patience: developer portals look technical, but you only need a few pages.
1. What it is, in plain words
The Selling Partner API lets programs work with an Amazon seller account. An API (application programming interface) is a doorway that lets one program ask another for information or to do something. New to APIs? Read What is an API? and API keys vs OAuth first.
2. Why you'd want it
A bot could pull orders, check inventory and FBA, or run reports.
3. Set it up
- Register as an SP-API developer (private, for your own store, or public).
- Create an app with the roles you need.
- Authorize it to get a refresh token.
- Exchange that for a Login with Amazon (LWA) access token, sent as
x-amzn-access-token.
4. What it can do
- Orders
- Listings and catalog items
- Inventory and FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon)
- Reports and feeds, notifications and pricing
5. Let your bot help
You don't have to write the code yourself. Tell your bot what you want and point it at the official docs:
Read the official Amazon Selling Partner API (SP-API) docs and show me, step by step, how to get my first test call working. Ask me for keys with a secure form.
When your bot needs a key or secret, let it ask you for it with a secure form, so the value is masked and isn't written into the chat. Never paste keys or passwords into an ordinary message.
Official docs: Amazon SP-API docs
Ideas to try
- Seller.
List today's Amazon orders.
- Stock.
Which FBA items will run out in two weeks at the current sales rate?
- Reports.
Request last month's settlement report and summarize it.
- Learning.
Explain which roles I need for orders only.
Tips
- Always start in the test (sandbox) environment if one exists.
- Give keys the smallest permissions that do the job.
- Write down where each key lives so you can replace (rotate) it later.
Facts about the Grok Bot app come from Cursor's official Grok Bot documentation. Third-party details: Amazon SP-API docs. Menus and services change; if something looks different, check the official docs or ask your bot.