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Submit data using the Feeds API

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Prepare files for MWS

The Feeds API works with files. To submit data into MWS using the Feeds API, you need to do the following:

Step 1. Create a Flow that extracts data from a third-party API or database and creates files that can be uploaded into MWS.

Step 2. Create a Flow that submits the files prepared in step 1 to MWS.

Step 3. Combine the Flows created in steps 1 and 2 into a single nested Flow.

Configure data Formats for the Feeds API

The Feeds API accepts data in two Formats: XML and Tab-delimited flat files. Each feed type requires its own template. For simplicity, we will be describing only flat files in this documentation. Read more about the available flat file templates.

Below is an example of a typical flat file for office supplies (to see a more readable version, copy and paste it into your favorite text editor):

TemplateType=office Version=2017.0511   The top 3 rows are for Amazon.com use only. Do not modify or delete the top 3 rows.                                 Offer-These attributes are required to make your item buyable for customers on the site                                                                         Dimensions-These attributes specify the size and weight of a product                                Discovery-These attributes have an effect on how customers can find your product on the site using browse or search                                     Images-These attributes provide links to images for a product               Fulfillment-Use these columns to provide fulfillment-related information for either Amazon-fulfilled (FBA) or seller-fulfilled orders.                          Variation-Populate these attributes if your product is available in different variations (for example color or wattage)             Compliance-Attributes used to comply with consumer laws in the country or region where the item is sold         Ungrouped - These attributes create rich product listings for your buyers.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
Seller SKU  Product ID  Product ID Type Product Type    Product Name    Brand Name  Manufacturer    Manufacturer Part Number    Product Description Category (item-type)    Update Delete   Product Tax Code    Launch Date Is Gift Wrap Available  Offering Can Be Gift Messaged   Package Quantity    Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price   Standard Price  Sale Price  Sale Start Date Sale End Date   Quantity    Production Time Release Date    Restock Date    Max Aggregate Ship Quantity Is Discontinued by Manufacturer Registered Parameter    Max Order Quantity  Shipping-Template   Item Weight Item Weight Unit Of Measure Item Height Item Length Item Width  Item Dimensions Unit Of Measure Shipping Weight Website Shipping Weight Unit Of Measure Key Product Features1   Key Product Features2   Key Product Features3   Key Product Features4   Key Product Features5   Intended Use    Target Audience Subject Matter  Catalog Number  Search Terms    Main Image URL  Other Image URL1    Other Image URL2    Other Image URL3    Fulfillment Center ID   Package Length  Package Width   Package Height  Package Length Unit Of Measure  Package Weight  Package Weight Unit Of Measure  Parentage   Parent SKU  Relationship Type   Variation Theme Cpsia Warning   CPSIA Warning Description   Prop 65 Other Attributes    Power Source    Additional Features1    Additional Features2    Additional Features3    Additional Features4    Additional Features5    Additional Features6    Additional Features7    Additional Features8    Additional Features9    Additional Features10   Additional Features11   Additional Features12   Additional Features13   Additional Features14   Battery Type    Telephone Frequency Colour  Colour Map  Number of Batteries Required    Display Type    Display Technology  Size    maximum-expandable-size Maximum Size Unit Of Measure    Line Size   Line Size Unit Of Measure   paper-size  Size Map    Paper Size Unit of Measure  Printer Connectivity Type   Printer Type    Printer Output Type Color Pages per Minute  B&W Pages per Minute    Ink Colour1 Ink Colour2 Ink Colour3 Ink Colour4 Ink Colour5 Ink Colour6 Ink Colour7 Ink Colour8 Ink Colour9 Ink Colour10    Ink Colour11    Ink Colour12    Ink Colour13    Ink Colour14    Ink Colour15    Ink Colour16    Ink Colour17    Ink Colour18    Ink Colour19    Ink Colour20    Material Type   DrawerType  Furniture Finish    Number of Hooks Computer Platform1  Computer Platform2  Computer Platform3  Computer Platform4  Computer Platform5  Computer Platform6  Computer Platform7  Paper Finish    Brightness
item_sku    external_product_id external_product_id_type    feed_product_type   item_name   brand_name  manufacturer    part_number product_description item_type   update_delete   product_tax_code    product_site_launch_date    offering_can_be_giftwrapped offering_can_be_gift_messaged   item_package_quantity   list_price  standard_price  sale_price  sale_from_date  sale_end_date   quantity    fulfillment_latency merchant_release_date   restock_date    max_aggregate_ship_quantity is_discontinued_by_manufacturer missing_keyset_reason   max_order_quantity  merchant_shipping_group_name    item_weight item_weight_unit_of_measure item_height item_length item_width  item_dimensions_unit_of_measure website_shipping_weight website_shipping_weight_unit_of_measure bullet_point1   bullet_point2   bullet_point3   bullet_point4   bullet_point5   specific_uses_keywords  target_audience_keywords    thesaurus_subject_keywords  catalog_number  generic_keywords    main_image_url  other_image_url1    other_image_url2    other_image_url3    fulfillment_center_id   package_length  package_width   package_height  package_length_unit_of_measure  package_weight  package_weight_unit_of_measure  parent_child    parent_sku  relationship_type   variation_theme cpsia_cautionary_statement  cpsia_cautionary_description    prop_65 thesaurus_attribute_keywords    power_source_type   special_features1   special_features2   special_features3   special_features4   special_features5   special_features6   special_features7   special_features8   special_features9   special_features10  special_features11  special_features12  special_features13  special_features14  battery_type    radio_bands_supported   color_name  color_map   number_of_batteries display_type    display_technology  size_name   maximum_size    maximum_size_unit_of_measure    line_size   line_size_unit_of_measure   paper_size  size_map    paper_size_unit_of_measure  connectivity_technology printer_technology  printer_output  max_printspeed_color    max_printspeed_black_white  ink_color1  ink_color2  ink_color3  ink_color4  ink_color5  ink_color6  ink_color7  ink_color8  ink_color9  ink_color10 ink_color11 ink_color12 ink_color13 ink_color14 ink_color15 ink_color16 ink_color17 ink_color18 ink_color19 ink_color20 material_type   drawer_type furniture_finish    number_of_hooks operating_system1   operating_system2   operating_system3   operating_system4   operating_system5   operating_system6   operating_system7   paper_finish    brightness
03AMZNTRUF01    079346140763    UPC OfficeProducts  Amazon Face Care Cleansing Pillows  Amazon Skincare Amazon.com  AMZN-234890 A whole new way to reveal softer, smoother, healthier-looking skin. software    Update  A_GEN_NOTAX             10                                                                                          works with Amazon MWS                                       https://etlworks.com/assets/img/cloud_data_integration_etlworks.png

As you can see, the first two lines are part of the template and cannot be changed. The third line contains the column headers, and the rest is data. Let's configure the Format for a Tab-delimited file with a header so that it can be understood by the Amazon MWS Feeds API.

Step 1. Go to Connections > Formats and click +. Type csv into the search field.

csv.png

Step 2. Select the CSV Format and configure the parameters.

mws-feeds-template.png

  • Select Tab as the Delimiter.
  • Enter " as the Quote.
  • Enter 3 as the Start Row.
  • Select Header as the Transformation type.
  • Copy and paste the text below into Filter or Preprocessor or Header:
TemplateType=office Version=2017.0511   The top 3 rows are for Amazon.com use only. Do not modify or delete the top 3 rows.                                 Offer-These attributes are required to make your item buyable for customers on the site                                                                         Dimensions-These attributes specify the size and weight of a product                                Discovery-These attributes have an effect on how customers can find your product on the site using browse or search                                     Images-These attributes provide links to images for a product               Fulfillment-Use these columns to provide fulfillment-related information for either Amazon-fulfilled (FBA) or seller-fulfilled orders.                          Variation-Populate these attributes if your product is available in different variations (for example color or wattage)             Compliance-Attributes used to comply with consumer laws in the country or region where the item is sold         Ungrouped - These attributes create rich product listings for your buyers.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
Seller SKU  Product ID  Product ID Type Product Type    Product Name    Brand Name  Manufacturer    Manufacturer Part Number    Product Description Category (item-type)    Update Delete   Product Tax Code    Launch Date Is Gift Wrap Available  Offering Can Be Gift Messaged   Package Quantity    Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price   Standard Price  Sale Price  Sale Start Date Sale End Date   Quantity    Production Time Release Date    Restock Date    Max Aggregate Ship Quantity Is Discontinued by Manufacturer Registered Parameter    Max Order Quantity  Shipping-Template   Item Weight Item Weight Unit Of Measure Item Height Item Length Item Width  Item Dimensions Unit Of Measure Shipping Weight Website Shipping Weight Unit Of Measure Key Product Features1   Key Product Features2   Key Product Features3   Key Product Features4   Key Product Features5   Intended Use    Target Audience Subject Matter  Catalog Number  Search Terms    Main Image URL  Other Image URL1    Other Image URL2    Other Image URL3    Fulfillment Center ID   Package Length  Package Width   Package Height  Package Length Unit Of Measure  Package Weight  Package Weight Unit Of Measure  Parentage   Parent SKU  Relationship Type   Variation Theme Cpsia Warning   CPSIA Warning Description   Prop 65 Other Attributes    Power Source    Additional Features1    Additional Features2    Additional Features3    Additional Features4    Additional Features5    Additional Features6    Additional Features7    Additional Features8    Additional Features9    Additional Features10   Additional Features11   Additional Features12   Additional Features13   Additional Features14   Battery Type    Telephone Frequency Colour  Colour Map  Number of Batteries Required    Display Type    Display Technology  Size    maximum-expandable-size Maximum Size Unit Of Measure    Line Size   Line Size Unit Of Measure   paper-size  Size Map    Paper Size Unit of Measure  Printer Connectivity Type   Printer Type    Printer Output Type Color Pages per Minute  B&W Pages per Minute    Ink Colour1 Ink Colour2 Ink Colour3 Ink Colour4 Ink Colour5 Ink Colour6 Ink Colour7 Ink Colour8 Ink Colour9 Ink Colour10    Ink Colour11    Ink Colour12    Ink Colour13    Ink Colour14    Ink Colour15    Ink Colour16    Ink Colour17    Ink Colour18    Ink Colour19    Ink Colour20    Material Type   DrawerType  Furniture Finish    Number of Hooks Computer Platform1  Computer Platform2  Computer Platform3  Computer Platform4  Computer Platform5  Computer Platform6  Computer Platform7  Paper Finish    Brightness

Step 3. Save the Format. It can now be used when creating flat files that can be understood by the Amazon MWS Feeds API.

Create a Flow to prepare input files for the Feeds API

Step 1. Create a source (FROM) Connection. It can be a Database Connection, Cloud storage, File storage, or a Web service.

Step 2. Create a Server Storage Connection. Use this as the destination (TO) Connection.

server-storage.png

Step 3. Depending on your source (the place you are pulling data from), select one of the following Flow types:

Database to file

Web service to file

File to file

Step 4. Continue by configuring a Transformation, where the source (FROM) Connection is the Connection created in step 1, the destination (TO) Connection is the Connection created in step 2, and the destination (TO) Format is a Format defined here. In the TO field, enter the name of the file to create, for example, inventory.txt.

amazon-mws-feed-flow.png

Step 5. Configure the Mapping and Parameters for the transformation.

Amazon limits the size of the file you can upload through the Feeds API to 1 GB and approximately 30,000 records. If you expect to upload large files, it is recommended that you split them into smaller chunks. Etlworks Integrator can automatically split files if you set the property Partition By. Go to Mapping > Additional Transformations > Partition By and set Partition By to whatever number of records you want the Etlworks Integrator to split your file by. The number must be less than 30K. For example, if you expect your source dataset to have 100K records, but MWS can only load 30K at one time, you need to set Partition By to 30K. If, for example, the file name is inventory.txt, the Etlworks Integrator will create four files: inventory_1.txt (30K records), inventory_2.txt (30K records), inventory_3.txt (30K records), and inventory_4.txt (10K records).

split-by.pngCreate a Flow that submits files into the Feeds API

Step 1. Create an Amazon MWS Feeds Connection. Use this as the source (FROM) Connection.

Step 2. Start creating the Flow in the Flows window by typing upload data into Amazon MWS into the search field.

mws-feed-flow.png

Step 3. Configure a Transformation, where the source (FROM) Connection is the Server Storage Connection that was created for the first Flow, where FROM is a wildcard file name that matches the original file name, for example: inventory.txt->inventory*.txt, the destination (TO) Connection is the Connection created in step 1 and, finally, TO is any string, for example, inventory.

upload-into-mws.png

Step 4. Set the Flow parameters by clicking Mapping > Parameters. The following parameters are available:

  • Action: select Move if you want to delete the source files after they are submitted to MWS or Copy if you want to keep them.
  • Wait before making next API call: if there are multiple files to upload, this parameter is used to prevent throttling. If the value is greater than 0, multi-threading will be disabled regardless of the value of the property Maximum Simultaneous Operations.
  • Maximum Simultaneous Operations: if there are multiple files to upload, they can be uploaded in simultaneous parallel threads. This parameter controls the maximum number of simultaneous submit operations allowed. It is recommended that you use the default value, which is 1.

Put it all together

Combine Flows 1 and 2 into a single nested Flow.

You have now created a Flow which:

  • Extracts data from the source and creates files to upload.
  • Uploads files into MWS.

upload-inventory.png

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