Working with Amazon Web Services
I started at Amazon last year, but didn’t actually got chance to work with them until recently when we had to integrate with Amazon Ecommerce Service (ECS).
Amazon Web Services come in two flavors: REST and SOAP. According to inside sources about 70% use REST. I also found that REST interface was more reliable and simple. Though, I will describe both techniques here:
Getting Access ID
First, visit http://www.amazon.com/gp/browse.html?node=3435361 to get your own access key.
RTFM
I will describe ECS here and it comes with 450 pages of documentation, though most of it just describes URLs and input/output fields. You can find documentation and sample code at http://developer.amazonwebservices.com/connect/kbcategory.jspa?categoryID=59. I also found Eric Giguerre’s tutorial on AWS very useful.
Other interesting links include: blog site for updates on AWS, a Forum #1, Forum #2 and FAQ.
Services
Inside ECS, you will find following services:
- ItemSearch
- BrowseNodeLookup
- CustomerContentLookup
- ItemLookup
- ListLookup
- SellerLookup
- SellerListingLookup
- SimilarityLookup
- TransactionLookup
REST Approach
The rest approach is pretty simple, in fact you can simply type in following
URL to your browser (with your access key) and will see the results (in XML)
right away:
Finding images for Harry Potter Video:
http://ecs.amazonaws.com/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService&AWSAccessKeyId=[your-key] &Operation=ItemSearch&SearchIndex=Video&Keywords=potter%20harry&ResponseGroup=Images
Finding images for Harry Potter Video:
http://ecs.amazonaws.com/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService&AWSAccessKeyId=[your-key] &Operation=ItemSearch&SearchIndex=Books&Keywords=rails&ResponseGroup=Request,Small
Finding ASINS by keywords:
http://ecs.amazonaws.com/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService&AWSAccessKeyId=your-key &Operation=ItemSearch&SearchIndex=Books&Keywords=rails&ResponseGroup=ItemIds
Find DVD cover art:
http://ecs.amazonaws.com/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService&AWSAccessKeyId=[ID]&Operation=ItemSearch &SearchIndex=DVD &Keywords=potter%20harry &ResponseGroup=Images
Find CDs that contain music by Beethoven:
http://ecs.amazonaws.com/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService &AWSAccessKeyId=[ID] &Operation=ItemSearch &SearchIndex=Music &ResponseGroup=Small,Tracks &Composer=Beethoven
Find by Vendor:
http://ecs.amazonaws.com/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService &AWSAccessKeyId=[ID] &Operation=ItemSearch &SearchIndex=Apparel &ResponseGroup=Large,Variations &MerchantId=[ID] &ItemPage=1
http://ecs.amazonaws.com/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService &AWSAccessKeyId=[ID] &Operation=ItemSearch &SearchIndex=Apparel &ResponseGroup=Large,Variations &MerchantId=[ID] &ItemPage=2
Find all new products on Amazon that cost less than $1:00
http://ecs.amazonaws.com/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService &AWSAccessKeyId=[ID] &Operation=ItemSearch &SearchIndex=Blended &ResponseGroup=Small,Offers &MerchantId=All &MaximumPrice=99
Find all new/old products on Amazon that cost less than $1:00
http://ecs.amazonaws.com/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService &AWSAccessKeyId=[ID] &Operation=ItemSearch &SearchIndex=Blended &ResponseGroup=Small,Offers &MerchantId=All &MaximumPrice=99 &Condition=All
Find used Barbie dolls
http://ecs.amazonaws.com/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService &AWSAccessKeyId=[ID] &Operation=ItemSearch &SearchIndex=Toys &Title=Barbie &Manufacturer=Mattel &Condition=All &ItemPage=1
or
http://ecs.amazonaws.com/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService &AWSAccessKeyId=[ID] &Operation=ItemSearch &SearchIndex=Toys &Title=Barbie &Manufacturer=Mattel &Condition=All &ItemPage=2
Scenario #6:
Search for Godiva dark
http://ecs.amazonaws.com/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService &AWSAccessKeyId=[ID] &Operation=ItemSearch &SearchIndex=GourmetFood &Keywords=dark%20chocolate
&Manufacturer=Godiva
Search for purple products
http://ecs.amazonaws.com/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService &AWSAccessKeyId=[ID] &Operation=ItemSearch &SearchIndex=Blended &Keywords=purple
Find competitive pricing
http://ecs.amazonaws.com/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService &AWSAccessKeyId=[ID] &Operation=ItemLookup &ItemId=ABC1,ABC2,P12345 &ResponseGroup=Request,Small,Offers &Condition=All &MerchantId=All
Find a toy by UPC
http://ecs.amazonaws.com/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService &AWSAccessKeyId=[ID] &Operation=ItemLookup Amazon E-Commerce Service Developer Guide 46 &IdType=UPC &ItemId=[UPC] &SearchIndex=Toys &ResponseGroup=Request,Small,Offers &Condition=Collectible &MerchantId=All
Find a particular gas gril
http://ecs.amazonaws.com/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService &AWSAccessKeyId=[ID] &Operation=ItemLookup &IdType=UPC &ItemId=[UPC] &SearchIndex=OutdoorLiving &DeliveryMethod=ISUP &ISPUPostalCode=12345 &ResponseGroup=Request,Small,Offers &Condition=All &MerchantId=All
Compare pricing for different size/color
http://ecs.amazonaws.com/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService &AWSAccessKeyId=[ID] &Operation=ItemLookup &IdType=SKU &ItemId=[SKU1,SKU2,SKU3] &SearchIndex=Apparel &ResponseGroup=Request,Small,Offers,Variations &MerchantId=[ID]
Find a book
http://ecs.amazonaws.com/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService &AWSAccessKeyId=[ID] &Operation=ItemLookup &ItemId=[ASIN] &SearchIndex=Books &ResponseGroup=Request,ItemAttributes,Offers
Find by ASIN
http://ecs.amazonaws.com/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService &AWSAccessKeyId=[ID] &Operation=ItemLookup &ItemId=[ASIN]
Find reviews for bestsellers
http://ecs.amazonaws.com/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService &AWSAccessKeyId=[ID] Amazon E-Commerce Service Developer Guide 47 &Operation=ItemLookup &ItemId=[ASIN] &SearchIndex=Books &ResponseGroup=Request,EditorialReview,Reviews,SalesRank
See additional customer reviews
http://ecs.amazonaws.com/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService &AWSAccessKeyId=[ID] &Operation=ItemLookup &ItemId=[ASIN] &SearchIndex=Books &ResponseGroup=Request,Reviews &ReviewPage=2 http://ecs.amazonaws.com/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService &AWSAccessKeyId=[ID] &Operation=ItemLookup &ItemId=[ASIN] &SearchIndex=Books &ResponseGroup=Request,Reviews &ReviewPage=3
Lookup samples and notes
http://ecs.amazonaws.com/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService &AWSAccessKeyId=[ID] &Operation=SimilarityLookup &ItemId=ABC1 &ResponseGroup=Request,Small,Offers &Condition=All &MerchantId=All
Lookup similar group of products
http://ecs.amazonaws.com/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService &AWSAccessKeyId=[ID] &Operation=SimilarityLookup &ItemId=ABC1,ABC2,ABC3 &ResponseGroup=Request,Small,Offers &Condition=All &MerchantId=All
The REST base URLs are:
- United States (US): http://webservices.amazon.com/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService
- United Kingdom (UK): http://webservices.amazon.co.uk/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService
- Germany (DE): http://webservices.amazon.de/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService
- Japan (JP): http://webservices.amazon.co.jp/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService
- Canada (CA): http://webservices.amazon.ca/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService
- France (FR): http://webservices.amazon.fr/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService
REST request is pretty simple, in Java all you need is to create URL and add all service arguments as form arguments. For example,
