eBay provides a comprehensive ecosystem to support the seller’s sales process. To exploit this ecosystem, you’ll need an eBay API Key to integrate them.
This comprehensive guide walks you through how to get and use the eBay API key.
What is eBay API Key?
eBay API key is a unique identifier that allows developers to access and integrate with eBay’s Application Programming Interface (API). The eBay API key is used to authenticate and authorize API requests, enabling developers to interact with various eBay services and retrieve data from eBay’s database.
How to Get eBay API Key?
Here is how you can get your eBay API Key in just 3 easy steps:
Step 1: Go to the eBay Developer Program website and create an account.
Step 2: Once you are logged in, navigate to the Application Keys page.
Step 3: Enter your application name and click on the “Create a keyset” button.
Let’s get to the details.
Step 1: Create an eBay Developers Program account
The first step on the journey on how to get and use eBay API key is to create an eBay Developers account. To create an account, you just go to the eBay Developers Program website and click “Join the Program” in the top right corner of the page.
Once you’ve created an account, you’ll need to fill out some basic information related to yourself as well as your project. This includes your name, email address, company name (if applicable), and a brief project description. Once you have submitted this information, you will get an email confirming your account.
Before you can proceed on how to get eBay API key, you’ll need to confirm your email address. To complete this step, you have to click the link in the email you received from eBay Developers Program. This will take you back to the eBay Developers Program website, where you’ll be prompted to log in.
After you’ve logged in, you’ll see a confirmation message showing that your email address has been verified. Then, you can now move on to the next step.
Step 2: Go to the Application Keys page
Now that your account is set up and your email address is verified, it’s time to get your eBay API key. To do this, go to the Application Keys page. At this page you can find this page by clicking on “My Account” in the top right corner of the eBay Developers Program website. Then, you need to choose “Application Keys” from the dropdown menu.
Step 3: Enter your application name and create a keyset
The final step in your journey on how to get your API key is to create a keyset. Simply put, a keyset is a set of settings determining how your app can access eBay resources. To generate a key, you need to fill out a form with some basic information about your application, specifically as follows:
- Give your application a name: Your keyword name can be anything you like, but it’s a good idea to choose a name that reflects the purpose of your application.
- Select API calls: These calls include searching for products, retrieving user information, and managing orders.
- Choose environment: You must choose whether to create a Sandbox or Production keyset. The Sandbox environment is considered a testing environment that allows you to test your application without affecting real eBay listings. The Production environment is the live environment that allows your application to interact with real eBay listings.
- Agree to eBay’s terms and conditions: You should read the terms and conditions carefully to ensure they are suitable for you.
- Click the “Create Keyset” button: This will generate your eBay API key, which you can then use in your application to access eBay’s resources.
How to Use eBay API?
As you know, utilizing eBay APIs helps to craft applications capable of executing numerous tasks like those achievable on the eBay website, eBay mobile app development, or other eBay utilities. And to optimize your journey on how to use eBay API, the eBay Developers Program has assorted APIs into different categories. Each of them enables you to devise inventive solutions that harness the capabilities of eBay.
1. eBay selling APIs
The eBay selling APIs are created for crafting comprehensive selling applications that assist proficient sellers in their sales endeavors on this top selling platform. These APIs cover tasks such as configuring account preferences and posting merchandise for sale on eBay, as well as promoting listings and offering insights into seller achievements. By utilizing the selling APIs, you can develop applications that empower sellers to expand their enterprises effectively on eBay.
The eBay APIs in this category include:
- eBay inventory API (2 Million API calls per day)
- eBay marketing Promotion API (10,000 API calls per day)
- eBay marketing Ads API (10,000 API calls per day)
- eBay logistics API (2.5 Million API calls per day)
- eBay feed API (100,000 API calls per day
- eBay listing API (5,000 API calls per day)
One outstanding example is getOrders API, part of eBay’s Fulfillment API, which enables sellers to retrieve information about their orders and technique fulfillments. This eBay API key mainly lets sellers recover facts about approximately one or more orders that meet distinctive criteria. When naming the getOrders, you can specify numerous filters to shorten the effects.
For example, you could identify a date range to most effectively retrieve orders created inside that variety, or they can select a fixed of order IDs to retrieve records of approximately precise demands. With these outstanding advantages, the getOrders is really one of the best eCommerce practices for many developers.
2. eBay buy APIs
Buy APIs from eBay provide buyers with the ability to search, browse, and purchase items from the eBay marketplace. These eBay API keys empower developers to create engaging buying experiences and facilitate smooth transactions. Feed API (10,000 API calls per day), marketing API (5,000 API calls per day), and order API (5,000 API calls per day) are types of API that belong to this category.
An instance of a buy API is the eBay product feed API. This eBay API key is currently in beta mode and accessible exclusively to qualified partners (find out more about eligibility in the preceding section of this text). This array of APIs is designed to integrate purchasing interactions into your application or website, and the product feed constitutes an integral component of them.
3. eBay commerce APIs
The eBay Commerce APIs gain access to fundamental functionalities associated with typical commercial operations, like determining suitable eBay categories, exploring items within the eBay catalog, and obtaining details from user account profiles. Currently, two types of eBay APIs are supposed to be part of the eBay commerce APIs, including Catalog and Taxonomy.
Let us talk more specifically about Taxonomy API as an example for your reference. True to its name, the eBay Taxonomy API was created to provide access to eBay’s categories, which is essentially a hierarchical organization of eBay categories.
When using it, eBay API can help developers to:
- Retrieve a list of all the categories of a particular eBay marketplace.
- Reach information regarding aspects of a product, such as colors, sizes, or usable icons.
- Check a list of recommended aspects for a particular category.
It is good for sellers who are creating product listings as well as want to make sure that they include all the relevant information about their products. To sum up, the eBay Taxonomy API is considered an amazing tool for eBay developer API who are building applications that interact with one of the top marketplaces for selling products.
4. eBay traditional APIs
EBay’s traditional APIs offer automated entry to data within the eBay marketplace. They allow external developers to construct tailor-made applications, utilities, and services seamlessly integrating with eBay’s marketplace. EBay’s Conventional APIs include:
- The eBay trading API: allows developers to manage eBay listings, retrieve eBay user information, and perform other tasks related to eBay selling and buying.
- The Post Order API: enables developers to manage post-transaction activities, such as shipping, tracking, and returns.
Nonetheless, at present, eBay is promoting the adoption of their more modern RESTful APIs for new development, as these APIs deliver enhanced performance, scalability, and user-friendliness. You should refer to eBay API documentation to know more details.
eBay API Key- FAQs
- How do I get my eBay API key?
To get your eBay API key, you need:
- Join the eBay Developers Program.
- Generate and retrieve your API keys from the My Account page. The keyset assigned to your application will appear on the Application Keys page and on your My Account dashboard. Each keyset is assigned a set of scopes, where each scope gives a specific permission to access a certain part of the eBay API.
- Creat your application using the API eBay key right after you successfully log into your account.
- Is eBay API free?
It appears that eBay provides free access to its API through the eBay Developers Program. However, some APIs may require special permission, and there may be limits on the number of API calls you can make daily. It is important to review the terms and conditions of the eBay Developers Program to understand any applicable limitations or fees.
- Does eBay offer an API?
Yes, eBay does offer an API through the eBay Developers Program. The API provides programmatic access to eBay marketplaces, enabling developers to build custom applications, tools, and services that leverage eBay marketplaces. Some of the APIs offered by eBay include:
- eBay trading API: Access eBay’s core trading functions, like listing items, retrieving details, managing orders, and processing payments.
- eBay searching API:Search eBay’s listings based on criteria like keywords, category, price, and location.
- eBay Shopping API: Reach eBay’s catalog data, retrieve information about products and users.
- eBay merchandising API: Access eBay’s merchandising data, including trending, popular, and related items.
- eBay developer account API: Manage eBay user accounts, including creating, retrieving, and managing account settings.
eBay API Key- The Ultimate Thought
In short, connecting with platforms like eBay via APIs can pave the way for remarkable growth and innovation. And acquiring an eBay API Key is the inaugural step on this integration journey. Through this guide, we hope you have learned how to get and use eBay API key comprehensively.
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