Amazon SP-API + Code2ASIN: selling on Amazon from your PIM

Amazon often accounts for 30 to 50% of the e-commerce turnover of retailers who sell on the platform. However, selling on Amazon via a PIM requires an understanding of two distinct issues: creating product listings in the Amazon catalogue (Code2ASIN), and managing inventory, pricing and orders on a day-to-day basis (SP-API). These are two separate modules for two very different use cases.

Amazon SP-API and Code2ASIN: two modules, two roles

Confusion is common. Here is the fundamental distinction:

• Code2ASIN— creates new ASINs in the Amazon catalogue from your PIM product data. This is the listing stage: you do not yet have an ASIN for a product, so you create one. Used once per new product.
• Amazon SP-API— manages the ongoing operational relationship with your Seller Central account: updating stock levels, synchronising prices, retrieving orders, managing existing listings. Used continuously, several times a day.

In practice, the workflow is sequential: Code2ASIN first to create the ASIN, then SP-API to manage the listing on a day-to-day basis.

Code2ASIN: listing a product on Amazon

Creating an Amazon ASIN is one of the most time-consuming steps for retailers listing new products or importing lesser-known brands. The manual process via Seller Central is lengthy, error-prone and limited in volume.

The Code2ASIN module in ProductsManager automates this process using data from the PIM:

1. Existence check— the module begins by checking whether an ASIN already exists for the product’s EAN. If so, it suggests joining the existing listing rather than creating a duplicate.
2. Selection of Amazon product type— Amazon imposes different data models depending on the category (Electronics, Home & Kitchen, Clothing, etc.). Code2ASIN maps your PIM attributes to the corresponding Amazon Product Type.
3. Flat file generation— ProductsManager generates the ASIN creation file in the format required by Amazon, with all mandatory and recommended attributes populated from the PIM.
4. Submission and tracking— the file is automatically submitted to Amazon. Amazon validation errors are reported back to ProductsManager with details of the affected attribute and the required correction.
5. Retrieval of the ASIN— once the ASIN has been created, it is saved in the PIM product record and automatically used by the SP-API module for listing management.

The pitfalls of Amazon listing

Amazon has strict requirements regarding data quality when creating ASINs. The most common errors that Code2ASIN helps to avoid:

• EAN not recognised by GS1— Amazon checks the validity of barcodes. An incorrectly formatted EAN or one not registered in the GS1 database is rejected. The module validates the EAN before submission.
• Non-compliant title— Amazon imposes strict rules depending on the category : maximum length, absence of certain characters, "Brand + Model + Key Feature" format. The module automatically suggests a reformatted title.
• Missing mandatory attributes— each Amazon category has its mandatory attributes. If your PIM does not have them, Code2ASIN specifically flags what is missing before submission (not after rejection).
• Brand conflict— if the brand is registered in the Amazon Brand Registry, creating an ASIN may require additional validation. The module alerts you in advance.

Amazon SP-API: managing your listings on a daily basis

Once the ASINs have been created, the day-to-day management of Amazon listings is handled via the SP-API module. It covers recurring operational use cases:

• Stock synchronisation— your stock levels in the PIM are reflected in your Amazon listings. Out of stock = listing automatically suspended to prevent unfulfillable orders. Back in stock = immediate reactivation.
• Price updates— price changes in the PIM (following a supplier update or a repricing rule) are synchronised with Amazon. The module complies with Amazon’s price parity rules.
• Content updates— titles, descriptions, bullet points, images: any enhancements made in the PIM are pushed to existing Amazon listings (within the limits of the editing rights granted by Amazon).
• Order retrieval— Amazon orders are fed back into ProductsManager to trigger logistics workflows. Useful for FBM (Fulfilled by Merchant) sellers who manage their own shipping.
• Listing performance tracking— Buy Box won/lost, update acceptance rate, alerts on listings removed by Amazon.

Parent/Child ASINs: managing Amazon variants

Amazon structures variants as Parent/Child families: a parent ASIN groups together child ASINs that correspond to variations (size, colour, capacity, etc.). This structure is directly derived from your variant model in the PIM.

• Parent ASIN→ corresponds to the parent product in ProductsManager. It cannot be purchased directly; it is used to group variants.
• Child ASINs→ correspond to the SKUs/variants in the PIM. These are the purchasable ASINs, each with their own stock, price and specific images.
• Variation axes→ configured once in the PIM → Amazon mapping by category (e.g. "Size" and "Colour" for textiles, "Capacity" for electronics). The module manages Amazon’s limits (maximum 2 variation axes per family).

Repricing and Price Monitor

Retailers active on Amazon face constant price competition. ThePrice Monitormodule in ProductsManager integrates with SP-API for automatic repricing:

• Real-time monitoring of competitor prices on your ASINs
• Configurable repricing rules: "match the lowest price without falling below X€", "maintain a 2% margin below the main competitor"
• Automatic updating of Amazon prices via SP-API as soon as a rule is triggered
• Alerts if automatic repricing would fall below your configured minimum margin

Amazon automatic repricing is available from theScale plan.

Case study: multi-brand importer, 3,500 Amazon SKUs

An importer distributing 30 brands on Amazon France and Amazon Germany with 3,500 active SKUs:

• Before: manual creation of new ASINs via Seller Central (1–2 hours per new product), stock updates via daily flat file, 8% of listings permanently suspended due to incomplete data
• After Code2ASIN + SP-API: creation of a new ASIN in 10 to 15 minutes (automatic validation + submission), stock updated in real time, rate of active listings increased to 97%
• Additional benefit: batch enrichment of Amazon descriptions from the PIM (3,000 bullet points generated by AI in 4 hours vs 3 weeks manually), improvement in Amazon completeness score from 54% to 89%

On which plans are Code2ASIN and SP-API available?

TheCode2ASIN and Amazon SP-APImodules are two separate modules, both available from theStarter plan. Automatic repricing is exclusive to the Scale plan. Both modules are included in all paid plans at no extra cost per SKU or per API request.