How To Fix Amazon API RequestThrottled Error? Amazon API Usage Limits

After recent changes in the Amazon affiliate program and setting limits usage, many users started encountering Amazon API RequestThrottled error. Why this error appears and how to fix it is something I will discuss in this post.

The Amazon API, or Application Programming Interface, can be used by WordPress plugins, themes, and other tools to integrate with Amazon so that they can retrieve product information, images, reviews, etc. from Amazon.

WordPress & WooCommerce Amazon affiliate plugins like AAWP, AmaLinksPro, Content Egg, WooZone, ThirstyAffiliates, and others can’t interact with Amazon’s servers if the API keys are not inserted or not working.

Even WordPress Amazon affiliate store builder themes use API and tools like Genius, which can be used to automatically localize Amazon affiliate links, among many other features.

The API lets Amazon Associates integrate their websites with Amazon’s databases so that they can use information about products that are sold on Amazon’s site to display them on their sites. But some plugins provide no API module so you can still have all API benefits even if you still don’t have access to it.

Be sure also to check posts about Amazon Associates program:

• How to set up Amazon OneLink and using one link refer users to Amazon store locale based on visitor IP?
• Amazon affiliate commission rate changes (Amazon recently again reduced affiliate commissions)
• Amazon affiliate guide – everything you need to know
• How to easily receive Amazon affiliate payments anywhere in the world
• Amazon affiliate rules which you need to follow

 

Amazon API RequestThrottled Error

Before, Amazon gave all Amazon Associate accounts that were in good standing unlimited access to its API. Limitations and restrictions were imposed starting in January 2019. Now, Amazon Associates need to have qualified sales attributed to API links in the last 30 days to avoid having their API access become either limited (throttled) or possibly revoked.

Usage limits were also changed as of January 23rd, 2019. Now account limits are subsequently determined according to associate account revenue performance based on Product Advertising API requests within the last 30 days (if you didn’t update to Amazon API 5, do that so that you can use it without issues).

 

 

All Product Advertising API 5.0 accounts are given a usage limit of max 1 request per second, and there’s a maximum of 8,640 total requests per day (TPD) over the first 30 days after your account has been approved.

After that, Product Advertising (PA) API usage will depend on the shipped item revenue for each active account. Accounts will then receive either 1 TPS (up to a maximum of 10) for every $4,320 of shipped product item revenue or 1 TPD for every 5 cents of revenue generated using Product Advertising API for their shipments in previous 30 day period.

If your account isn’t generating enough revenue according to these standards for consecutive 30-day intervals, your account won’t be able to access Amazon’s Product Advertising API.

To find out if your sales are being directly attributed to the PA API requests (or calls) that you make, look for the following information:

• Your primary account is being used in all of your Product Advertising API calls.
• Your Associate tag is passing through in all of your Product Advertising API calls.
• You are using the links provided by Product Advertising API when linking back to Amazon.
• Your Product Advertising API and Associate account were both created using the same email address or Amazon account.

You can use the Associates Central reports tool to create a report that will display all of your sales that have been attributed to your PA API requests.

The report can be found by taking these steps:

1. Begin by logging into your Amazon Associates account.
2. Find the “Summary for this Month” box that appears on the right-hand side.
3. Look for the “View Full Report” button on the bottom and click on it.
4. Select the timeframe dropdown menu.
5. Choose the last 30 days as your timeframe for the report.
6. The second box that appears (directly underneath the earnings report) has three tabs. “Ordered Items” will automatically appear by default.
7. Click on the “Link Type Performance” tab.
8. Here you can find all conversions and clicks that are directly attributed to Amazon’s Product Advertising API.

 

 

The Product Advertising API will display a 503 error message if your access has been revoked. The same error message will also be shown if you have been trying to send calls that surpass your account’s usage limit.

You can still use Site Stripe to generate revenue if you can’t access the Product Advertising API. Access to API can be restored. This usually happens within two days once your referred sales items have been shipped to customers.

 

TO SUMMARIZE

Amazon has established the following new rules:

• Brand new Amazon Affiliate accounts need to have their website information verified and generated at least 3 or more sales before they can access API keys.
• Any new API keys that are generated will only start working after 48 hours.
• Your account will lose access to Product Advertising API if it hasn’t referred at least three sales in the last 30 days.
• The initial usage limit, according to Amazon’s Product Advertising API document, is 8,640 requests per day. Account limits will be determined based on Product API revenue performance over 30 days.

An error message will state, “RequestThrottled – Something went wrong. Please check your API Keys” if your Amazon Affiliate account doesn’t adhere to these rules. The error message will display in the plugin’s API settings page.

 

How To Check If Your API keys Work?

There are a couple of ways that you can check to see if your Amazon keys work:

1. Unofficial: Quick Check using Amazon’s API Key Checker

2. Official: Amazon AWS Scratchpad – Scratchpad can give you an expanded API key error report. You just need to follow simple steps:

• Start at Amazon’s AWS Scratchpad tool.
• Look at the left-hand column to find the “SearchItems” selection. Clicking on this option will bring up a form that will require you to enter your tracking ID, Amazon API key and secret access key information.
• Click on the “Run Request” button once you’ve entered this data.
• The “Response” section will show you your results.

NOTE: Make sure that your Amazon account hasn’t been blocked due to any of the rules or restrictions listed above. Otherwise, the report may not run properly.

 

How to Resolve The Amazon API “RequestThrottled” Error?

The following suggestions may not ensure that your API keys will work. However, they can definitely help if you’re having problems:

• You should wait at least 48 hours for any new API keys to be activated before using (after you have created them).
• Check your sales information to confirm that you’ve made at least three or more sales using Amazon’s Product Advertising API in 30 days.
• Try not to use the same API keys on multiple sites. This should only be done if you have enough sales that would justify additional API calls.

Unfortunately, you can’t do anything on your side to resolve API errors. Any questions or queries should be sent to Amazon’s Associate’s team.

The AmaLinksPro plugin can help new Amazon Affiliate members to make the first three sales that are required for API access. The plugin is easy to use, and you don’t need to have an active API key to be able to add affiliate links on your website. You can also use Content Egg Amazon No API module.

 

How Can I Regain Access To The Amazon API?

Amazon API RequestThrottled error usually happens if you don’t have enough sales within a 30 day time period. But how can I restore API access? How can I make enough sales attributed to Amazon’s API if I don’t have access to the API?

Affiliate members are usually restricted to only using the resources that Amazon provides for creating links that will attribute them to the API. You can create or check these links by logging into your Amazon Associates account and then selecting the “Product Linking” option.

Site Stripe is one of the most popular tools that Amazon uses. All you have to do to use Site Stripe is to log into your Amazon Affiliate account and then open up Amazon’s site.

The Site Stripe bar will appear on the top of every page for any Amazon product. You can search for various products on Amazon and use Site Stripe to create link types. Each link type that you create can then be copied and pasted into your pages or posts on site. Then after you generate sales, you will have access to API again.

If you need good Amazon product research tool, then check my AMZScout review as it is one of the best resources around for Amazon sellers. Its product and market data research tools can help your business succeed.