429 Too Many Requests - Amazon Error Code

429 Too Many Requests – Amazon API Error Code Explained

by Miles Anthony Smith

What does the 429 Too Many Requests error code mean and what can I do to fix it?

Ever since Amazon shut down the old version of their API (version 4) on October 31, 2019 and made everybody switch to the new API 5 – we’ve gotten many support requests here at AmaLinks Pro® because our users keep getting this error message when trying to test their API connection or when trying to use AmaLinks Pro® to search for products to promote.

Don’t worry, there is hope for AmaLinks Pro® users!

Later on in this article, we tell you exactly what to do if this is your situation. But first, let’s take a closer look at what is happening.

Here is what the error code you are probably seeing looks like in AmaLinks Pro®, pulled from the Amazon API response…

Error calling PA-API 5.0!
HTTP Status Code: 429
Error Message: [429] Client error: `POST https://webservices.amazon.com/paapi5/searchitems` resulted in a `429 Too Many Requests` response:
{“__type”:”com.amazon.paapi5#TooManyRequestsException”,”Errors”:[{“Code”:”TooManyRequests”,”Message”:”The request was de (truncated…)

Error Type: TooManyRequests
Error Message: The request was denied due to request throttling. Please verify the number of requests made per second to the Amazon Product Advertising API.

Amazon May Not Have Provisioned Your API Keys Yet (48 hours From Creation)

The first thing before everything else is that you ensure your keys are over 48 hours old as Amazon has a delay in the function of newly generated keys. This means that once you generate keys they will not be functional for you to use to query the API and to set up your API connectivity fully until this window has elapsed and the keys are functional on the Amazon side.

AmaLinks Pro® is not causing the Too Many Requests Error

When AmaLinks Pro® tries to make a call to the API – we make one single request each time. We’ve double-checked our code and AmaLinks Pro® is only making one request at a time (or per second) from our user interface.

amalinks-pro-increase-affiliate-link-ctr-386-percent

The request was denied due to request throttling

Request throttling – this is a significant clue within that error message from Amazon. Perhaps some users are getting this error message because their accounts have been throttled (or limited) for whatever reason. The only thing we can tell you to do at this point is to contact Amazon Associates’ support and ask them why you are getting this error message. You could try that if you want. Or you could just keep reading this post…

Amazon Associates Support regarding the 429 Too Many Requests error

If you were to contact Amazon Associates’ support, you might get an answer from them like the following…

Hello [Your Name],

This is [Rep Name] with Amazon Associates Program.

Efficiency Guidelines in the Product Advertising API are designed to promote efficient use of the API.

Given your current Associate revenue, we don’t have resources to grant additional limits to your account.

In order to be more efficient in calling the API, we recommend that you cache the data returned by the API in accordance to the Product Advertising API License Agreement, visit the Usage Requirements section of our Product Advertising API License Agreement at:

https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/assoc_credentials/home

If your application is trying to submit requests that exceed the maximum request limit for your account, you may receive error messages from Product Advertising API.

You can verify your sales are being attributed to your calls to the Product Advertising API by checking for the following:

– You’re using the only links provided by the API when linking back to Amazon.
– You’re passing your Associate tag in all your requests to the API.
– Your Associate Account and Product Advertising API account are using the same Amazon Account (or email).

In order to be more efficient in calling the API, we recommend you cache the data returned by the API in accordance to the Product Advertising API License Agreement. More info:

https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/help/operating/policies#Associates%20Program%20IP%20License

We look forward to seeing you again soon.

We’d appreciate your feedback. Please use the buttons below to vote about your experience today.

Best regards,
[Rep Name].
Amazon.com

So, what is the problem, exactly with the 429 Too Many Requests error?

It usually is the result of API5 restrictions or throttling – meaning Amazon isn’t giving access to affiliates whose accounts aren’t producing enough sales or revenue. But, we’ve had customers tell us that they are getting this error message despite having plenty of sales and thousands of dollars worth of revenue each month.

Are your Amazon affiliate links actually being attributed to the API?

This might be it right here! Amazon wants to restrict access to the API only to users who are making sales that are attributed to API links. So, how can you tell if your sales are being attributed to the API? It’s quite simple actually. Here’s how to find that report…

  • log in to your Amazon Associates account
  • in the ‘Summary for This Month’ box (on the right), click the link on the bottom that says ‘View Full Report’
  • in the timeframe dropdown menu – set it to display the Last 30 Days
  • the 2nd box (below the earnings Report) has 3 tabs – ‘Ordered Items’ is selected by default – click on the ‘Link Type Performance’ tab
  • check to see if you have Clicks and Conversions that are being attributed to the PA-API (as shown below)

This is just one thing to check. Depending on what you find here – we suggest that you contact Amazon Associates support if you are continuously getting the 429 Too Many Requests error.

Troubleshooting Applications

Like I stated above… we use AmaLinks Pro® continuously and so do hundreds and hundreds of our customers and most of us are no longer getting this error. The 429 Too Many Requests error must be attributed to specific accounts only, for whatever reason.

If you are an AmaLinks Pro® user, you shouldn’t have to worry about most of the troubleshooting steps that Amazon suggests. We’ve already taken care of that for you. But if you do want to dig into it some more on your own – here is a link to official documentation from Amazon with suggestions and tips for troubleshooting…

https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSECommerceService/latest/DG/TroubleshootingApplications.html

So, what do I do if I’ve lost access to the API?

Well, I’m glad you asked! We actually have a solution for you that involves AmaLinks Pro®! But this post is long enough… so we’ve written an entirely separate post on exactly what you should do if you lose access to the Amazon API.

We sincerely hope this helps somewhat clarifies for you one of the confusing errors associated with the Amazon associate API. Good luck getting your account straightened out and we’ll see you soon inside of AmaLinks Pro®!

Miles Anthony Smith

Miles is a loving father of 3 adults, devoted husband of 24+ years, chief affiliate marketer at AmaLinks Pro®, author, entrepreneur, SEO consultant, keynote speaker, investor, & owner of businesses that generate affiliate + ad income (Loop King Laces, Why Stuff Sucks, & Kompelling Kars). He’s spent the past 3 decades growing revenues for other’s businesses as well as his own. Miles has an MBA from Oklahoma State and has been featured in Entrepreneur, the Brookings Institution, Wikipedia, GoDaddy, Search Engine Watch, Advertising Week, & Neil Patel.

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