1. Architectural Comparison: Keepa Token Buckets vs. ShopData API
Keepa was designed as an internal database dump for historical price graphs, whereas ShopData API is built as a low-latency, multi-marketplace real-time JSON gateway.
| Dimension | ShopData API | Keepa API | Engineering Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payload Format | Normalized UTF-8 JSON (ready for TypeScript & LLMs) | Compressed CSV integer arrays & KeepaTime offsets | Zero custom binary/offset decoding code |
| Freshness | Live upstream fetch + configurable warm cache | Cached DB snapshot unless `update=0` extra tokens paid | Accurate real-time BuyBox & stock checks |
| Rate Limiting | Up to 600 RPM burst on standard plans | Strict token/min leaky bucket (e.g. 20–60 tokens/min) | Run batch jobs on demand without 60-min waits |
| Marketplace Scope | Amazon, Walmart, Etsy, 1688, Taobao, TikTok Shop, Shopee | Amazon & eBay only | Compute 1688 factory -> Amazon FBA margin in 1 workflow |
| Entry Pricing | $0 Free (12K Credits) · $9 PAYG (never expires) | ~€49/month (~$53/mo) recurring subscription | 83% lower minimum spend |
2. Cross-Marketplace Arbitrage: Pairing Amazon ASINs with 1688 Factory MOQs
Unlike Amazon-only historical trackers, ShopData API lets FBA sourcing tools query both the US retail BuyBox and direct Chinese factory MOQ ladders in two parallel HTTP calls.
Query Amazon US Product + 1688 Factory Wholesale Ladder
Fetch real-time Amazon US retail pricing alongside 1688 factory wholesale quotes with zero custom SDKs.
# 1. Live Amazon US ASIN check
curl -sS "https://api.shopdataapi.com/v1/amazon/product?asin=B08N5WRWNW&country=US" -H "x-api-key: sd_live_your_api_key"
# 2. Live 1688 Factory Wholesale MOQ search
curl -sS "https://api.shopdataapi.com/v1/1688/search?keyword=%E9%99%B6%E7%93%B7%E9%A9%AC%E5%85%8B%E6%9D%AF&page=1" -H "x-api-key: sd_live_your_api_key"import requests
HEADERS = {"x-api-key": "sd_live_your_api_key"}
amz = requests.get(
"https://api.shopdataapi.com/v1/amazon/product",
params={"asin": "B08N5WRWNW", "country": "US"},
headers=HEADERS,
).json()["data"]
wholesale = requests.get(
"https://api.shopdataapi.com/v1/1688/search",
params={"keyword": "陶瓷马克杯", "page": 1},
headers=HEADERS,
).json()["data"]
print("Amazon Retail USD:", amz["price"])
print("Top 1688 Factory Quote:", wholesale[0]["title"], wholesale[0]["price"])const headers = { "x-api-key": process.env.SHOPDATA_API_KEY! };
const [amzRes, cnRes] = await Promise.all([
fetch("https://api.shopdataapi.com/v1/amazon/product?asin=B08N5WRWNW&country=US", { headers }),
fetch("https://api.shopdataapi.com/v1/1688/search?keyword=%E9%99%B6%E7%93%B7%E9%A9%AC%E5%85%8B%E6%9D%AF&page=1", { headers }),
]);
const amz = (await amzRes.json()).data;
const factories = (await cnRes.json()).data;
console.log({ retailUsd: amz.price, factoryOffer: factories[0] });{
"ok": true,
"marketplace": "1688",
"endpoint": "/v1/1688/search",
"credits_charged": 12,
"data": [
{
"item_id": "1088453066793",
"title": "跨境专供美式复古磨砂陶瓷马克杯 16oz 亚马逊热销款咖啡杯批发",
"price": 6.2,
"currency": "CNY",
"price_usd_est": 0.88,
"moq": 2,
"repurchase_rate": "38%",
"supplier_verified": true
}
]
}Interactive Commerce Terminal · GET /v1/amazon/product
Verify real-time latency, SKU credit math & JSON schema
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does ShopData API require parsing Keepa-style integer arrays?
- No. Every ShopData API endpoint returns standard, self-describing JSON floats, ISO strings, and nested variation arrays—so you can pipe responses straight into PostgreSQL, BigQuery, or Claude/OpenAI tool calls.
- Can I build my own historical price tracker on top of ShopData API?
- Yes. At $0.08–$0.20 per 1,000 search items (or $0.40–$1.00 per 1,000 full ASIN details), many SaaS teams poll target ASINs on a cron schedule and store clean time-series snapshots in their own TimescaleDB or ClickHouse cluster with zero data-retention restrictions. For a full EUR tier-by-tier token cost breakdown, see /guides/keepa-api-pricing.
Zero Monthly Lock-In · 1-Click Google OAuth Sandbox
Run your first live query in 10 seconds with 12,000 free Credits ($1.20).
Test Amazon, Walmart, Etsy, 1688 Wholesale, Taobao, Shopee, and TikTok Shop endpoints in our browser Playground or claim an instant sd_live_... key—backed by a $9.00 non-expiring Indie Starter Pack ($0.08–$0.20 per 1,000 items).