Is this possible using Bluepark API?

[TonyRS]

What we are trying to do


Replicate an Amazon Order into Blupark Store through Bluepark`s API (Implementation will be through our own custom PHP scripts on an accompanying website we run)


Why


1. To streamline our accounting function
2. To have all orders in one place
3. To invoke dropship fullfillment of Amazon orders through Bluepark store
4. To Confirm back to Amazon Order Fillfillment (shipping and tracking info)


Initial problems / misunderstandings?


1. Does not seem to be enough fields in Bluepark order and Order Lines to accommodate Amazon Order details?


2. Because of Amazon commission, our prices are Higher on Amazon than on our Bluepark store. So, in using API to replicate an Amazon order in Bluepark, prices MUST be those the customer paid when placing an Amazon order and NOT default SKU/Distributor prices, as configured in our Bluepark store! So, it seems, we need to be able to override prices when creating a Bluepark order, through the API, from an Amazon order, to accurately reflect payment made by our Amazon customer?


3. All our Bluepark products (sku's) are 'Drop-shipped'. Any order (with multiple Products) may be drop shipped from different Distributors, each providing their own tracking info so, tracking info needs to be recorded at the Order Line level?


Though we`ve been running a Bluepark store for 4+ years, we're new to Amazon and the Bluepark API. We'd love to hear from (...communicate with?) any more expert than us (probably most of you) if what we are hoping to do is possible (or has been done by any of you) using Bluepark`s API?

Rgds

[Bandanashop]

Tony, Firstly it is possible because we have been importing Amazon orders into BP since the API first came out.

1. To streamline our accounting function
2. To have all orders in one place
3. To invoke dropship fullfillment of Amazon orders through Bluepark store
4. To Confirm back to Amazon Order Fillfillment (shipping and tracking info)

We also did it for mainly 1,2 and 4.

Initial problems / misunderstandings?

1. Does not seem to be enough fields in Bluepark order and Order Lines to accommodate Amazon Order details?

Yes, There are few 'spare' fields that you can use without interfering with other processes. The trouble is they are not designed for your intended purpose so you would have to carefully note your use/misuse.

2. Because of Amazon commission, our prices are Higher on Amazon than on our Bluepark store. So, in using API to replicate an Amazon order in Bluepark, prices MUST be those the customer paid when placing an Amazon order and NOT default SKU/Distributor prices, as configured in our Bluepark store! So, it seems, we need to be able to override prices when creating a Bluepark order, through the API, from an Amazon order, to accurately reflect payment made by our Amazon customer?

Yes, as you write the order from Amazon to Bluepark you can put in whatever price you like.

3. All our Bluepark products (sku's) are 'Drop-shipped'. Any order (with multiple Products) may be drop shipped from different Distributors, each providing their own tracking info so, tracking info needs to be recorded at the Order Line level?

Yes, that would be tricky, you could possibly use 'warehouse_location' which is a string associated with order-lines. Again, not ideal but we have done something similar (but not drop-shipping).

Despite some of the problems this process is a HUGE time-saver and I would encourage you to do it. Hopefully more 'spare' and nameable fields will be added to the API for individual use as these problems reoccur.

Regards
Rob

[TonyRS]

API Orders

Hi Bandanashop,

Many thanks, again, for taking the trouble to reply and giving us the benefit of your API understanding.

We've spent an awful lot of time getting to where we are now but, still don't seem to be anywhere near we need to be So, I've been questioning if it is worth the effort.

However, I'm encouraged by your reply and the advice you've provided. So, will now be able to continue development (experimenting!) with greater enthusiasm

Though, from our efforts to date, I'm still unclear how we are meant to insert our Amazon order line prices to override those default prices in Bluepark on order creation? And, would you be able to advise a/the field in Bluepark Order ['products'] data you've used to record Amazons ['OrderItemId']?

Thank you. Onwards & Upwards!
Rgds

[TonyRS]

Rob,

You are right, this API can be a real time saver - Getting good now! Can grab amazon orders, replicate them in Bluepark through API and trigger all drop-shipping instructions to our distributors. All we need to do now is send back 'Shipped' info to amazon!

Thanks for your help

Rgds

[Bandanashop]

Rob,

You are right, this API can be a real time saver - Getting good now! Can grab amazon orders, replicate them in Bluepark through API and trigger all drop-shipping instructions to our distributors. All we need to do now is send back 'Shipped' info to amazon!

Thanks for your help

Rgds

Tony, I consider myself the Bluepark API Evangelist LOL. Not only is it accurate once automated, it scales with your business, a massive time-saver as well as opportunity cost saver as mundane operational stuff no longer has to be done. I have a whole notebook of projects yet to code... All will save me time and money. There is a massive amount that can be done.

With regards to your message back to Amazon, you need to loop through Bluepark Orders looking for perhaps a custom status of 'Dropshipped' and use that to filter your orders. Then find the Amazon Order reference associated with that order and update that on Amazon. There are some sequences that for one technical reason or another cannot (yet) be fully automated, don't give up - they are still timesavers.
Regards
Rob

[TonyRS]

Good Stuff!

Tony, I consider myself the Bluepark API Evangelist LOL. Not only is it accurate once automated, it scales with your business, a massive time-saver as well as opportunity cost saver as mundane operational stuff no longer has to be done. I have a whole notebook of projects yet to code... All will save me time and money. There is a massive amount that can be done.

With regards to your message back to Amazon, you need to loop through Bluepark Orders looking for perhaps a custom status of 'Dropshipped' and use that to filter your orders. Then find the Amazon Order reference associated with that order and update that on Amazon. There are some sequences that for one technical reason or another cannot (yet) be fully automated, don't give up - they are still timesavers.
Regards
Rob

Hi Rob,

Thanks for yet more useful insights.

When sending info back to Amazon to flag goods as `Shipped` do you send an XML Feed of type _POST_ORDER_FULFILLMENT_DATA_ or have you plumbed for the Flat File, Tab separated, csv format?

Best Rgds

[Bandanashop]

Hi Rob,

Thanks for yet more useful insights.

When sending info back to Amazon to flag goods as `Shipped` do you send an XML Feed of type _POST_ORDER_FULFILLMENT_DATA_ or have you plumbed for the Flat File, Tab separated, csv format?

Best Rgds

I have used the XML feed, but its whatever you are comfortable with. If you can get through the small learning curve of creating an XML file structure that is probably the way to go.
Remember that if you have a tracking number from Bluepark there is no API access to retrieve it (we need a retrieve Dispatch Advice Message to do that that is currently absent). However if you are using standard 1st Class or similar no problem. The absence of a tracking number retrieval method is the biggest issue I have with the BP API as our responsibility to the customer does not stop when the Bluepark order is 'completed' far from it and there are numerous post-dispatch processes that could be automated. One of which is 3rd party updating such as Amazon.
Regards
Rob

[TonyRS]

Hi Rob,

I'm thinking of using XML feed, as I've an aversion to creating files unless absolutely necessary.

And, well done for anticipating my very next Question... Tracking numbers recorded for orderlines in despatch notes. I've been puzzling over how to retrieve these though BP`s API. I take your word that, presently, the API does not provide for this. I guess you've had no problem marking goods as 'Shipped' with Amazon without providing a tracking number (which, I think, is optional data from Amazons point of view?)

Cheers...
Best Rgds

[Bandanashop]

Hi Rob,

I'm thinking of using XML feed, as I've an aversion to creating files unless absolutely necessary.

And, well done for anticipating my very next Question... Tracking numbers recorded for orderlines in despatch notes. I've been puzzling over how to retrieve these though BP`s API. I take your word that, presently, the API does not provide for this. I guess you've had no problem marking goods as 'Shipped' with Amazon without providing a tracking number (which, I think, is optional data from Amazons point of view?)

Cheers...
Best Rgds

You can add Tracking Numbers to an Order you just cant retrieve them (documented elsewhere on this thread about 18 months ago), which means you either store them elsewhere which is painful or omit them. I think Amazon and other channels use the Tracking Number as a quality score, they can see when the mail entered the mail centre and speed of dispatch but I would implement it anyway and hope that BP give us a retrieve Dispatch Note message soon.
Rob

[TonyRS]

Just about there!

You can add Tracking Numbers to an Order you just cant retrieve them (documented elsewhere on this thread about 18 months ago), which means you either store them elsewhere which is painful or omit them. I think Amazon and other channels use the Tracking Number as a quality score, they can see when the mail entered the mail centre and speed of dispatch but I would implement it anyway and hope that BP give us a retrieve Dispatch Note message soon.
Rob

Hello again Rob,

Firstly, let me thank you again for all the advice and insights you've offered in our forum exchanges. They've all been most helpful.

We have now managed to build our Amazon <-> Bluepark web app. Orders from Amazon -> Bluepark, Trigger our Drop Shipping in Bluepark and send Order Fulfillment data back to Amazon by submitting XML Feeds. Its taken us about two weeks to put this together; plenty of 'Gotchas' and lots of head scratching along the way. But, having said that, it did not take us along as I thought it might!

Recording Tracking info against Orders is a bit of a nightmare for us as we are dependant on our Drop-shippers for this info. Even if we had this info, and recorded it against Despatch Notes, not being able to retrieve it from Bluepark remains a stumbling block! So, in the short term at least, we've decided not to include Tracking Numbers in our Amazon Order Fulfillment messages.

I notice many of your API integration Apps are installable Desktop Apps. May I ask what/which Dev Languages/IDE's/Frameworks you are using to develop these? I'm considering making our current web app as an installable MacOS app in Xcode but have yet to get my head around building Class Structure(s) to cater for both Amazon and Bluepark API data

Very best regards
TonyRS

[Bandanashop]

Hello again Rob,

Firstly, let me thank you again for all the advice and insights you've offered in our forum exchanges. They've all been most helpful.

We have now managed to build our Amazon <-> Bluepark web app. Orders from Amazon -> Bluepark, Trigger our Drop Shipping in Bluepark and send Order Fulfillment data back to Amazon by submitting XML Feeds. Its taken us about two weeks to put this together; plenty of 'Gotchas' and lots of head scratching along the way. But, having said that, it did not take us along as I thought it might!

Recording Tracking info against Orders is a bit of a nightmare for us as we are dependant on our Drop-shippers for this info. Even if we had this info, and recorded it against Despatch Notes, not being able to retrieve it from Bluepark remains a stumbling block! So, in the short term at least, we've decided not to include Tracking Numbers in our Amazon Order Fulfillment messages.

I notice many of your API integration Apps are installable Desktop Apps. May I ask what/which Dev Languages/IDE's/Frameworks you are using to develop these? I'm considering making our current web app as an installable MacOS app in Xcode but have yet to get my head around building Class Structure(s) to cater for both Amazon and Bluepark API data

Very best regards
TonyRS

Hi Tony, I am using Python and either wxPython or Tkinter both of which allow you to put a GUI in front. I have never found anything that could not be done in Python or didn't have an excellent library where someone had already done 90% of it already. Use what you are comfortable with and whatever gets the job done fastest. Putting everything into a class allows you to reuse your code, personally I would not sweat this unless you are writing a lot of functions that you intend to reuse.
Regards
Rob

[TonyRS]

Hi Tony, I am using Python and either wxPython or Tkinter both of which allow you to put a GUI in front. I have never found anything that could not be done in Python or didn't have an excellent library where someone had already done 90% of it already. Use what you are comfortable with and whatever gets the job done fastest. Putting everything into a class allows you to reuse your code, personally I would not sweat this unless you are writing a lot of functions that you intend to reuse.
Regards
Rob

Hi Rob,

OK, understood. To date, not used Python in anger. Maybe, a good time to learn another language! Presently our solution is online in PHP MySql
Again, thank you.

Best regards
Tony

[Bandanashop]

Hi Rob,

OK, understood. To date, not used Python in anger. Maybe, a good time to learn another language! Presently our solution is online in PHP MySql
Again, thank you.

Best regards
Tony

Hi Tony,
If you have made it work in PHP/MySQL then fair enough.There are only minor differences in terms of getting the job done so I would stick with PHP now that you have wrote your first API interaction. However if you throw your hands up in horror several years down the road consider Python...!
Rob