Bulk Product Updates via API: Handling Large Volumes

Other Questions API
1

I’m working on a project to update inventory for a huge number of products on an online marketplace. I’ve figured out how to update one product at a time using a POST request, but I’m stuck when it comes to updating thousands at once. Has anyone successfully updated 10,000+ SKUs in one go?

Here’s what I’ve tried so far:

<UpdateInventoryRequest>
  <SKU>EXAMPLE-123</SKU>
  <Action>modify</Action>
  <Stock>5</Stock>
</UpdateInventoryRequest>

This works for a single item, but I’m not sure how to structure the request for multiple products. I’ve experimented with different formats, but nothing seems to work. Any tips on how to format the body of the request for a large batch update would be super helpful!

I’m using Postman to test the API calls if that makes any difference. Thanks in advance for any advice!

2

hey hazel, i’ve dealt with this before. try wrapping multiple products in a single request like this:

<UpdateInventoryRequest>
  <Product>
    <SKU>ITEM1</SKU>
    <Stock>10</Stock>
  </Product>
  <Product>
    <SKU>ITEM2</SKU>
    <Stock>15</Stock>
  </Product>
</UpdateInventoryRequest>

still, dont go for all 10k at once. do smaller batches, maybe 500-1000 per request. good luck!

3

Having worked on similar large-scale inventory updates, I’d recommend implementing a queue system for processing your updates. This approach allows you to push all 10,000+ SKUs into a queue, which then processes them in manageable chunks. You can use a message broker like RabbitMQ or Apache Kafka to handle this efficiently.

Your API can then consume messages from this queue, updating products in batches. This method provides better error handling and retry mechanisms, crucial when dealing with such large volumes. It also helps in maintaining API rate limits and reduces the risk of timeouts.

Remember to implement proper logging and monitoring to track the progress of your updates and quickly identify any issues that may arise during the process.

4

Based on my experience, updating a vast number of products works best when the process is divided into smaller batches. Instead of attempting to update all 10,000+ SKUs simultaneously, break them into groups of a few hundred or thousand. Using a bulk update endpoint or creating an XML payload that encloses several products helps manage API load and minimizes rate limit issues. Processing these batches sequentially also simplifies error handling, as you can isolate and address problems one set at a time. This method enhances overall efficiency and reliability.