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Setting up a AliExpress API

Do you want to learn interactively all basics related to the creation of an API export, or how to make an advanced setup for an API in Channable? Learn how to create a Channacademy account in the Channable platform and start with the Basic APIs or Expert APIs course.

To get started on selling your products on the AliExpress Marketplace, you will need to have a AliExpress seller account. If you don't have a AliExpress seller account yet, we advise you to reach out to AliExpress to obtain this. Once you have a AliExpress seller account, you can connect with Channable.

Table of contents

  1. Preparation
  2. Create a new connection
  3. Create the API
  4. Create your product listings
  5. Send your product listings to AliExpress
  6. Check your product listings for errors

Preparation

Before you begin integrating your products from Channable into AliExpress, it's important to understand the process and requirements:

  • Existing listings and API management
    • No need to erase existing listings: You do not need to delete your existing listings on AliExpress before pushing products from Channable for the first time.
    • Clearing the API: Be cautious when clearing the API as it will remove all listings and related data (such as reviews, history, and ratings) for products pushed through the API.
  • API token expiry: The API token for AliExpress is valid for one month. You must refresh the token monthly by clicking on 'refresh token' in the connection settings. For more details on how to refresh your API connection, click here.
  • Seller eligibility: Currently, only sellers from Spain, France, Italy, China, Turkey, and Russia are eligible to sign up as AliExpress sellers.
  • Cost model: AliExpress operates on a cost per sale model, where the commission rate varies between 5% and 8% depending on the product category.

Handling different scenarios

  1. Existing listing in both AliExpress and Channable: Listings already present on AliExpress and registered in Channable will be synchronized. This allows for the updating of existing listings directly from Channable.
  2. Existing listing on AliExpress only: Listings that exist on AliExpress but not in Channable will be ignored. These listings cannot be updated through Channable.
  3. New products in Channable: Products listed in Channable that do not have existing listings on AliExpress will have new listings created. These listings can be regularly updated from Channable.
Note: The synchronization of existing listings with Channable only applies during the initial successful run of the AliExpress API. Listings manually added to AliExpress later will not be automatically synced with Channable unless manually added to Channable.

Step 1: Create a new connection

To create a new AliExpress connection, follow the steps below:

  1. Begin by navigating to the API page within your project and click on the "+Add new API" button. This action will redirect you to your company's connections page.
  2. On the connections page, select "+Add a new connection".
  3. Search for the 'AliExpress' connection by clicking through the pages, after finding the 'AliExpress' connection, provide a label for this new connection.
  4. Click on "Connect with AliExpress" You will be redirected to AliExpress for the next step. Once redirected, log in using AliExpress credentials.

After successfully logging in, the connection with AliExpress is established and available for use! You will be brought back to the API setup.

Step 2: Create the API

Once back, you have to select your new connection with AliExpress and continue setting up your API.

  1. Configure API settings:
    • Name your API
    • Select the language of your API
      Note: The language setting is used to pull the business policies (i.e., shipping profile) from your AliExpress account for that specific language/country.
    • Choose the unique ID per item. (we recommend the 'id' field)
  2. Create API: Click on "Continue" to create the new AliExpress API.

Step 3: Create your product listings

Note: In the coming months, we are gradually rolling out Marketplaces V2. If your API is on Marketplaces V1, these steps might be different. Refer to this article for more information!

To set up your API, follow the steps outlined below. Click on each step to expand and view the detailed instructions, which will guide you through the entire process.

1. Categorization

For your product data to be created, your products need a category. Add categories to your products by using the generate categories feature, or create new categories from scratch.

  • Smart Categorization: This feature automatically assigns categories to your products based on predefined criteria, simplifying the categorization process.
  • Manual Categorization: Manually assign categories to your products by setting specific rules. You can create detailed filters to map each product to the correct category.
  • Uncategorized Items: Review and categorize any items that remain uncategorized to ensure all products are properly organized.

Click here to read more about the Categorization in APIs.

2. Rules

Create different rules to optimize your product data. For examples, refer to our common rules support article for guidance.

  • Rules Setup: Set up various rules to refine your product data. This can include filtering, modifying, or enhancing data fields to meet marketplace requirements.

Click here to read more about the Rules in APIs.

3. Build step

The Build step in Channable allows you to configure all necessary attributes for your items, ensuring your product data aligns with marketplace requirements. This step is crucial for successful product listings and avoiding errors.

3.1 Overview

  1. Access the Build step: Start by accessing the centralized interface of the Build step. This is where you will manage and map all product attributes.
  2. Identify mandatory and optional Fields: Mandatory fields are highlighted in pink, indicating they are essential for listing your products. Optional fields are marked in orange and can be filled based on specific needs.

3.2 Populate Shared Attributes

  1. Fill Shared Attributes: Enter common details that apply to all products, such as EAN, prices, and titles. This step ensures uniformity in basic product information across your listings.
    • Use static or dynamic Values:
      • Static Values: Directly input values that remain constant, like brand name or manufacturer.
      • Dynamic Values: Utilize fields that automatically update based on linked data, ideal for variables like stock levels or prices.

After you have filled in the desired values for the Shared attributes, continue to the Category specific attributes below.

3.3 Specify Category-Specific Attributes

  1. Select product category: Choose the relevant category for your product, such as clothing or furniture.
  2. Input Category - specific attributes: Fill in attributes that are specific to the selected category, such as size for clothing or dimensions for furniture. This step helps in fine-tuning your listings according to category requirements. Here you can again use static or dynamic values.

Click here to read more about the Build step.

4. Quality step

The quality step provides instant feedback on setup quality, highlighting mandatory and optional errors to ensure your product data meets the marketplaces' standards.

Actions

  • View items: See products with specific issues.
  • View in build: Redirects to the build step to map missing information.
  • Set categories: Directs to the categories step to categorize items.
  • Show source: Available for ID fields, directing to the settings step.

Click here to read more about the Quality step.

5. Preview step

The preview step displays mapped attributes for multiple items, highlighting errors before exporting to the marketplace.

Features

  • Search & filter: Find specific products or filter by error message/category.
  • Item overview: Shows all items to be exported; it can filter to show only items with errors.
  • Detailed product preview: Displays missing information and dynamic actions to correct errors.

Checklist for finalizing attributes

  • Review shared attributes: Ensure all mandatory shared attributes are filled.
  • Review category-specific attributes: Ensure all mandatory category-specific attributes are filled.
  • Check for errors: Correct any red-marked fields.

Click here to read more about the Preview step.

6. Result step

The result tab provides an overview of your API setup outcomes, including successful uploads, errors, and a preview of the products to be listed. This tab ensures your product data is correctly processed and identifies any issues that need resolution.

  • Overview: The result tab shows the status of your product listings, highlighting errors and issues for detailed insights.
  • Preview products: Displays an overview of products to be sent to the marketplace, allowing verification of correctly filled attributes.
  • Successful: Lists products successfully processed and ready for listing, confirming compliance with marketplace requirements.
  • Errors: Identifies errors during processing, providing detailed information to troubleshoot and resolve issues.

Optional tabs like repricer errors, repricer event history, stock updates, and fulfillment updates appear only if relevant to the API you are using. Click here to read more about the Result step.

Additional requirements for AliExpress

The following information is specific to AliExpress, we discuss per tab what you should look out for.

Localized prices:

  • Optional step: If no localized prices are set, the existing price fields in the "item" tab will be used by default.
  • Configuring localized prices: Allows setting different prices for products based on the country of purchase.

Title & description:

  • Language options: Choose the language for the product title and description.
  • Field connection: Connect the fields from channable that contain your title and description. This setup ensures that your product information is accurate and tailored to each language market.

Shipping tab

  • General shipping information: Include necessary details such as weight, dimensions (length, height, width), and dispatch times.
  • Service policy profile:
    • Selecting a profile: In Channable, you can automatically select the shipping profile you have configured in AliExpress.
    • Enabling profiles: If profiles are not appearing, you may need to activate them within AliExpress.
  • Freight template ID: Necessary for defining shipping costs and methods. For more guidance setting up a freight template ID reach out to AliExpress.

Images tab

  • Image linking: Link the field(s) in channable that contain your product images. This ensures that the correct images are displayed for each product variant and listing.

Notes on grouped variants

  • Item group ID field: This field is used to group multiple variant items under a single listing. For a detailed guide on setting up a grouped variant structure for AliExpress, refer to this article.
  • Variant attributes: If configuring grouped variants, set the variant attribute in this tab to ensure variants are correctly grouped and displayed on AliExpress.

Additional information

  • Static values and profiles: AliExpress profiles are retrieved as static values. If unable to find them in project fields, navigate back to the static values section to select the appropriate profiles from AliExpress.

Following these guidelines will help you make sure your AliExpress listings are set up correctly and in line with their requirements.

Step 4: Send your product listings to AliExpress

Almost there, your product listings are ready to be sent. If you have not activated your project, go to your project settings on the left-hand side of the screen and click "Activate project". 

After, go back to the APIs overview and go to [Your AliExpress API] > Settings, where you activate the API by clicking "Activate API".

Once you have activated the API, navigate back to the API overview and click on the blue "Run now" button to send your product listings to AliExpress.

Step 5: Check your product listings for errors

To check for errors, navigate to the Result page of the API > Errors tab, where you see which product listings have errors. By clicking on the specific error, it will display more information on what is causing the error. 

Note: If you get an error on one variant in a listing this error is shown for every variant in said listing.