The bol API is the technical foundation that enables sellers to automate their business processes on bol.com. Whether you want to manage orders, adjust prices, or run ad campaigns - the bol API makes it possible to handle everything programmatically without manually clicking through the sales portal. In this article, we explain how the bol API works, which endpoints are available, how to get started, and when you're better off choosing a ready-made integration.
What is the bol API and why is it important?
API stands for Application Programming Interface - a technical interface that enables software systems to communicate with each other. The bol API allows sellers to connect their own software or third-party tools to the bol.com platform. This means you can fully automate processes such as order management, inventory updates, price adjustments, and shipping confirmations.
For sellers with more than 50 products or multiple sales channels, the bol API is virtually indispensable. Manual work via the Seller Dashboard (SDD) is time-consuming and prone to errors. With an API connection, you not only save hours per week but also minimize errors that can lead to poor performance scores.
From Plaza API to Retailer API
Bol.com has completely replaced the old Plaza API with the more modern Retailer API. The Plaza API is no longer supported, and new connections are only possible via the Retailer API. This offers better performance, more endpoints, improved security, and more extensive documentation. If you still use an old Plaza connection, it's essential to migrate as soon as possible.
The three APIs of bol.com explained
Bol.com offers three separate APIs that together cover the full range of seller functionality. Each API has its own purpose and set of endpoints.
| API | Primary function | Key endpoints | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retailer API | Full order management and product management | Orders, Shipments, Returns, Offers, Inventory, Commission | All sellers |
| Offer API | Product offer and price management | Offers (CRUD), Pricing, Stock updates, Product content | Sellers with large catalogs |
| Advertiser API | Ad campaigns and reporting | Campaigns, Ad groups, Keywords, Performance reports | Sellers with ad budgets |
Bol Retailer API
The Retailer API is the most extensive and most used API of bol.com. With this, you can automate almost all sales processes: from retrieving new orders and confirming shipments to processing returns and retrieving commission overviews. The Retailer API also supports managing your product range, updating inventory levels, and retrieving performance reports.
Bol Offer API
The Offer API focuses specifically on managing your product range. You can use this to upload new products, adjust existing offers, change prices, and update inventory levels. For sellers with hundreds or thousands of products, this API is essential to keep prices and inventory synchronized in real-time with your ERP or WMS system.
Bol Advertiser API
With the Advertiser API, you automate your Sponsored Products campaigns. You can create campaigns, manage ad groups, adjust bids, and retrieve extensive performance reports - including impressions, clicks, conversions, and ACoS (Advertising Cost of Sale). This is particularly valuable if you run multiple campaigns at the same time and want to optimize quickly based on data.
Key endpoints and functionalities
The bol API offers dozens of endpoints. Below is an overview of the most used endpoints per category, so you can quickly estimate which ones you need.
| Category | Endpoint | Method | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orders | /orders | GET | Retrieve all open orders |
| Orders | /orders/{orderId} | GET | View details of a specific order |
| Shipping | /orders/{orderId}/shipment | PUT | Confirm shipping with track & trace |
| Returns | /returns | GET | Retrieve open returns |
| Returns | /returns/{returnId} | PUT | Handle return (accept/decline) |
| Offers | /offers | POST | Create a new product offer |
| Offers | /offers/{offerId} | PUT | Change price, stock, or condition |
| Stock | /offers/{offerId}/stock | PUT | Update stock level |
| Commission | /commission | GET | Retrieve commission percentages per category |
| Insights | /insights/performance | GET | Retrieve performance scores and KPIs |
Authentication and Security
The bol API uses OAuth 2.0 for authentication. This means you first need to create API credentials (Client ID and Client Secret) in your bol.com sales account. With these credentials, you request a temporary access token that you include with every API call.
Step-by-Step Authentication Setup
- Log in to the partner portal - Go to your sales account on bol.com partner login and navigate to Settings > API settings
- Create API credentials - Click on "Create new API credentials" and store your Client ID and Client Secret securely
- Request access token - Send a POST request to the token endpoint with your credentials (Base64-encoded) to receive a bearer token
- Use the token - Add the token as an Authorization header with every API call
- Renew the token - Access tokens expire after a certain time; implement automatic token renewal in your application
Never store your API credentials in public code repositories or shared documents. Use environment variables or a secret manager. If you suspect a leak, you can immediately revoke your credentials via the partner portal.
Rate Limits and Best Practices
Bol.com enforces strict rate limits to protect the API servers. If you send too many requests in a short period, you'll receive an HTTP 429 error (Too Many Requests). It's essential to design your application to respect these rate limits.
| Aspect | Limit | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Requests per minute | Variable per endpoint | Implement exponential backoff for 429 errors |
| Bulk operations | Max. 1,000 items per batch | Split large updates into smaller batches |
| Token validity | Limited lifetime | Cache tokens and proactively renew before expiration |
| Daily limit | Dependent on account type | Monitor your API usage via the partner portal |
| Concurrent requests | Limited number of simultaneous requests | Use a request queue with throttling |
Best Practices for API Usage
- Use webhooks - Instead of constantly polling for new orders, set up webhooks so bol.com notifies your server of changes
- Implement retry logic - For temporary errors (5xx status codes), retry the request with exponential backoff
- Cache responses - Store frequently requested data (like commission percentages) locally to avoid unnecessary API calls
- Log all API calls - Keep a detailed log for debugging and monitoring your API usage
- Validate input - Check data before sending it to the API to prevent unnecessary error messages
Building yourself vs. ready-made integration
One of the most important decisions for sellers is whether to build software on the bol API themselves or use an existing tool. Both options have pros and cons that strongly depend on your technical knowledge, budget, and scale.
| Criterion | Building yourself | Ready-made tool |
|---|---|---|
| Initial costs | €5.000–€15.000+ (development time) | €0–€50/month |
| Lead time | 2–6 months | Available immediately |
| Maintenance | Continuous maintenance required (API updates) | Maintenance included by provider |
| Flexibility | Full customization possible | Limited to provided features |
| Risk | High (dependent on developer) | Low (proven platform) |
| Scalability | Dependent on architecture | Generally scalable |
| Support | Your own responsibility | Help desk and documentation available |
| API updates | Implement yourself | Automatically updated |
When building yourself makes sense
Building yourself only makes sense if you have a very specific workflow that no existing tool supports, you have a dedicated development team that can maintain the connection in the long term, and you're willing to bear the ongoing costs of maintenance and API updates. In practice, this applies to less than 5% of sellers.
Why most sellers choose a tool
For the vast majority of sellers, a ready-made tool is the smartest choice. Tools like Boloo offer extensive integrations with the bol API without requiring you to program yourself. You get access to features like a product tracker, keyword explorer, sales dashboard, and automatic invoicing - all built on the official bol API.
Common mistakes when working with the bol API
Many sellers and developers make the same mistakes when working with the bol API for the first time. By knowing these, you can save valuable time and money.
- Not implementing error handling - The API can be temporarily unavailable or return unexpected responses. Without good error handling, your entire system can freeze
- Ignoring rate limits - Making too many requests in a short period leads to blocking. Always implement throttling and exponential backoff
- Hardcoding credentials - Placing API keys in the source code is a serious security risk. Always use environment variables
- Not testing in the sandbox - Bol.com offers a test environment. Use it to test your integration before going live
- Following outdated documentation - The API is regularly updated. Always consult the official documentation on the bol.com developer portal
- Not setting up monitoring - Without monitoring, you'll only notice problems when customers complain. Set up alerts for errors and delays
How Boloo optimally utilizes the bol API
Boloo is fully built on the official bol API and offers sellers a user-friendly interface on top of the technical complexity. While you'd have to call endpoints and process data yourself with the raw API, Boloo does this automatically in the background.
- Product Tracker - Monitors competitors and price changes via the Retailer API
- Product Database - Searches the entire bol.com assortment with advanced filters
- Keyword Verkenner - Analyzes search volumes and trends via API data
- Ranking Checker - Automatically tracks your position in search results
- Listing Generator AI - Optimizes your product pages based on API insights
- Sales Dashboard - Real-time revenue and order data via the Retailer API
- Winstcalculator - Calculates margins including current commission percentages
- Automatische Facturatie - Automatically generates invoices for new orders
- E-mail Campagnes - Sends targeted campaigns based on customer data
- LVB Box Size Checker - Optimizes shipping costs with the right box formats
The advantage of a tool like Boloo is that you benefit from all the possibilities of the bol API without needing technical knowledge yourself. API updates are automatically processed, and you can start optimizing your sales right away.
Frequently asked questions about the bol API
Where can I find the official bol API documentation?
The official documentation is available on the bol.com Developer Portal. Here, you'll find detailed descriptions of all endpoints, example code, a sandbox environment for testing, and changelogs with the latest updates. The documentation is regularly updated with new releases.
What's the difference between the Retailer API and the old Plaza API?
The Plaza API has been completely phased out and is no longer supported. The Retailer API is the successor with better performance, more endpoints, improved OAuth 2.0 authentication, and extended functionality. All new connections must be built via the Retailer API. Existing Plaza connections no longer work.
Do I need programming knowledge to use the bol API?
To work directly with the API, you need programming knowledge in a language like Python, PHP, JavaScript, or C#. If you don't have a technical background, it's better to choose a ready-to-use tool like Boloo that handles API integration for you without requiring you to write code.
Are there any costs associated with using the bol API?
Using the bol API itself is free. You don't pay extra for API calls. The costs are in developing and maintaining your own software or in the subscription of a tool that uses the API for you. Bol.com only charges the regular sales commission.
How often is the bol API updated?
Bol.com regularly updates the API with new endpoints, improved functionality, and security patches. Major updates are announced in advance via the Developer Portal with a migration period. It's essential to follow these changelogs if you maintain your own connection - with a ready-to-use tool, this is handled automatically.
Can I use the bol API for multiple sales accounts?
Yes, you can use the API for multiple sales accounts. Each account has its own API credentials. Tools like Boloo support managing multiple accounts from one dashboard, which significantly simplifies the overview for sellers with multiple brands or stores.
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