Frequently Asked Questions

PSRESTful is a REST/JSON API service that lets promotional products distributors access supplier data through PromoStandards without implementing SOAP/XML themselves.

Key features:

• Unified format — consistent JSON responses across all suppliers
• Built-in caching — Redis-powered for fast response times
• Data validation — clean, reliable data regardless of supplier quality
• Data Explorer — browse supplier data visually
• CSV Exporter — export data for Shopify, WooCommerce, and more
• Pricing Calculator — calculate decorated product costs

Integrate with hundreds of suppliers through a single API. Learn why it's easy.

PromoStandards is a set of data standards developed by distributors, suppliers, and service providers in the promotional products industry to improve supply chain efficiency.

It defines SOAP/XML web services for:

• Product Data — product catalog and details
• PPC — pricing and configuration
• Media Content — product images and documents
• Inventory — real-time stock levels
• Purchase Orders — electronic order submission
• Order Status — order tracking
• Shipment Notifications — shipping updates
• Invoices — billing documents

PSRESTful exposes all of these as clean REST/JSON endpoints, so you don't need to implement SOAP/XML yourself. Learn more about easy integration.

Building a PromoStandards SOAP/XML integration in-house typically takes 3–6 months of developer time — parsing WSDL files, handling XML namespaces, managing supplier inconsistencies, building caching, and writing error handling. With PSRESTful, you can make your first API call in minutes.

Here's why:

• REST/JSON instead of SOAP/XML — Modern, human-readable format that any developer can work with. No WSDL parsing, no XML namespaces. It's significantly easier to find developers experienced with REST APIs — even on platforms like Fiverr or Upwork. Learn more.
• Unified format across 500+ suppliers — PromoStandards defines the standards, but suppliers implement them inconsistently. PSRESTful normalizes everything into one consistent API, so you write your integration once — not once per supplier.
• Extra APIs beyond PromoStandards — Enhanced APIs for product search, brand data, categories, decorations, Part ID mappings, best sellers, and sales surge — data PromoStandards doesn't provide.
• Developer tools that accelerate integration:
  • Data Explorer — browse supplier data visually before writing a single line of code
  • Pricing Calculator — test pricing logic interactively with real supplier data
  • Web Service Validator — validate supplier endpoints instantly
  • Postman Collection — ready-to-use API calls for immediate testing
• Comprehensive documentation — Full API reference at docs.psrestful.com with guides, examples, and standards reference. Faster onboarding than reading PromoStandards WSDL specs.
• Built-in caching and data validation — Redis-powered caching and data validation come out of the box — features that would take weeks to build yourself.

Bottom line: What takes months of development in-house, PSRESTful delivers ready-made — so your team can focus on building your business, not plumbing SOAP integrations. Start for free.

PSRESTful supports all core PromoStandards services:

• Product Data — catalog, details, sellable products
• PPC — pricing, configuration, decoration charges
• Media Content — product images and documents
• Inventory — real-time stock levels by warehouse
• Purchase Orders — electronic order submission (ePO)
• Order Status — order tracking and updates
• Shipment Notifications — shipping details and tracking
• Invoices — billing document retrieval

We also offer Extra APIs beyond the standard — including enhanced product search, brand data, categories, decorations, and Part ID mappings.

See our full documentation for details on each service.

Getting started is quick and free:

1. Sign up — no credit card required
2. Get your API key — available immediately in your dashboard
3. Make your first call — 10 free API calls per day

Resources to help you:

• API Documentation — full reference with examples
• Data Explorer — browse data visually, no code needed
• Code examples on GitHub

• SanMar
• PCNA
• S&S Activewear
• HIT Promotional Products
• Koozie Group
• and many more

It depends on the service:

• No credentials needed — for read-only services like Product Data, Media Content, and public Inventory. Just your PSRESTful API key.
• Credentials required — for transactional services like Purchase Orders, Order Status, Invoices, and Customer-specific pricing.

You can configure supplier credentials in your Supplier Dashboard individually or via CSV bulk import.

Yes! PromoSync is our native Shopify app that connects your store directly to PromoStandards suppliers.

PromoSync automates:

• Product imports — descriptions, images, variants, and pricing
• Inventory sync — keep stock levels up to date
• Pricing sync — automatic price updates
• Product lifecycle — handle draft, active, closeout, and discontinued products

Available on the Premium plan and above. Learn more about PromoSync.

PSRESTful is primarily built for distributors, but suppliers benefit too!

For distributors:

• Access all PromoStandards services via REST/JSON
• Use tools like the Data Explorer, CSV Exporter, and PromoSync

For suppliers:

• Web Service Validator — test and validate your PromoStandards endpoints
• Broken Links Finder — detect broken media content URLs
• Data Validation — identify missing or inconsistent data in your feeds

We offer five plans to fit every need:

• Free — 10 API calls/day, all services, no credit card
• Standard — 300 calls/day, ideal for development and testing
• Premium — 15,000 calls/day + CSV Exporter + PromoSync
• Business — 50,000 calls/day + sub-accounts + priority support
• Enterprise — Unlimited calls + SLA + dedicated support

All plans include access to every PromoStandards service. Compare plans and pricing.

The Free plan gives you 10 API calls per day across all core PromoStandards services:

• Product Data, PPC, Media Content, Inventory
• Purchase Orders, Order Status, Shipment Notifications, Invoices

No credit card required. It's designed to let developers explore the API and test integrations before committing to a paid plan.

When you're ready for more, upgrade anytime from your Account Settings.

The Free plan is permanently free — it's not a trial. You get:

• 10 API calls per day
• Access to all PromoStandards services
• No credit card required
• No expiration — use it as long as you need

When you're ready for more capacity, upgrade to a paid plan anytime from your Account Settings. See all plan options.

• Free: 10 calls/day
• Standard: 300 calls/day
• Premium: 15,000 calls/day
• Business: 50,000 calls/day + sub-accounts
• Enterprise: Unlimited + SLA

• Upgrades take effect immediately — you get instant access to the new plan's features and limits.
• Downgrades apply at the end of your current billing period.

The Data Explorer is a visual interface in the PSRESTful dashboard that lets you browse supplier data without writing any code.

With the Data Explorer you can:

• Browse product catalogs by supplier
• View pricing and configuration details
• Explore media content (images, documents)
• Check inventory levels by warehouse
• Preview data before building your integration

It's the fastest way to explore what a supplier offers and verify data quality. Learn more.

PSRESTful supports multiple authentication methods to fit your use case:

• API Key — pass via header (X-API-Key) or query parameter. Best for server-to-server.
• Public Key — for browser/frontend access with CORS. Read-only, no server setup needed.
• Bearer Token — OAuth2-compatible token authentication
• Basic Auth — username/password for simple integrations
• OAuth2 — full OAuth2 flow for enterprise applications

For read-only product data, Public Keys are the simplest option — just add your domain to Allowed Origins and call the API directly from JavaScript.

See the Authentication documentation for setup guides.

• Product Data (getProductSellable, getProduct): 1 day
• Product Modified Date: 4 hours
• Media Content: 1 day
• PPC (List/Net pricing): 1 day
• PPC (Customer pricing): not cached — always live
• Inventory: 4 hours
• Purchase Orders / Order Status: not cached

Data quality is built into every layer of PSRESTful:

• Serializers — validate every API response, ensuring consistent field presence across all suppliers
• Data Validation — comprehensive checks detecting missing fields, broken media links, pricing inconsistencies, and more
• Broken Links Finder — scans media content URLs across suppliers to detect 404s and broken images
• Web Service Validator — validates supplier endpoint compliance with PromoStandards

You get clean, reliable data regardless of individual supplier implementation quality.

• Data Validation — comprehensive checks detecting missing fields, broken media links, and pricing inconsistencies
• Web Service Validator — test and validate supplier endpoints
• Broken Links Finder — detect broken media content URLs across suppliers

The CSV Exporter (Premium plan) lets you export supplier product data in formats ready for:

• Shopify — products, variants, images, metafields
• WooCommerce — compatible import format
• BigCommerce — product catalog import
• Magento — product data feed
• Generic CSV — custom format for any platform

Each export includes images, variants, pricing, and descriptions — no manual data entry needed. For Shopify stores, consider PromoSync for an even more automated experience.

PSRESTful supports electronic Purchase Orders (ePO) via both API and dashboard UI:

Via API:

1. Configure your supplier credentials in the dashboard
2. Use the POST /purchase-orders/ endpoint with line items, shipping details, and FOB preferences
3. Track the order via Order Status

Via Dashboard:

Use our Procurement UI to place orders visually — search products, configure quantities, and submit directly.

See the API documentation for full endpoint reference.

Yes! PSRESTful provides both API endpoints and dashboard UIs for order tracking:

• Order Status — check order progress, see line item status, and get updates from the supplier
• Shipment Tracking — view shipment details, tracking numbers, carrier info, and delivery estimates
• Invoice Lookup — retrieve billing documents for completed orders

These services work for any supplier that implements the corresponding PromoStandards web services. Supplier credentials are required.

PSRESTful offers PSMEDx — a suite of image processing services:

• Background Removal — clean product images with transparent or white backgrounds
• Raster-to-SVG Vectorization — convert logos and designs to scalable vector format
• Decoration Overlay — preview logos on products with realistic mockups
• Pantone Color Detection — identify Pantone colors in product images

All services are available via API and dashboard UI on the Enterprise plan. Contact us for access.

Yes! On the Business and Enterprise plans, you can create sub-accounts with:

• Separate API keys — each sub-account gets its own key
• Independent credential sets — different supplier credentials per sub-account
• Usage tracking — monitor API usage per sub-account
• Role-based access — 5 built-in roles (Admin, Developer, Operations, Product Analyst, Customer Support)

Ideal for SaaS platforms, agencies, or distributors managing multiple storefronts. See plan pricing.

PromoSync is a Shopify app built by PSRESTful that connects your store to PromoStandards suppliers.

Key features:

• Automated product imports — images, variants, descriptions, and pricing
• Inventory sync — scheduled updates per collection or globally
• Pricing sync — keep prices current across your catalog
• Bulk actions — import, update, or manage multiple products at once
• Rich metafields — 70+ fields for decoration methods, imprint areas, and more
• Storefront widgets — theme app extensions for displaying promo-specific data

Available on the Premium plan and above. Learn more.

Importing products with PromoSync is straightforward:

1. Search — find products by supplier, keyword, or product ID
2. Select — choose individual products or use bulk selection
3. Import — PromoSync handles the rest automatically

Each imported product includes:

• Product descriptions and titles
• All available images from Media Content
• Variants (size, color) with proper SKUs
• Pricing tiers and inventory levels
• 70+ metafields for decoration methods, imprint areas, and more

See the Importing Products guide for step-by-step instructions.

Yes! PromoSync offers flexible sync options:

• Inventory sync — update stock levels from PromoStandards suppliers on a schedule you configure (per collection or globally)
• Pricing sync — keep prices current with automatic updates
• Multi-location support — sync inventory to specific Shopify locations
• Product lifecycle — automatically handle status changes (draft, active, closeout, discontinued)

Configure sync settings in the PromoSync Settings. You can set different update frequencies for different collections based on your needs.

PromoSync works with all Shopify plans, including Basic.

Requirements:

• Shopify side: Any plan — PromoSync uses metafields and theme app extensions, which are available on all Shopify plans
• PSRESTful side: Premium plan or above

Get started by installing PromoSync from your PSRESTful dashboard and connecting it with your API key. See the installation guide for step-by-step setup.

• Credentials are encrypted before storage — never stored in plain text
• Access is restricted to your account only
• You can manage credentials from your Supplier Dashboard

• One at a time — add individual supplier credentials from your Supplier Dashboard
• CSV bulk import — upload a CSV file with credentials for multiple suppliers simultaneously
• Direct supplier contact — request credentials directly from the supplier using our built-in contact link

1. Add your supplier credentials in the Supplier Dashboard
2. Use the /pricing-and-configuration/{product_id} endpoint with the appropriate price_type

PSRESTful supports three price types:

• Customer — your company-specific negotiated pricing (requires supplier credentials)
• Net — the distributor net cost (add charges for final price)
• List — the suggested retail/end-user price (apply your discount code to calculate net)

Some suppliers don't return Customer data. In that case, use List Pricing with your discount code or Net Pricing plus all applicable charges. See the Pricing Calculator to test pricing interactively.

• Web Service Validator — test and validate PromoStandards endpoints
• Broken Links Finder — detect broken media content URLs
• Data Validation — identify missing or inconsistent data

• Priority support on Business and Enterprise plans
• Comprehensive API documentation with guides and examples
• A FAQ section covering common questions

We continuously ship new features to improve your PromoStandards integration experience.

Recently launched:

• Background Removal and Raster-to-SVG Vectorization (PSMEDx)
• Pantone Color Detection
• Decoration Overlay
• Data Validation runs and reporting
• Best Sellers and Sales Surge reports
• Procurement UI for Purchase Orders
• Shipments Tracking UI
• Invoice Lookup UI
• Sort Parts by Sales API
• Order Shipment Notification 2.0.0 Service
• Order Status 2.0.0 Service
• Product Intelligence — AI-powered insights for supplier pages
• Web Site Validator — validate supplier websites for compliance

Coming next:

• PSRESTful MCP Server — integrate PSRESTful with AI assistants and LLM tools
• Product Compliance 1.0.0 Service
• Open-source SDKs for JavaScript, Python, and more
• Continued improvements to supplier data quality and classification

Promotional discount codes determine the percentage discount a distributor receives off the List Price. Each code maps to a specific discount level:

Some suppliers start their codes with A, others with P. The letter X always means 0% discount.

For a detailed breakdown, visit our Discount Codes Explained page. See also: Glossary for more industry terms.

EQP stands for End Quantity Pricing in the promotional products industry. Under EQP, the highest quantity price break is applied to all quantities — meaning customers benefit from the lowest unit price even when purchasing smaller quantities.

This pricing strategy is often used as a sales incentive or promotional offer to distributors. EQP can vary between suppliers and products, so it's crucial for distributors to be aware of EQP offers as they can significantly impact competitiveness.

PSRESTful exposes EQP and other pricing data through the PPC (Pricing & Configuration) service. See also: Glossary for more industry terms.

Net Cost is the distributor's actual cost for a product — what you pay the supplier. This differs from List Price (the suggested retail/end-user price).

PSRESTful's PPC service supports three pricing modes via the price_type parameter:

• Net — your distributor cost (add run charges, setup fees, etc. for final price)
• List — retail price (apply your discount code to calculate net)
• Customer — your company-specific negotiated pricing (requires supplier credentials)

Use the Pricing Calculator to explore pricing interactively. See our Glossary for more industry terms.

FOB (Free On Board) refers to the shipping origin point for a product. Each supplier warehouse has a FOB point identified by a fobId.

Why it matters:

• Specifying the nearest FOB to your shipping destination minimizes freight costs
• Some suppliers have multiple warehouses with different stock levels
• FOB data is available through PSRESTful's Inventory and PPC services

When placing purchase orders, including the fobId is optional but recommended for cost optimization. See our Glossary for more industry terms.

An imprint method (also called a decoration method) is the technique used to apply a logo or design to a promotional product. Common methods include:

• Screen Printing — ink pressed through a mesh screen
• Embroidery — stitched designs (see also: Tape Charge)
• Laser Engraving — etched into the product surface
• Heat Transfer — applied via heat and pressure
• Pad Printing — ink transferred via silicone pad
• Sublimation — dye infused into the material

PSRESTful exposes available imprint methods, locations, and associated charges through the PPC (Pricing & Configuration) service. Preview decorations with our Decoration Overlay tool. See our Glossary for more terms.

LTM (Less Than Minimum) is a charge applied when a distributor orders a quantity below the product's minimum order quantity. Not all products allow sub-minimum ordering.

The PPC (Pricing & Configuration) service specifies data for detecting if an LTM charge applies and how much it is. Unfortunately, suppliers don't always populate this information with total accuracy.

Tip: Always check the isMinQty and LTM charge fields in the PPC response before placing sub-minimum orders. See the Pricing Calculator to explore pricing interactively, and visit our Glossary for more industry terms.

When creating an embroidered design, the design must be converted into a special file that tells the embroidery machine how to stitch it. This process is called digitizing, and the resulting file is often referred to as "tape."

A Tape Charge is the one-time fee for digitizing your design. This charge typically applies only to the first order with a new design — subsequent orders reuse the existing digitized file.

PSRESTful exposes tape charges and other decoration costs through the PPC (Pricing & Configuration) service. See also: Glossary for more industry terms, and Decoration Overlay for our decoration features.