Catalog API overview
You can use the catalog API to create or update products and items. When you use the APIs to update your catalog, only the attributes contained in the API body are updated. The update uses an asynchronous process that can take an extended period of time to complete.
When you create a new product, it can take 1-3 business days for the new product to display in the storefront. When you update a product, it can take 2-3 hours for the update to display in the storefront.
When you update an item, it can take 2-3 hours for the update to display in the storefront.
To use Catalog APIs, contact your Instacart representative.
Products
Products are the same for all of a retailer's stores. This API includes common attributes like item_name, item_details, and remote_image_URL. For more information, see Product API.
Items
Items contain information that can vary from one retailer's store to another. This API includes unique attributes like price, available, and order_lead_time. Item attributes are different for each individual store. For more information, see Item API.