Determine if 10 digit string is valid Amazon ASIN

Question

I have a 10 digit string being passed to me, and I want to verify that it is a valid ASIN before doing more processing and/or redirection.

I know that a non ISBN ASIN will always be non-numeric and 10 characters in length

I just want to be able to tell if the item being passed is a valid ASIN or is it just a search string after I have already eliminated that it could be a ISBN.

For example "SOUNDBOARD" is a search term while "B000J5XS3C" is an ASIN and "1412775884" is an ISBN.

Is there a lightweight way to check ASIN?

Answer 1

maybe you could check on the amazon site whether the ASIN exists.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/YOUR10DIGITASIN

this URL return a http-statuscode=200 when the product exists and a 404 if that was not a valid ASIN.

Answer 2

Did you know that Amazon offers an API, including an Amazon Associates Web Service, that allows you to interactive programatically with Amazon. I suspect that will solve your problem (in some fashion). Check out the Amazon Web Services home page for more info.

Answer 3

"this URL return a http-statuscode=200 when the product exists and a 404 if that was not a valid ASIN."

this will NOT work, since according to the docs ASINs are region specific (check it for yourself if you don't believe). you can only verify an asin from - let's say - amazon.co.uk at amazon.co.uk, so you also have to know whre the ASIN comes from.

however, in your case you're better off having three input fields - one for each search. or (much better) one field an three radio buttons. alternatively, you could check the string angainst a dictionary... but guessing is alsways VERY bad engineering.

moreover, there is no lightweight way to check an asin for validity