Merchant Search API Test Data Records

[jcflash80]

Hi,

I am currently using the Merchant Search API Sandbox.  I am connected correctly and able to retrieve results.  I saw in an earlier thread that the Sandbox Test Data is not comprehensive (makes sense), but I would like to know what is in the Test Data.  I would like to test the search functionality and the wildcard functions with some real card transaction merchant strings.

Within my app dashboard I viewed the Test Data tab available.  It only shows one single record in my Merchant Search Test Data.  The record is:

searchAttrList.merchantName:  "cmu edctn materials cntr"

This record is not retrievable via the API either.  The Starbucks example works in the API Reference Guide.  Also, Walmart seems to work along with a few other random merchants I have tested.  If I can understand the limitations of the Test Data available in the Sandbox, then I will be able to test the functionality more thoroughly and quantify the potential.

Thanks,

-Jonathan

[DianaTran-Yee]

Hey @jcflash80,

We're happy to help. For Merchant Search, sandbox is used for testing purposes and you are only seeing a few merchants show up in the response because this is a sandbox limitation. Merchant’s data is limited to USA only and sandbox data is limited to a few merchants only.

All the Merchant Search API details are on the getting started guide on VDP. You could follow this link to onboard an app on VDP : https://developer.visa.com/pages/working-with-visa-apis 
Then follow the spec on the link to create an API request for MS API :  https://developer.visa.com/capabilities/merchant_search/reference 
 

[jcflash80]

Hey Diana,

Thank you for the quick reply.  I read through all the documents in the links provided that describe the API.  I still was not able to find the list of limited mock-merchants in the test data for the Merchant Search API.  Is there a way to trial the production API?  I have many merchant transaction descriptions that I would like to run through the Merchant Search API to see whether this Visa API is the appropriate solution for me.

Thanks,

-Jonathan

[DianaTran-Yee]

Hey @jcflash80,

You'll only be able to try the API in the sandbox environment using the available test data that we have to offer. You won't be able to trial the production environment. To get into the production environment, you'll need to submit a going live request.