Scan.com Integration: Marketplace API & Malta-Focused Tech Sales Management

About Scan.com: Foundation, Ownership and Market Position

Foundation and History (2005 – Today)

Scan.com was founded around 2005 in Malta as a brick-and-mortar consumer electronics retailer, gradually evolving into an online store and then a hybrid marketplace where Maltese SMEs and local importers can list their own catalogue. Operated by Scan.com Ltd, the company is firmly rooted in the local economy, with all operations — buying, customer service, returns processing — handled from Malta in English and Maltese.

Unlike pan-European platforms such as Amazon.de, eBay UK or Allegro that treat Malta as a cross-border edge case, Scan.com is built specifically for Maltese consumer behaviour: euro pricing, MaltaPost fulfilment, MFSA-regulated installment partnerships with local banks (BOV, HSBC Malta, APS Bank), and CE/REACH/WEEE Malta compliance baked into the listing flow. For a Maltese seller, this means a frictionless local channel without the customs, FX or 2-week delivery problems of cross-border marketplaces.

Scan.com Structure (2025)

• Scan.com Ltd — Parent organisation, Malta-registered with MFSA
• Local management team — Headquarters in Malta, EN + MT operations
• Local banking partnerships — BOV, HSBC Malta, APS Bank installments
• Marketplace model — Hybrid 1P (Scan.com retail) + 3P (third-party sellers)

Position in Malta E-Commerce

Malta is a small but mature e-commerce market: roughly 520K residents, 88% internet penetration and an average household income well above EU median. Within consumer electronics — a category where Maltese shoppers historically relied on cross-border UK retailers (now post-Brexit complicated) or German webshops — Scan.com is the dominant local online tech retailer, ahead of Maltese branches of pan-EU competitors. Its strength is local stock availability (next-day or same-day MaltaPost delivery), euro pricing without customs surprises, and Maltese-language customer support.

Scan.com Sales Volume and Size (2024–2025 Data)

Scan.com has steadily grown into the leading Malta-focused tech marketplace over the past 5 years. Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) and order volume have grown 18–25% year on year, driven by post-Brexit substitution of UK cross-border purchases and increased local SME participation in the 3P programme.

Year	GMV (EUR)	Orders	Active Customers	3P Sellers
2020	~€12M	~140K	55K	40
2022	~€18M	~210K	78K	90
2024	~€25M	~290K	100K+	150+
2025 (forecast)	~€30M	~350K	115K	180+

This growth is supported by MaltaPost's island-wide next-day delivery infrastructure, mobile-first checkout, and Scan.com's installment partnership programme with Maltese banks. For a Maltese SME, joining Scan.com as a 3P seller is currently the fastest route to scaled online sales without going cross-border.

Opening a Scan.com Store (2026 Current Rules)

1. Legal and Tax Requirements

To sell on Scan.com you must have an active Maltese business registration. Sole trader, Ltd or PLC are all acceptable; however, you must be VAT-registered with the Malta CFR (Commissioner for Revenue) and able to issue compliant VAT invoices in EUR.

• CFR VAT registration (Malta Article 10 or Article 11, depending on turnover)
• MFSA company registration (for Ltd / PLC)
• Trade licence from the Commerce Department
• IBAN of a Maltese bank account — settlements are paid into this account
• GDPR / DPC (Data Protection Commissioner) compliance statement
• CE, REACH and WEEE Malta declarations for consumer electronics
• Brand authorisation letter (for branded electronics — Samsung, Xiaomi, Lenovo, Apple etc.)

2. Application to the Scan.com Seller Portal

Submit your application via scan.com.mt/sellers. Approval typically takes 7–14 business days. Once approved, you receive a Seller ID, API key and API secret — these are critical for the Zunapro integration.

📥 Official Scan.com Application scan.com.mt/sellers — free application, 7–14 business days approval →

3. Product Listing and Content Rules

Scan.com applies strict content rules to product listings, focused on Malta-specific compliance:

• Title: 50–150 characters, brand + product name + key spec (EN; MT optional)
• Images: White background, minimum 1000×1000 px, up to 8 photos, no watermarks
• Description: HTML-supported, minimum 200 characters, EN + MT recommended for higher visibility
• Category mapping: Scan.com category ID + attributes (model, RAM, storage, screen size)
• Barcode (GTIN/EAN): Mandatory for branded electronics — significantly speeds up matching
• CE/WEEE Malta declaration: Required attribute for all electronics listings
• Content score: Must be 80+; otherwise the product is hidden from the storefront

Scan.com Commission Rates (2026)

Scan.com 2026 commission rates range from 4% to 17% depending on category. Maltese VAT (18% standard) applies on top of the commission, together with shipping fees billed by the chosen carrier. Calculating net margin without a proper breakdown is the most common error new Maltese sellers make. The three commission bands below summarise the structure:

Net margin calculation: Sale price − Commission − VAT − Shipping fee − Product cost = Net profit. Zunapro's pricing module performs this calculation automatically per product and category, ensuring you never sell below your minimum margin threshold.

Scan.com API Integration — Technical Details

Scan.com API is a RESTful interface that lets sellers synchronise product, stock, order, price, shipping and return data with Scan.com programmatically. API base URL: https://api.scan.com.mt/v1/sellers/{sellerId}/

API Authentication

The Scan.com API uses HTTP Basic Authentication. The apiKey:apiSecret pair is sent Base64-encoded in the Authorization header. Tokens do not expire, but for security we recommend rotating them every 6–12 months from the seller portal.

Main Endpoint Categories

• Products API — Product creation, updates, category mapping, content-score query
• Inventory API — Stock and price synchronisation (bulk endpoint up to 100 products / request)
• Orders API — Order listing, status updates, package creation
• Shipment API — Carrier label creation (MaltaPost, Vacancycarrier Malta, FedEx Malta, GLS Malta), tracking number sync
• Claims API — Return request queries, accept/reject decisions
• Settlements API — Payouts, VAT invoices and reconciliation
• Webhooks — Instant callbacks for order and stock changes

Rate Limits and Error Handling

The Scan.com API rate limit is approximately 10 requests per second per seller. When exceeded, a 429 Too Many Requests response is returned. Common error codes: 400 (invalid product data), 401 (authentication failure), 404 (category/barcode not found), 500 (Scan.com system error — retry). The Zunapro integrator handles these automatically with exponential backoff retry and a dead-letter queue.

Scan.com Bulk Product Upload — Catalogue Import

Bulk product upload to Scan.com allows you to import your supplier's or your own e-commerce site's catalogue automatically into the Scan.com seller panel. As an alternative to manual data entry, it lets you upload thousands of products in minutes via CSV, XML or direct API.

Required Fields (Scan.com-Compatible)

The core fields required for a Scan.com catalogue upload:

• productMainId — Master product code (groups variants)
• brand, title, productCode, stockCode, barcode
• categoryId (Scan.com category), attributes (model, storage, screen size, colour)
• quantity (stock), listPrice, salePrice, vatRate (18 / 7 / 5 / 0)
• shippingCarrierId (MaltaPost, Vacancycarrier, FedEx, GLS), warehouseId
• images (1–8 URLs), description (HTML, EN + MT)
• ceCompliance, weeeMalta, reachCompliance flags

From Distributor Catalogue to Scan.com

Most Maltese tech distributors and EU-wide wholesalers (Ingram Micro, Tech Data, ESPRINET, Asbis) publish their catalogues as CSV or XML. The Zunapro catalogue module:

1. Reads the distributor catalogue feed (hourly / daily cron)
2. Learns category mapping (first mapping manual, then automatic)
3. Normalises brand, model, capacity and other attributes
4. Applies margin + commission + VAT 18% to prices
5. Tracks stock — automatically deactivates products no longer in stock at the distributor
6. Pushes to Scan.com via API

Scan.com Logistics — 3PL Carrier Network

Scan.com operates on a 3PL (third-party logistics) model only. Unlike Amazon FBA or Trendyol TGF, there is no first-party fulfilment warehouse — sellers handle their own storage and dispatch using approved Maltese carriers. This is well-suited to Malta's small geography (the entire island is under 30 km across) where same-day or next-day delivery is achievable without a centralised hub.

Approved Carriers

• MaltaPost — National postal operator; cheapest option, 1–2 business days island-wide
• Vacancycarrier Malta — Local express carrier; same-day Malta delivery for orders before 12:00
• FedEx Malta — Premium / international option; integrated for Gozo and EU outbound
• GLS Malta — Standard parcel network; competitive rates for bulkier electronics

3PL Operational Considerations

• Same-day dispatch required for orders before 14:00 to maintain seller score
• Label generation via Scan.com Shipment API — Zunapro generates labels for all four carriers automatically
• Tracking number must be synced back to Scan.com within 1 hour of dispatch
• Returns handled by seller; Scan.com mediates customer disputes

Because Scan.com is 3PL-only, sellers retain full control over packaging and customer experience — important for branded electronics where unboxing and warranty paperwork matter.

Scan.com Seller Performance Score and Cancellation Rates

Scan.com assigns each seller a seller score from 1 to 10; this score directly affects visibility on the storefront and Buy Box eligibility. The main factors that lower the score:

• Cancellation rate — Out-of-stock cancellations are the harshest penalty; above 2% triggers a warning, above 5% risks suspension
• Late dispatch — Orders not shipped within the promised window
• Return rate — Above-category-average returns (electronics typically 5–10%)
• Customer ratings — Must stay above 4.0 stars
• Response time — Customer messages must be answered within 24 hours (EN or MT)

With Zunapro's automatic stock synchronisation, you reduce cancellation risk by approximately 90%; the moment a product sells on your website, warehouse or another marketplace, it is instantly deactivated on Scan.com.

Scan.com Advertising, Promotions and Smart Pricing

Scan.com Advertising Options

• Sponsored Products — Top placement in search results (CPC, EUR / click)
• Category banners — Display advertising in computing, mobile and gaming sections
• Brand store — Dedicated brand landing pages for authorised sellers
• Installment campaign tags — Highlight 6 / 12 / 24-month installment availability via Maltese bank partners

Smart Pricing (Repricer)

Buy Box competition on Scan.com can be intense, particularly on commodity electronics where 5–10 sellers list the same SKU. The lowest competitive price (or the highest seller score) wins the Buy Box. Zunapro's repricer module automatically adjusts your prices against competitors within seconds — and never drops below your minimum margin threshold.

Scan.com VAT Invoicing (Malta CFR Compliance)

All sellers on Scan.com must issue VAT-compliant invoices in EUR to B2C customers (Article 10 / Article 11 depending on turnover), as required by the Malta CFR. Issuing invoices manually is unworkable beyond 100 orders per day.

The Zunapro VAT invoice module:

• Automatically issues a CFR-compliant VAT invoice the moment a Scan.com order arrives
• Applies the correct VAT rate (18% standard, 7% accommodation, 5% reduced, 0% exports)
• Issues an automatic credit note on returns
• Monthly VAT return reports compatible with the CFR online portal
• Sends the PDF invoice automatically to the customer by email + SMS
• GDPR / DPC compliant data handling throughout

Scan.com Shipping Integration — MaltaPost + Local Carriers

Scan.com orders ship by default through one of the four approved Maltese carriers — MaltaPost (national postal, cheapest), Vacancycarrier Malta (same-day express), FedEx Malta (premium / Gozo / EU outbound) or GLS Malta (parcel network). The seller chooses the carrier per order, or per product weight band.

The Zunapro multi-carrier module automatically picks the most suitable carrier based on order weight, destination (Malta mainland or Gozo) and customer preference; it prints the label and pushes the tracking number back to Scan.com automatically.

Scan.com Returns and Customer Service

Under Maltese consumer law and the EU Consumer Rights Directive, Maltese buyers benefit from a 14-day right of withdrawal and a 2-year statutory warranty on consumer electronics. Average return rates on Scan.com sit at 5–10% for electronics and 10–15% for accessories. Mishandled returns drop your seller score fast.

Standard Scan.com Returns Process:

1. Customer opens a return request via the Scan.com portal (within 14 days of delivery)
2. The chosen carrier (typically MaltaPost) collects the product free of charge (1–3 business days)
3. The customer's warehouse / Scan.com inspects, then forwards to the seller
4. The seller approves or rejects the return within 1–3 business days
5. If approved, the customer is refunded via the Scan.com wallet or original payment method

The Zunapro returns module tracks every step automatically, sends panel notifications to the seller and issues automatic credit notes for approved returns.

Scan.com Integration with Zunapro — 4-Step Setup (10 Minutes)

1. Enter Your Scan.com Seller Details — In the Zunapro panel under Marketplace → Scan.com, enter the Seller ID, API key and API secret.
2. Connect Your Existing Site — Ready-made connectors for Shopify, WooCommerce, OpenCart, Magento, PrestaShop. Enter the API URL + access key.
3. Category Mapping Wizard — Map your site's categories to Scan.com categories via drag-and-drop. AI suggestions complete the mapping in minutes.
4. First Synchronisation — Products, stock, prices, orders, shipping — full automatic sync starts. Within 10 minutes, your Scan.com store is fully manageable from the Zunapro panel.

Frequently Asked Questions About Scan.com Integration