# Connect Amazon Seller, Vendor and Ads to Claude Code

Canonical page: https://www.kuudo.com/docs/quick-start/claude-code-mcp/

From Claude Code you can wire live Amazon data into the loop you already work in — query Ads, Seller Central, and Vendor Central while you build, prototype an agent against real campaigns, or debug a listing without leaving the terminal. Seller Central, Amazon Ads and Vendor Central each connect through their own Kuudo MCP server, which you add with one `claude mcp add` command and confirm with `/mcp`.

For the official reference, see [Connect Claude Code to tools via MCP in the Claude Code docs](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/mcp).

Your MCP server hostname is private to your deployment. It comes from your cloud provider, belongs to your environment, and is not shared across customers. Replace `{your-private-mcp-host}` with the private host shown in your dashboard.

## Which Amazon accounts can Claude Code connect to?

Kuudo runs one MCP server per Amazon surface, and each one connects to Claude Code the same way:

- **Seller Central**, through the [Amazon Selling Partner MCP](/features/amazon-selling-partner-mcp/): listings, inventory, orders, pricing, fulfillment and reports.
- **Amazon Ads**, through the [Amazon Ads MCP](/features/amazon-ads-mcp/): campaigns, bids, budgets, reporting, Amazon DSP (demand-side platform) and Amazon Marketing Cloud.
- **Vendor Central**, through the [Amazon Vendor Central MCP](/features/amazon-vendor-central-mcp/): purchase orders, shipments, invoices and Retail Analytics.

Repeat the remote HTTP setup below for each server your workspace uses, with a different server name for each. To connect the Claude app on the web or Claude Desktop instead, use the [Claude web and Desktop quick start](/docs/quick-start/claude-ai/).

## Add a remote HTTP server

Remote HTTP is the recommended transport for cloud-hosted MCP servers.

```bash
export MCP_API_KEY="mcp_live_..."

claude mcp add --transport http private-mcp https://{your-private-mcp-host}/mcp \
  --header 'Authorization: Bearer ${MCP_API_KEY}'
```

Keep the single quotes around the header so Claude Code stores the environment-variable reference instead of your raw key.

When you configure MCP servers through `.mcp.json`, `~/.claude.json`, or `claude mcp add-json`, the `type` field can use either `http` or `streamable-http`.

## Add a remote SSE server

SSE is deprecated. Use HTTP when the server supports it. If you must connect an older SSE server:

```bash
claude mcp add --transport sse legacy-api https://api.example.com/sse \
  --header 'Authorization: Bearer ${MCP_API_KEY}'
```

## Add a local stdio server

Stdio servers run as local processes. Use them for tools that need local system access or custom scripts.

```bash
claude mcp add --transport stdio --env TOOL_API_KEY="${TOOL_API_KEY}" local-tool \
  -- npx -y local-tool-mcp-server
```

All Claude flags such as `--transport`, `--env`, `--scope`, and `--header` must come before the server name. The `--` separator marks the start of the command and arguments passed to the MCP server.

Claude Code sets `CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR` in the spawned server's environment to the project root. Local servers can read it to resolve project-relative paths.

## Manage servers

Use the Claude Code CLI for saved configuration:

```bash
claude mcp list
claude mcp get private-mcp
claude mcp remove private-mcp
```

Use `/mcp` inside Claude Code to inspect live server status, authenticate with OAuth servers, retry failed connections, and see connected tool counts.

Claude Code refreshes tool, prompt, and resource lists when servers send MCP `list_changed` notifications. HTTP and SSE servers reconnect automatically with backoff after transient disconnects. Stdio servers are local processes and are not automatically reconnected.

## Choose a scope

The `--scope` flag controls where the server is stored and who can use it.

| Scope | Loads in | Shared with team | Stored in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `local` | Current project only | No | `~/.claude.json` under the current project path |
| `project` | Current project only | Yes | `.mcp.json` in the project root |
| `user` | All your projects | No | `~/.claude.json` |

Local scope is the default. Use it for personal or experimental servers. Use project scope for team-shared server entries that should be checked into version control. Use user scope for personal tools you want across projects.

Examples:

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http private-mcp --scope local https://{your-private-mcp-host}/mcp
claude mcp add --transport http private-mcp --scope project https://{your-private-mcp-host}/mcp
claude mcp add --transport http private-mcp --scope user https://{your-private-mcp-host}/mcp
```

When the same server name exists in more than one scope, Claude Code uses the highest-precedence definition: local, project, user, plugin-provided servers, then Claude.ai connectors.

## Use project JSON

Project-scoped MCP servers live in `.mcp.json`:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "private-mcp": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://{your-private-mcp-host}/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer ${MCP_API_KEY}"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

Claude Code supports environment-variable expansion in `.mcp.json` values:

- `${VAR}` expands to the environment variable value.
- `${VAR:-default}` uses a default when the variable is unset.

Expansion works in `command`, `args`, `env`, `url`, and `headers`. If a required variable is missing and no default is provided, Claude Code fails to parse the config.

For project-scoped servers, Claude Code prompts for approval before using servers from `.mcp.json`. To reset those choices, run:

```bash
claude mcp reset-project-choices
```

## Add JSON directly

Use `claude mcp add-json` when you already have a JSON server definition:

```bash
claude mcp add-json private-mcp '{
  "type": "http",
  "url": "https://{your-private-mcp-host}/mcp",
  "headers": {
    "Authorization": "Bearer ${MCP_API_KEY}"
  }
}'
```

## Authenticate remote servers

For bearer-token servers, pass a header when adding the server or store it in JSON config.

For OAuth servers, add the server first, then run `/mcp` inside Claude Code and follow the authentication flow. Claude Code can use fixed OAuth callback ports and preconfigured OAuth settings when your environment requires them.

## Plugin-provided MCP servers

Claude Code plugins can bundle MCP servers. Plugin servers start when the plugin is enabled and appear alongside manually configured servers in `/mcp`.

If you enable or disable a plugin during a session, run:

```text
/reload-plugins
```

Plugin-provided MCP servers are managed through plugin installation rather than `claude mcp` commands.

## Output limits

Claude Code warns when MCP tool output exceeds 10,000 tokens. To raise the limit for a session:

```bash
MAX_MCP_OUTPUT_TOKENS=50000 claude
```

Keep tool outputs focused when possible. Large tool responses increase context pressure and make later turns harder to reason about.

## Tool search and prompts

Claude Code can defer large MCP tool lists through tool search, which helps scale when many servers expose many tools. If a server is still connecting when a request needs it, Claude waits while the relevant server becomes available.

MCP prompts can also appear as Claude Code commands. Use prompt commands when the server provides reusable workflows in addition to tools.

## Managed configuration

Enterprise admins can manage MCP configuration through managed settings. Managed configuration can exclusively control available servers or use allowlists and denylists to restrict which command-based or URL-based servers users may add.

Use managed configuration for organization-wide compliance, approved server catalogs, and consistent access rules.

## Troubleshooting

### Server does not appear

Run `claude mcp list`, then open `/mcp` inside Claude Code. If the server name is `workspace`, rename it; Claude Code reserves that name for internal use.

### Authentication fails

Confirm `MCP_API_KEY` is exported in the shell that launches Claude Code, or re-authenticate OAuth servers through `/mcp`.

### Project server prompts for approval

That is expected for servers loaded from `.mcp.json`. Review the config and approve the server if you trust it.

### Tool output is too large

Filter the tool call if possible, or start Claude Code with a larger `MAX_MCP_OUTPUT_TOKENS` value.

### Remote server disconnects

Open `/mcp` and retry the server. HTTP and SSE transports reconnect automatically for transient errors, but authentication and not-found errors require config changes.

## Next steps

For a shorter setup path focused only on your private MCP server, see the [Claude Code setup steps](/docs/quick-start/claude-ai/#claude-code). For reusable Claude Code workflows, see the [Claude Code Skills quick start](/docs/quick-start/claude-skills/).