# Crinkl Merchant-Category Signal

> Crinkl Merchant-Category Signal is a paid API for AI agents from api.crinkl.xyz, paid per call via x402, $0.05/call, status unknown (last checked 2026-09-15).

Returns merchant and category activity signals from verified purchase data for retailer fit analysis.

## Facts

- Endpoint: GET https://api.crinkl.xyz/x402/merchant-category-signal
- Price: $0.05/call
- Payment: x402
- Status: unknown
- Last checked: 2026-09-15
- Activations on Zero: 0
- Tags: x402
- Canonical page: https://www.zero.xyz/c/api-crinkl-xyz-1386f08f
- Structured record (JSON): https://api.zero.xyz/v1/capabilities/cap_Kk6IrRdpp48jw-IAVHlBj

Status and success rate cover calls made through Zero and Zero's own probes. Third-party monitors may report differently.

## How to call it through Zero

Zero handles the 402 payment challenge and records the run. With the Zero CLI installed (`npm i -g @zeroxyz/cli`):

```sh
zero fetch --capability api-crinkl-xyz-1386f08f
```

Example prompt: Pull the Crinkl merchant-category signal for the store 'target-us' in the grocery category, scoped to the New York CBSA (cbsa:35620), over the last 14 days — I want to see how active they are for retailer fit analysis.

## When to prefer this

Use this endpoint when you need verified, receipt-backed purchase activity signals for a specific merchant and/or category — especially for retailer fit scoring, campaign planning, or geo-scoped commerce intelligence. Prefer over generic market research when you need privacy-thresholded, proof-backed signals at the merchant level.

## Known failure modes

- Missing required 'merchant' query parameter returns a 400 or validation error
- Invalid or unrecognized merchant ID returns empty or null signal data
- Invalid CBSA code in 'geo' parameter may return an error or fall back to US-level data
- Days value outside 1–30 range returns a validation error
- Payment not fulfilled (x402 protocol) results in 402 Payment Required response
- Rate limiting or insufficient USDC balance blocks the request

## How this service works

Get merchant and category activity signals for retailer fit analysis.

## Output

Returns activity signals for the specified merchant and optional category, including verified purchase-backed commerce indicators scoped to the requested geography and time window, suitable for evaluating retailer fit for campaigns.

## Request schema (JSON Schema)

```json
{
 "type": "object",
 "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
 "required": [
  "input"
 ],
 "properties": {
  "input": {
   "type": "object",
   "required": [
    "type",
    "method"
   ],
   "properties": {
    "type": {
     "type": "string",
     "const": "http"
    },
    "method": {
     "enum": [
      "GET"
     ],
     "type": "string"
    },
    "queryParams": {
     "type": "object",
     "required": [
      "merchant"
     ],
     "properties": {
      "geo": {
       "type": "string",
       "default": "US",
       "description": "US, cbsa:<code>, or a CBSA code."
      },
      "days": {
       "type": "integer",
       "default": 14,
       "maximum": 30,
       "minimum": 1
      },
      "category": {
       "type": "string",
       "description": "Optional Crinkl category slug or display category."
      },
      "merchant": {
       "type": "string",
       "description": "Canonical Crinkl store id."
      }
     }
    }
   },
   "additionalProperties": false
  },
  "output": {
   "type": "object",
   "required": [
    "type"
   ],
   "properties": {
    "type": {
     "type": "string"
    },
    "example": {
     "type": "object"
    }
   }
  }
 }
}
```

## Response schema (JSON Schema)

```json
{
 "type": "json",
 "example": {
  "inputs": {
   "geo": "US",
   "days": 14,
   "category": "beverage",
   "merchant": "crinkl-store-target"
  },
  "object": "crinkl_paid_report",
  "window": {
   "geo": "US",
   "days": 14
  },
  "license": {
   "tier": "x402_single_use",
   "redistribution": "not_allowed"
  },
  "privacy": {
   "smallCells": "suppressed",
   "rawReceipts": "not_returned",
   "walletHistories": "not_returned",
   "identifiablePurchaseRecords": "not_returned"
  },
  "reportId": "rpt_example_merchant_category_signal",
  "reportType": "merchant_category_signal",
  "bucketedResults": {
   "trend": "observed",
   "dataType": "verified_purchase_data",
   "suppressed": false,
   "buyerUseCase": "retailer selection for CPG and retail campaigns",
   "privacyClass": "aggregate_only_no_personal_data",
   "verifiedGmvBucket": "$1k-5k",
   "marketplaceCategory": "Data",
   "verifiedSpendCountBucket": "50-99"
  }
 }
}
```

## More

- Live health (JSON, refreshed every minute): https://www.zero.xyz/c/api-crinkl-xyz-1386f08f/health.json
- [Zero catalog index](https://www.zero.xyz/llms.txt)
- [Other services from api.crinkl.xyz](https://www.zero.xyz/host/api.crinkl.xyz/llms.txt)